Jury Finds Accused Miami Man Guilty In Rape Case
MIAMI – (CBS4) – It took six jurors about two hours to find a Miami man guilty of raping a 17-year-old girl in February, 2008.
Closing arguments wrapped up Wednesday afternoon following a day and a half long trial against a 29-year-old alleged serial rapist.
The defense said it was a case of mistaken identity. They argued that portions of Pleadro Jermaine Scott's DNA was questionable and that their client has gold teeth, and that's one characteristic the victim did not identify when describing her attacker. She described her attacker as having white teeth.
But prosecutors said that the victim – a 17-year-old retail employee leaving her shift on the night of February 3, 2008 – was attacked at night and that a street light was all that illuminated her attacker's face.
Scott could face up to life in prison. He was found guilty for false imprisonment, theft, sexual battery and unlawful sexual contact with a minor. The sentencing date has not been set.
Just a day earlier, the rape victim testified about the terrifying acts that had occurred to her more than three years ago.
"He told me to unbuckle my pants, and I was crying. I didn't do it at first, I was just taking my time, I had my hand on my buckle though, and I was just crying asking him why he was doing this," the victim told jurors.
The 29-year-old remained stoic as his trial began Tuesday.
Jurors listened as the prosecuting attorney laid out his case saying the victim had no choice but to comply with Pleadro's demands.
The woman, who was 17 at the time the rape occurred, was walking to her aunt's house when Scott rode his bicycle right next to her.
He allegedly pointed a gun at her and stole her cell phone, $34 and her ID. That's when Scott allegedly grabbed her, forcibly took her behind a white truck where he raped her, police said in their report.
When it was all over, she says Scott took her ID and threatened her.
"He told me he know where I work and where I live and if I tell anybody, he'll kill me," she told jurors.
Scott's family members were also in court listening to her testimony. Scott's mother Beverly Vail said it was hard to listen to and said she feels bad for the victim, but believes in her son's innocence.
"I couldn't think my son would do anything like that," Vail said speaking to reporters outside the courtroom. "I trust God that God has the last say."
Scott is accused in two other rapes and an attempted murder charge that will be tried in separate trials, prosecutors said.
