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ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — A former Dixie State University theater professor accused of assaulting a student has been found not guilty.
The Spectrum of St. George reports (http://bit.ly/29VQh9K ) that jurors on Thursday found Varlo Davenport not guilty. Davenport had been accused of grabbing a female student's hair and pulling her head back during an acting class nearly two years ago.
Davenport's attorneys argued the contact was part of an acting technique to help actors access emotions relating to characters they may be playing.
Davenport and witnesses acknowledged the professor made physical contact with the student but argued he was not doing so to cause pain.
After the incident Davenport was suspended from Dixie State. A faculty review board ultimately recommended he be reinstated, but university President Richard "Biff" Williams rejected the recommendation.
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Information from: The Spectrum, http://www.thespectrum.com
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