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EAST LANSING - A jury today acquitted a 22-year-old man of charges related to the riot in April at an apartment complex near Michigan State University.

Robert Kensicki was found not guilty of three misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges after a one-day jury trial before 54B District Judge David Jordan.

Authorities claimed he threw an object at police officers who had responded to the 4,000-student party, dubbed Cedar Fest, that degenerated into a riot.

Defense attorney Karen Phillips said Kensicki never threw anything and was not responsible for continuing the riot.

"I think it was more a case of curiosity gone wrong, than anything," said Phillips, whose firm, the Nichols Law Firm, is representing about half a dozen people facing charges in connection with the April 6 incident. She said Kensicki, who now lives in East Lansing, was not an MSU student and was visiting at time.

Fifty-two people were arrested that night. Police identified additional suspects from photos and videos taken at the event.

On the night of the riot, members of the crowd threw bottles, beer cans and rocks at police, lit fires and damaged city vehicles. Police finally dispersed the crowd with tear gas.

Contact Kevin Grasha at 267-1347 or kgrasha@lsj.com.