ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 5, 1996 TAG: 9612050060
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK
A Roanoke man was sentenced to two years in prison Wednesday for raping a 16-year-old girl behind an elementary school.
Donnell Dwayne Bannister, 19, had maintained that the girl consented to sex as he gave her a ride home after a night of drinking and watching television in a motel room with friends.
But in a plea agreement reached Wednesday in Roanoke Circuit Court, Bannister pleaded no contest to a charge of rape and was sentenced to five years with three suspended. As part of the agreement, prosecutors dropped charges of attempted sodomy and abduction with intent to defile.
The girl told authorities that Bannister offered her a ride home when a small party in a motel room broke up about 3 a.m. Sept.1.
On the way home, Bannister pulled the car into the parking lot of Westside Elementary School in Northwest Roanoke, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Wanda DeWease said. The girl said Bannister then dragged her behind the school and raped her.
The plea agreement spared the girl the rigors of a trial and eliminated the risk that Bannister might have walked free, DeWease said.
Although he still maintains his innocence, Bannister accepted the agreement rather than face a possible sentence of life in prison with no parole, Assistant Public Defender Darren Haley said.
Bannister will have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, or about 20 months.
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