Homeless Woman Forced to Walk 8 Miles to Court or Her Rapist ‘Would Have Walked’ Free, Police Say

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/homeless-woman-forced-walk-8-miles-court-or-her-rapist-would-have-walked-free-police



A homeless woman in Ohio said that she sometimes had to walk three hours to court or the man who raped her would have been free to victimize another woman.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that the homeless woman had been raped on March 12 last year while she was sleeping under an E. Broad Street bridge.

She said that the man repeatedly struck her in the head before raping her. A forensic exam later recovered DNA evidence that linked the crime to 54-year-old Paul E. Hubert.

Hubert had claimed that he paid the woman to have sex with him, but injuries on the victim contradicted his story.

[Chemisse]

1. Lots of people are in this position.

People with no cars, no license, no other way to get to court.

You would think though, with a serious and violent crime, that the prosecutors or victim advocates would have tried to arrange a ride for her.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

2. Geesh

You'd think the district attorney's office would have some interest in getting this woman to the courthouse. If they are going to put resources into securing a conviction against a rapist, you think they would help her get there.