Rape Victim Confronts Alleged Attacker In Miami Courtroom
MIAMI - (CBS4) - A rape victim sat in a courtroom Tuesday afternoon and recounted 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 alleged serial rapist remained stoic as his trial began Tuesday.
Pleadro Jermaine Scott faces life in prison if a jury finds him guilty of sexual battery with serious injury, kidnapping and robbery.
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 on the night of February 3, 2008, was on her way home after finishing her shift at a retail store at the shops at Midtown. She was walking home 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."
During opening statements, defense attorneys called into question the DNA evidence and they are expected to argue that it was contaminated after the attack.
"There is a big problem with the identification and there's also a big problem with the DNA," the defense attorney said. "The bottom line is they have the wrong person on trial."
Scott is accused in two other rapes and an attempted murder charge that will be tried in separate trials, prosecutors said.
