NOT GUILTY: Verdict In Polak Murder Trial

Richard Polak has been in jail for nine months for a murder a Polk County Jury says he didn’t commit. Polak was arrested and charged with murder last October, two months after the shooting death of 28-year old Charles Freeborn.

It took 8 hours of deliberation for the jury to find Polak not guilty on all three counts: first degree murder, attempted murder, and intimidation with a weapon. Defense attorney Christine Branstad says it all came down to lack of evidence against her client.

“Mr. Polak and his family are incredibly grateful to the jury that really put the time in and really paid attention to the details here. But there is no celebration right now. There is still a family out there that doesn’t have a son,” said Defense Attorney Christine Branstad.

Freeborn’s family says were taken completely off guard with the verdict. Family and friends have been at the courthouse for the past two weeks sitting in during the trial, staying in contact with the lawyers and many of them were even called as witnesses. Charles’s Freeborn father says they don’t know where to go from here.

Freeborn’s family says the fact Polak was released today worries them. He was scheduled to be released from Polk County Jail sometime this afternoon. The prosecution would not comment on the case or the verdict. Now, we know a jury has to be unanimous, in order to convict. And it only takes one person who believes the defendant is innocent, in order to acquit. In this case, the jury was unanimous that Polak was not guilty of these crimes.