Judge Wants To Hear From Jurors In Troy Rape Cases
By: Ken Curtis
Updated: February 20, 2013
Despite protests from prosecutors, a hearing scheduled next week could potentially set aside the conviction of a man found guilty of raping two women in Troy.
Documents show two jurors who voted to convict Andre Lamon Ellis later expressed reservations about their verdicts. The two were then summoned to a hearing set February 27 so the court could hear from them. Circuit Judge Jeff Kelley Tuesday denied the state's motion seeking to stop the hearing.
Prosecutors contend the two jurors, indentified as #88 and #130, stand by their decisions despite information to the contrary reported to court personnel. Affidavits from the jurors were submitted to the court in which both stated they have no doubt about their verdict and remain steadfast in regard Ellis' conviction.
The small business owner was arrested April 25, 2012---one month after the two women, one a Troy University student, reported they were sexually assaulted at Hunter's Mountain Mobile Estates. The two women, according to police, were attacked in separate incidents. One of the alleged victims came forward a few hours later----the other five days after she claims to have been raped. The sexual attacks are both alleged to have occurred March 26, 2012.
The jury, after hearing evidence in January, took less than three hours to find Ellis guilty on two separate counts of Rape First Degree and one count of Burglary.
Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced in March pending the outcome of next week's hearing after which Kelley can decide whether to set aside the guilty verdict or leave it intact.
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