OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The latest on the trial of a former police officer in Oklahoma City who has been accused by 13 women of rape or sexual assault (all times are local):
8:35 p.m.
A jury has convicted a former Oklahoma City police officer of 18 of the 36 charges he faced related to allegations that he assaulted or victimized 13 women on his beat.
Among the charges 29-year-old Daniel Holtzclaw was found guilty of were four counts of first-degree rape. The jury recommended a 30-year sentence on each of those counts.
Holtzclaw sobbed as Judge Timothy Henderson read the verdicts.
Holtzclaw was ordered into custody. His defense attorney declined to comment.
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8:25 p.m.
A jury has convicted a former Oklahoma City police officer of first-degree rape related to allegations that he assaulted or victimized 13 women on his beat.
Daniel Holtzclaw faces a possible sentence of life in prison after being convicted Thursday.
The 29-year-old Holtzclaw was accused of preying on women in the low-income Oklahoma City neighborhood he patrolled. Prosecutors alleged that he stopped women on the pretense of checking them for outstanding warrants or drug-related items, then forced them to perform sexual acts. The youngest accuser was 17.
All 13 of the women are black. Many had problems with drugs or criminal records.
The allegations against him brought new attention to the problem of sexual misconduct committed by law enforcement.
Holtzclaw did not testify.
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7:45 p.m.
A verdict has been reached in the case of a former Oklahoma City police officer accused of sexually victimizing 13 black women.
Judge Timothy Henderson announced Thursday evening that the jury had reached a decision. It’s to be announced soon.
The 29-year-old Holtzclaw faces 36 counts of rape, sexual battery and other charges. Prosecutors allege Holtzclaw targeted women in the low-income neighborhood that he patrolled. Holtzclaw’s lawyer portrayed him as a model officer and questioned the credibility of the women who testified against him.
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2:30 p.m.
Oklahoma County’s top prosecutor remains optimistic that a jury will return guilty verdicts in the case of a former Oklahoma City police officer accused of sexually victimizing 13 black women.
The eight-man, four-woman jury has been considering the case against ex-officer Daniel Holtzclaw since Monday.
District Attorney David Prater said Thursday the four days of deliberations are the longest he remembers for any jury. He says he’s confident the panel is working hard on a complicated case.
The 29-year-old Holtzclaw faces 36 counts of rape, sexual battery and other charges. Prosecutors allege Holtzclaw targeted women in the low-income neighborhood that he patrolled. Holtzclaw’s lawyer portrayed him as a model officer and questioned the credibility of the women who testified against him.
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9:45 a.m.
Jurors have returned to their deliberations in the case of a former Oklahoma City police officer accused of sexually victimizing 13 women.
The jury opened its fourth day of deliberations on Thursday, which is the 29th birthday of former police officer Daniel Holtzclaw. He faces 36 counts of rape, sexual battery and other charges.
The eight-man, four-woman jury has been considering Holtzclaw’s fate since Monday. Both the judge in the case and the lead prosecutor say it’s the longest deliberation in any case in which they’ve been involved.
Holtzclaw faces up to life in prison if convicted of rape.
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1 a.m.
Jurors are set to resume deliberations in the trial of a former Oklahoma City police officer accused of sexually victimizing 13 women in the low-income neighborhood he patrolled.
Jury members will return to the courthouse Thursday morning for their fourth day of work in the case of Daniel Holtzclaw, who faces 36 counts of rape, sexual battery and other charges. They deliberated Wednesday for nearly 13 hours before disbanding for the night without reaching a verdict. They were to be sequestered overnight in a hotel. They have now met for about 34 hours over three days.
Holtzclaw, who turns 29 Thursday, could spend the rest of his life in prison if he is convicted on any of six first-degree rape counts.
The victims say they met Holtzclaw while he was on duty, and prosecutors say the ex-officer intimidated them into not reporting his crimes. Holtzclaw’s lawyer portrayed him as a model officer and questioned the credibility of the women who testified against him.
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