After a jury found Jackson County Commissioner Mike Brown not guilty Wednesday, the woman who accused him of sexual assault cried and leaned her head on a friend as a somber Brown walked slowly past."I am glad it is over," said Brown, 61, who appeared tired and was unwilling to say much.

A jury, after deliberating for about 10 hours over two days, found him not guilty Wednesday of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a misdemeanor, and attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony.

Defense attorney Alfred Brandt said he was not surprised by the decision. "Ultimately, it comes down to two people in a car. One person has one version. The other person has another version. How do you prove it beyond a reasonable doubt?"

He said Brown is relieved the ordeal is over.

"Hopefully, he goes on with his life and, hopefully, the young lady goes on with her life," Brandt said.

The verdict had his accuser in tears. "I am shocked, and he even admitted it," the 24-year-old said, referring to Brown's testimony that he tried to push her face into his lap.

The Citizen Patriot generally does not identify sexual assault complainants.

She said she tried to protect other people from Brown.

"You try to protect (others from Brown), and you get screwed," she said as she embraced her mother outside the courtroom.

"It's over. You tried, honey," her mother told her.

Her father was obviously upset with the verdict.

He approached Brown in the courtroom hallway, only to have court employees pull him away. After the confrontation, Brown stood in a locked room until a court officer, for Brown's safety, escorted him out of the building.

Brown was accused of fondling the woman and forcing her hand onto him.

He testified he exposed himself to her and tried to push her head into his lap, hoping she would perform a sex act, while the two sat in his car June 17 outside the Middle School at Parkside in Jackson. Brown had given the woman a ride home from Ted's Firehouse Pub in Jackson.

Jurors said they did not believe Brown exerted the force necessary to qualify his actions as sex crimes. Michigan law says a person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct if "force or coercion is used to accomplish the sexual conduct."

Juror Rudy Nowles said the jury asked Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson, who presided over the trial, for clarification on the definition of forced sexual conduct.

"And that's what decided it," said Nowles, 63, of Jackson.

Nowles said he and other jurors concluded the accuser and Brown "both made big mistakes."

"They are both stupid," Nowles said. "There is no law against that."

Jurors  who began deliberating about 2:25 p.m. Tuesday and reached their verdict about 4 p.m. Wednesday after spending Tuesday night away from the courthouse  were close to being a hung jury, said juror Aimee Mason of Jackson.

Mason and juror Debbi Seelinger of Jackson said they believed the victim's testimony, but could not find Brown used coercion.

In taped telephone conversations with the victim that were played in court, Brown apologized profusely for his actions, saying he was ashamed and blaming the ordeal on excessive alcohol.

The prosecution argued that the woman, more than once, refused Brown's advances and, according to a DVD played at the trial, she testified that he had her "terrified."

Brown's defense lawyer argued that her behavior while the two hung out at the bar and her mild response to his initial come-ons led Brown to believe she was physically receptive to him.

This did not please the victim's family, who sat through the trial and milled about the fifth floor of the courthouse for hours while awaiting a verdict.

Brown, who coordinates the Hot Air Jubilee and organizes an annual Toys for Tots drive, declined to say much about the trial or his future. "I've been advised to just relax," he said.

By prevailing in the trial, Brown is able to retain his seat on the county Board of Commissioners. He would have been forced to step down if he had been convicted of a felony.

County officials were largely quiet on the issue as the case made its way through the court system.

Upon hearing the verdict, board Chairman Steve Shotwell said simply, "I'm glad it's over."

Said acting county Administrator Randy Treacher: "The system has spoken and it goes from there."

— Staff writers Dana DeFever, Chad Livengood and Kristin Longley contributed to this story.