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Osburn not guilty of murder in UW-Stout beating death

It took jurors just six hours to decide the fate of 28-year-old Cullen Osburn, opting to find him not guilty on a charge of second degree murder but guilty of aggravated battery in the 2016 death of UW-Stout exchange student Hussain Saeed Alnahdi.
Culllen Osburn was found not guilty of murder, but convicted on aggravated battery charges in the death of a UW-Stout exchange student.

MENOMONIE, Wis. - He's not guilty of murder, but Cullen Osborn will go to prison after a Dunn County jury found him guilty of aggravated battery in the death of an international college student.

RELATED: MN man charged in death of UW-Stout student

It took jurors just six hours to decide the 28-year-old Osborn's fate, opting to find him not guilty on a charge of second degree murder in the 2016 death of UW-Stout exchange student Hussain Saeed Alnahdi.

A $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the beating death of 24-year-old UW-Stout student Hussain Saeed Alnahdi.    

WEAU reports that the jury asked five questions before rendering its verdict - including reviewing police dashcam video from the night of the incident to asking to see pictures of Alnahdi's hands after his death.

After the verdict was read, both defense attorney Christopher Zipko and Dunn County District Attorney Andrea Nodolf struggled to understand the decision of the jury.

"I really don't think there's anything with the state or the police could have done. We had an eyewitness statement. We had the defendant's confession, but certainly at least there's some sort of justice for Hussain, but nothing can bring him back,” Nodolf said. "The state and the police - we really devoted a lot of time and attention to this case and I'm very proud of the presentation we set forward ... but certainly 12 people beyond a reasonable doubt is not an easy standard."

"Obvoiusly, it's sad about Mr. Alnahdi. It's a Pyrrhic victory in that part," reflected Zipko. "No one is celebrating for the fact that this was senseless. Like I said in my closing, there is no need for this. This whole event was just tragic and - for that - it makes no sense."

With the guilty verdict, Osburn is back behind bars at the Dunn County Judicial Center and this case moves into the sentencing phase for the aggravated assault. That will happen on July 13th. He is potentially facing a maximum of eight years in prison, but indicated after the verdict was read that he wants a retrial and may appeal.

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