Juilliard Park rape case dropped

Prosecutors have rejected the case against a Santa Rosa man accused of raping a 17-year-old girl last year in Juilliard Park, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Michael Augustine Byrnes, then 20, was arrested Oct. 23 after police said he grabbed the girl, removed her clothes and raped her.

At the time, officers said they had DNA evidence linking him to the attack. He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

But less than a week later, Judge Robert LaForge released Byrnes when prosecutors didn't file charges. His lawyer, Chris Andrian, said prosecutors announced Jan. 24 they wouldn't pursue charges.

Court records show the case was dropped because of lack of sufficient evidence, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office said.

— Paul Payne

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