Former Cop, EMU Football All-American Convicted Of Raping Women While On Patrol
OKLAHOMA CITY (WWJ/AP) - Oklahoma City's police chief says he's thankful to the jury that convicted one of his former officers of sexually abusing women on the beat.
Bill Citty said in a statement Thursday night that the trial of former officer Daniel Holtzclaw was "long and difficult" for all involved. He says he's proud of his detectives and local prosecutors.
The grandmother whose allegations led authorities to launch an investigation into ex-Oklahoma City Holtzclaw was in the courtroom as he was convicted of assaulting her.
Holtzclaw was found guilty Thursday of 18 counts, including four counts of first-degree rape as well as two counts involving her.
The grandmother was the first to testify. She said Holtzclaw pulled her over as she was driving home late at night and ordered her out of her car. He then told her to sit in the backseat of his squad car, where he stood over her and told her to perform oral sex.
She notified police officers hours later, launching a case in which 12 other women eventually came forward. The woman was tearful after the verdict and prayed with supporters outside the courtroom.
Holtzclaw was convicted of 18 of 36 counts involving eight of the 13 women who testified against him.
The mother of the youngest accuser said she went to courthouse to hear the verdict, but found the doors locked. She was able to race home in time to see it on TV.
She says she feels like justice has been served.
The Associated Press generally does not identify victims of sex crimes and is not using the mother's name so as not to identify her daughter, who was 17 when she was attacked.
The mother says she believes the type of police crime brought to light by the Holtzclaw case "isn't just a problem in Oklahoma, it's a problem for the nation."
Citty fired him before trial.
The 27-year-old Enid, Oklahoma-native attended Eastern Michigan University from 2005 until 2008 when he earned a degree in criminal justice reports MLIVE.
He was also a four-year starter for EMU's football team and earned honors as a Freshman All-American. He ranks as EMU's leader for most starts and has the second-most tackles in the school's history the online news site said.
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