NORWICH – A man with a murder conviction from the 1970's was put on trial last week for an alleged sex attack that occurred in 2021 and was found not guilty of all charges by a judge.

Following a two day trial where both the victim and defendant took the stand to tell their versions of events, Stephen Dale Pierce, 67, of Norwich was found not guilty of first degree sex abuse, a felony, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching, both misdemeanors, by Chenango County Court Judge Frank B. Revoir Jr.

A charge of assault was also dropped just as the trial started, which began on Thursday and ended Friday. Pierce was held in jail for about 11 months at the Chenango County Correctional Facility as he awaited his day in court. After being found not guilty Friday he was released.

“The judge made a choice, a choice to believe a defendant who had every reason to lie about what happened and has spent 38 years in prison for murder, over a 70-year-old mentally disabled women who does not possess the cognitive capacity to make up the details and has consistently stated what happened and testified in open court,” said Chenango County District Attorney Michael D. Ferrarese.

Assistant District Attorney Christine Rudy prosecuted the case and Public Defender Zachary T. Wentworth was defense counsel. Wentworth was not available for comment but his office said the case was not sexual in nature and that prosecutors had failed to adequately prove any sexual intent regarding the allegations.

“The Norwich Police Department respectfully disagrees with the decision, and it's sad day for survivors of sexual assault in Chenango County. That being said, the Norwich Police Department will always have an open door for victims of sex crimes, however we are only one part in the legal system,” said Detective Sergeant Reuben Roach.

The Child Advocacy Center of Chenango County provides local crime victim support and can be reached at their main office in Norwich at (607) 334-5437. Their website is (www.chenangochildadvocacy.us)

A emergency crisis line for crime victims is (607) 722-4256, and emergency texts can be sent to (607) 725-8196.

Roach said the reported incident occurred about 11 months ago on May 26, 2021. He said a disabled woman had come into a local store pleading for help because she had just escaped a sex attack.

“It was reported that the victim had initially entered the suspect’s vehicle while on Birdsall Street. The suspect drove the victim to a parking lot in the City of Norwich, where he proceeded to assault the victim. The suspect refused to allow the victim to exit the vehicle, then drove to a second parking lot in the City of Norwich. While in the second parking lot, the victim was able to escape and ran to the local business,” said City of Norwich Police Chief Rodney Marsh at the time of Pierce's arrest.

Pierce was originally charged with kidnapping and attempted rape, both felonies. He was also charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, third degree assault, and forcible touching, all misdemeanors.

Those charges were replaced later by a grand jury indictment for felony sex abuse, and three misdemeanors: unlawful imprisonment, forcible touching and assault.

In court prosecutors said Pierce was previously convicted of killing a Norwich High School student in 1975. He served nearly 39 years in state prison for the 1974 murder of 16-year-old Wendy Cooper.

Following a trial in Chenango County Court, he was convicted in 1975 of murder and first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

A New York State parole board released him in July 2013 over the objections of the victim’s family members.

According to court records, in June of 1974, the then 19-year-old Pierce offered a ride to a teenager, who was on her way home to Plymouth Street. Court documents alleged Pierce had taken Cooper to a secluded location and, according to investigators at the time, he beat her to death with a rock.