A jury has found Rev. Gregory Drumwright not guilty of resisting a public officer, a Class 2 misdemeanor, at an October 31, 2020 march and rally at the Alamance County Historic Court House the weekend before the 2020 general election.
The jury returned Monday morning after about 30 minutes, having spent almost an hour on Friday, to find the Greensboro pastor not guilty as a result of a scuffle involving a gas-powered generator and two gas cans that were brought to the rally in order to power his sound system at the rally.
An additional charge of resisting a public officer had been dismissed by superior court judge Tom Lambeth on Friday.
Drumwright had been convicted of both charges in a district court trial by retired visiting district court judge Lunsford Long, III in September 2021, although he was found not guilty at that time on a third charge, of participating in a riot.
The procedure used in his appeal called for a new trial (trial de novo) in superior court and prohibited evidence from earlier proceedings from being introduced.
About two-and-a-half days were spent picking the jury (and two alternates) of two black males; one black female; one Hispanic female and one Hispanic male; six white females; and three white males.
See previous court coverage from last week – and from district court trial in 2021:
Closing arguments made, jury deliberations begin, two sets of questions asked within first hour of deliberations: https://alamancenews.com/jury-begins-deliberations-in-drumwright-trial-sends-two-sets-of-questions-within-first-hour/
Superior Court trial begins: https://alamancenews.com/jury-trial-starts-for-halloween-2020-protest-organizer/
See 2021 coverage of district court trial verdict: https://alamancenews.com/breaking-wed-afternoon-drumwright-found-guilty-on-2-of-3-charges/
First part of district court trial from summer 2021: https://alamancenews.com/drumwright-trial-underway-but-not-finished-to-be-continued-sept-8/