Two women who served on the jury that acquitted New York police officers Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata of charges that Moreno had raped a drunk woman while Mata stood guard say they believe that Moreno is guilty.

"In my heart of hearts, I believe her that the officers did it," juror Melinda Hernandez told DNA Info. She's not the only one, either: "He raped her. There is no doubt in my mind," said another juror, who asked to remain anonymous.

Wait! Before you punch your computer to death, here is why the jury didn't deliver a verdict of "guilty":

Jurors believed her, but felt they could not convict Moreno and Mata because of a lack of DNA evidence, a phenomenon many legal experts have referred to as the "CSI effect."

"We were strictly bound by the judge's instruction that there must be evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in order to convict the defendants of the major charges of the case," said juror John Finck, 57.

Prosecutors, he added, did not meet that burden.

Okay, now you can punch your computer.

(The "good news," if you can call it that, is that the judge in the case seems poised to "throw the book" at Moreno and Mata for the, only charge on which they were convicted: "Official misconduct." Apparently, comments made by Moreno and his wife disparaging the victim immediately after the trial will not stand them in good stead.)

[DNA Info via Gothamist; image via AP]