"It's all over. We can move on with our lives," Gillespie exulted as he hugged his wife, Sandy.
Gillespie has been suspended without pay since an investigation accused him of beating a South Philadelphia man who was stopped for allegedly running a stop sign. The Deptford police chief denounced the officer and supported his prosecution.
Defense lawyer Ron Helmer said he hoped Gillespie, a four-year police veteran, would be reinstated now that he has been acquitted. He said police department could still charge Gillespie with administrative offenses.
Two other Deptford officers face trials in the case. Patrolman Timothy Parks is accused of participating in the alleged attack on Rao. A third officer is accused of lying about what he saw.
After the verdict, jurors spoke privately with Gillespie, his lawyer and members of his family in the courthouse parking lot. Gillespie thanked them for the verdict. Jurors steadfastly refused to comment publicly.
"This is the best day of my life," Gillespie said before leaving the parking lot. "Finally, the good guys win one."
Before reaching the verdict, jurors had asked Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson to allow them to review police car video of the Feb. 2, 2006, confrontation between Gillespie and motorist Joseph Rao Jr., who was then 19.
The judge allowed jurors to review raw and enhanced versions of the video. The jury also asked the judge whether cursing and acting unprofessionally – which Gillespie admitted during his testimony earlier in the week – constituted official misconduct. The judge explained that it did not.
Jurors deliberated more than four hours over two days before reaching the verdict.
During the two-week trial, the jury watched the 14-minute police car video more than 10 times as it was dissected, slowed, stopped and replayed.
