Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Another Emporia acquittal

Brandon Bell won an acquittal in State v. Washington, a Lyon County rape case. Here is a synopsis of the case:
The state charged Mr. Washington was charged with forcible rape. At trial, the state's only evidence was the statement of the alleged victim (which changed in significant detail every time she had previously told the story) and some superficial indications during the SANE/SART exam which were consistent with consensual sex. The state called a number of witnesses who's sole purpose seemed to be to testify how upset the alleged victim was hours after the incident.

The jury deliberated for a little more than two hours before coming back with a not guilty verdict. The jury was all-white (the state had struck the sole black and Hispanic members of the panel with peremptory challenges), the defendant was black, and the alleged victim was a white teenager. The defense was consent.

Sounds like To Kill A Mockingbird, but with a different ending.

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