11-16-13 fdl man found not guilty in armed robbery case

A  Fond du Lac man accused of robbing an elderly man at gunpoint has been found not guilty on all counts.   A Fond du lac jury returned the not guilty verdicts Friday afternoon against 45 year old Terry Searl  on all nine counts including attempted armed robbery, recklessly endangering safety,
aggravated battery, possession of a firearm by a felon and bail jumping.  Searl’s attorney Mike O’Rourke says he’s obviously pleased with the jury’s verdicts.  "He's always maintained his innocence,"  O'Rourke told WFDL news.  "For me it simply reaffirms my strong belief in the jury system, that 12 jurors will make a good decision when they're presented with the facts and the ability to assess whether people are telling the truth."   According to a criminal complaint Searl was masked when he forced his way into an East Pioneer Road residence June 29^th, struck the victim in the head with the butt of a gun, and demanded money and drugs.   He had faced the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted.  O’Rourke says clearly the jury did not believe the alleged victim's story.