Holtzclaw was sacked by the Oklahoma City Police Department in January, after the allegations emerged. Most were living on the margins. “It’s not fair to any of the victims or the people of our community”, said Latonya James, a victim’s mother.
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That’s why he targeted them, prosecutor Lori McConnell argued.
The women who were violated by former police officer Daniel Holtzclaw are coming forward relaying their accounts on what happened. “Convince these ladies that someone does care about them”.
“I was so afraid, I was out there so helpless”, said Janie Liggins, a woman who had previously been identified as J.L., the New York Times reported.
She told the court that she didn’t tell authorities because she didn’t see the point.
“He manipulated me”, S.H. said during the conference. “I kept begging, ‘Please, sir, don’t make me do this'”. Knowing that he’s in control, he’s the police.
Soon J.L. was talking to Kim Davis, the department’s sex crimes detective on call. Holtzclaw, a former Oklahoma City police offic…
The all-white jury in his criminal trial found him guilty on 18 charges of 36 charges.
He could spend the rest of his life in prison based on the jury’s recommendation that he serve a total of 263 years, including a 30-year sentence on each of four first-degree rape convictions. However, prosecutors presented DNA evidence linking him to at least one victim: a 17-year-old girl. Or as some have noted, there were five victims for whom “justice” was denied. Brown was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. You’re going to shoot me’.
All 13 women testified.
A grandmother’s bravery in telling her story made all the difference this time.
“He started searching me….”
Then he bent her over a chair and raped her.
The women who felt confident and secure enough to report Holtzclaw found investigators who heard them and took them seriously enough to launch a large-scale investigation.
“I didn’t think anyone would believe me”, one victim testified. The trial included an all-white jury of mostly men, which statistically puts the black, female defendants at a disadvantage.
The accusers ranged in age from 17-57.
She added: “It will place the blame and guilt on the predators themselves”.
Holtzclaw has been identified in court records as Asian or Pacific Islander. “They hired this POS and would have not done anything to him if these victims had not come forth”.
“A rape case is always hard”. That amounts to an officer being fired for sexual misconduct almost every other day.
On Facebook, Holtzclaw’s supporters have focused on undermining the credibility of his accusers. “Whatever it is to further their agenda”. “My prayer is that [the verdict] will remove some of the fear to report it, relieve the stigma and remove the shame attached to the victims”.
Holtzclaw was accused using his position and power to target vulnerable women in a low-income neighborhood. She had no criminal record.
“Holtzclaw falls into this small subset of true sex predators, who are very risky people because they’ve got a gun and a badge”, said Stinson.
“She said, ‘How do you know?”
The fact Holtzclaw was accused, charged and convicted is remarkable. “Only thing I could do was turn my head to keep the tears away”.
The jury deliberated for about 45 hours over four days.
Holtzclaw’s conviction on charges including sexual battery and rape should send a powerful message nationally, said lawyer Benjamin Crump, who intends to sue the city for civil damages.
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“If an all-white jury in Oklahoma City would convict a policeman of this amount of grievances, of charges, then it gives us hope that our marching and continued organizing is not in vain”, Sharpton said.
