Massage Therapist Found Not Guilty of Sexual Assault

Frisco therapist was accused of assaulting patient

A Frisco massage therapist accused of sexually abusing a female patient was found not guilty Wednesday after a three-day trial.

Marcus Hurst, owner of We Knead Bodies in the Prestonwood Crossing shopping center, was arrested by Frisco police in May 2010.

Hurst, who was a massage therapist for 15 years before his arrest, said he prided himself on doing professional work and had never been accused of any wrongdoing before.

"I was just dumbfounded," he said. "I never thought anything like this would ever happen to me."

It took a jury 45 minutes to deliver its not-guilty verdict, said Hurst’s attorney Peter Schulte, of Dallas.

"They just didn't believe her," he said.

Schulte said there was no physical evidence and the accuser’s story didn’t add up.

Among other things, Schulte said she lied to police about not having sex with anyone prior to the massage. Physical evidence showed she did, he said.

He said cellphone records show she checked her voice mail soon after leaving the spa, which Schulte said was inconsistent with someone who had just been sexually assaulted.

Schulte also said the woman was interested in getting money from Hurst and admitted in court -- outside the presence of the jury -- that she had talked with an attorney about suing the therapist.

Hurst said before the trial, prosecutors offered him a plea deal of 10 years in prison. He could have received 20 years if convicted.

"I was willing to fight it out," he said.

After the accusation, his business closed, he and his wife divorced, and he had trouble finding a job, he said.

"My life just sort of fell apart," he said.

With the not-guilty verdict, Hurst said he hopes to get his reputation back.

"I'm ready to move on with my life," he said.

Frisco police, the Collin County District Attorney’s office, and the woman who accused him did not return telephone calls Wednesday seeking comment.

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