CINCINNATI —

Cincinnati police Capt. Brian Norris was acquitted of assault and disorderly conduct charges on Friday after a judge ruled in his favor, despite expressing conflict over the evidence presented in the case.

"I'm really torn about this case," said Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Gwen Bender before issuing a not guilty verdict. Advertisement

She was conflicted because bystanders who testified during Norris' trial acted appropriately when they believed a woman was being attacked last fall in Washington Park in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. However, the woman involved said Norris, a 33-year Cincinnati police veteran, would never harm her. Drew Smith, a witness, described the scene, saying, "There was a man that was starting to put his arm around her neck and d

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