Defense Had Argued That Sex Was Consensual
ATLANTA --
A Fulton County judge on Tuesday declared a mistrial in the case of a man accused of being a serial rapist whom prosecutors had argued sexually assaulted, kidnapped and beat several women over a five-year period.
The mostly male jury had found
Christopher Baker, 36, guilty of four counts of theft
but deadlocked after deliberating for four days on 18 other counts that had been filed against him.
As a resu
t, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Alford J. Dempsey Jr. declared a mistrial. Prosecutors are going to retry the man, and court officials began the process to select a new jury because the defense fi
led a request for a speedy trial.
Baker was accused of a series of sexual assaults, which
prosecutors said began in May 1998 and lasted until October 2002. He was facing a sentence of life imprisonment.
Assistant District Attorney Gayle Abramson argued during the trial that Baker was a sexual predator who preyed on defenseless women. Six women testified against the man, and prosecutors presented evidence from DNA that confirmed that sexual intercourse had occurred.
In her closing arguments, Abramson told the jury that Baker deserved jail time for what he did. She described him as an
"evil, manipulative and malevolent criminal."
"Tell him you agree that he is scum of the earth," she said to the jury, made up
of eight men and four women, during closing arguments.
"Tell him you don't want him around in your neighborhoods anymore."
But the defense argued during the trial
that Ba
ker had consensual sex with the women who were prostitutes who concocted the rape story because he refused to pay them or took the money back from them afte
r sex. Baker testified on his own behalf and said he did not do what prosecutors alleged he did.
Baker's relatives came to his defense, saying they believed the women lied on the stand.
"It's just all about a conviction it's not about the truth," said Kimberly Baker, his sister. "And we want the truth."
Marjorie Richardson, his aunt, said the women had an ax to grind.
"He did do a scumful thing and that was he didn't pay them," she said. "He admitted he had sex with them (but) he took the money back."
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"It&
#39;s just all about a conviction it's not about the truth," said Kimberly Baker, his sister. "And we want the truth."
The truth is dat yo brudda Christopher as well as yoself and da res of you whole damn fambly is n-ggers and so was dem prostitutes yo brudda didn't pay. Please go back to Africa where such monkeyshines is legal.
T.N.B.
