Former St. Thomas men’s track athlete acquitted of sexual assault of freshman at party

A Ramsey County jury acquitted a former St. Thomas student and track athlete of sexual assault after he was accused of raping a freshman female track athlete at a house party where other members of the men’s track team lived.

Jack S. Osborne, 25, of St. Paul, was found not guilty on one count of third-degree sexual assault Friday after being charged with the crime in March 2023. Jurors deliberated for 90 minutes before delivering their verdict. The trial lasted 11 days.

Attorney Nicole Kettwick, who represented Osborne, said her office hired independent investigators who spoke with several witnesses who were at the party on March 5, 2022, in the 2100 block of Lincoln Avenue in St. Paul.

“From our perspective, it’s a shame that the state doesn’t have more resources to investigate these cases in the first place,” Kettwick said.

She said the party had “40 or 50 people, many witnesses at it. I think state investigators talked to five or six people.” She said private investigators also went through text messages and social media posts that helped build Osborne’s defense.

Ramsey County Attorney’s Office spokesman Dennis Gerhardstein said in a statement, “While we are disappointed in the jury’s decision, we respect their verdict. Taking on these difficult cases starts with a willingness to believe victims who report sexual violence. We felt we held true to that commitment despite today’s outcome.”

Police met with the accuser two days after the party in 2022. She reported she blacked out and awoke to find Osborne raping her at the house where Osborne and other St. Thomas track athletes lived. The woman, not old to enough to drink alcohol, and others on the women’s track team went to a initiation party at about 7:30 p.m. that night and were served liquor. She said she drank a vodka cranberry cocktail and three hard seltzers. After that, the women’s team went to the house party.

The charging documents indicated that Osborne also had been drinking heavily that night.

Osborne was arrested, told police he did nothing wrong and said nothing further.

The defense called several witnesses who were at the party, including one person who walked in on the situation. Ultimately, the jury decided Osborne was not guilty of the assault.

“We’re happy the jury got it right but also acknowledge this is a no-win situation,” Kettwick said.

The University of St. Thomas did not immediately return messages seeking comment.