THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606280455
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 49 lines
A jury began deliberating on Thursday in the latest rape case against Kerri Charity, accused of raping a jogger in Seashore State Park nearly three years ago.
The case against the 25-year-old Charity, dubbed the North End rapist, went to the jury about noon after attorneys for both sides delivered lengthy closing arguments Thursday morning.
Testimony in the trial began one week ago.
After about four hours of discussion Thursday afternoon, the 12-member jury was sent home for the evening by Circuit Judge Frederick B. Lowe.
Charity is charged with raping a woman after grabbing her from behind and forcing her into a thicket at what is now First Landing/Seashore State Park on Oct. 11, 1993.
The woman had been jogging through the park when the assault occurred late in the afternoon.
The woman never looked at the man after she was grabbed but believes she passed him on the jogging trail moments before she was attacked.
As he pushed her into the thicket, the rapist threatened her with a knife and told her he had killed three other people, according to testimony this week.
Prosecutors allege that Charity was scratched while forcing the woman through the heavy underbrush and bled on the woman's jogging shirt while he raped her.
DNA evidence collected from the woman's shirt ties Charity to the case, according to two DNA experts who testified this week.
The victim also picked Charity out of a videotaped lineup on March 8, 1994, according to several police witnesses and the victim's testimony.
Charity did not take the witness stand during the five-day trial.
Charity had been convicted previously of raping four other women in Virginia Beach's North End. In those four cases, which were all tried at once last year, Charity was accused of breaking into the victim's home and threatening her with a knife.
He was sentenced to seven life terms in that trial.
Charity also has been indicted on another rape charge in Virginia Beach and is scheduled to be tried for that offense later this year. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Kerri Charity, 25, is charged with raping a woman at First
Landing/Seashore State Park on Oct. 11, 1993.
KEYWORDS: RAPE SEX CRIME ARREST
TRIAL by CNB