AFTER eight hours of deliberation, a Minneapolis jury yesterday found a well-known pediatrician not guilty of molesting a teenage patient.

Dr James McLeod had maintained his innocence throughout the trial.

His supporters rallied to his cause when he was first charged, packed the courtroom throughout the trial and celebrated when he was cleared in the case.

"There really aren't any winners in this situation, but we're very relieved that the facts of the truth came out," McLeod said outside the courthouse.

Prosecutors alleged McLeod, 62, sexually abused a teenage patient on eight different occasions when the patient was between the ages of 13 and 15.

The teenager, now 17, testified against the doctor in court.

Juror Bill Kruskop said several of the jurors believed there was a likelihood the patient was abused, but didn't feel like the case was proven beyond a reasonable doubt. When the verdict was returned, some of the jurors had tears in their eyes.

Prosecuting attorney, Paul Young, was frustrated that some evidence he considered critical to the case was not allowed. He said jurors may have come to a different conclusion if the judge had permitted testimony of another teen alleging abuse.

"I think if you were to interview the jurors and ask them if they knew about another child who, five days earlier was (allegedly) masturbated by the doctor, they can give you their response. I think it's critical evidence," Young said.

McLeod took the stand in his own defense during the trial. As part of the questioning, the prosecution asked McLeod, "Did you perform oral sex on him?", to which McLeod replied, "No, I absolutely did not."

"Did you masturbate him?" the prosecution probed. "No, I did not," McLeod replied.

It was a response the pediatrician repeated 16 times on January 12, as he recalled consultations the accuser had had with him at his clinic, and described his teenage accuser as a troubled patient.

McLeod voluntarily suspended his practice two years ago when the molestation charges were filed against him.

Prior to the suspension, McLeod frequently made Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine's list of top doctors. As a matter of priority, McLeod plans to ask the medical board to reinstate him.

McLeod faces another trial into the molestation case that was deemed inadmissible in this week’s trial.