A former student on trial for rape in a case that has cast a harsh light on the culture of an elite New Hampshire prep school testified on Wednesday that he had a consensual sexual encounter with his 15-year-old accuser that stopped short of intercourse.
Owen Labrie, 19, has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting the younger student at St. Paul's School in Concord in May 2014.
Testifying for the first time since the trial began last week, Labrie said he had a "playful, affectionate" relationship with the girl and that he believed she was a willing participant in the encounter.
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