RSSJury deliberates case of Wapato man charged with girl's rape
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Jurors will resume deliberations this morning after closing arguments Wednesday in the trial of a former Wapato teacher accused of raping one of his fifth-grade students.
Jesus Vega Barcenas, 28, is accused of two counts of first-degree rape and three counts of second-degree rape of a girl, now 14, whom he first met in a third-grade after-school program.
Vega Barcenas later moved to the family's Yakima home after he started dating the girl's mother.
According to the charges, the incidents took place in Vega Barcenas' classroom and at the girl's home between 2006 and 2007. He was arrested in December 2007 after the mother went to Yakima police.
The mother had found a note from Vega Barcenas to the girl in the girl's jeans, according to testimony during the trial, which started last week in Yakima County Superior Court.
In closing arguments, defense attorney Greg Scott said the charges resulted from jealousy between the mother and daughter because the girl had a crush on Vega Barcenas and was upset that the two were dating.
Scott told jurors that the prosecution presented no independent evidence of sexual contact.
"We submit nothing ever happened, but we have to cover the bases," Scott said.
Deputy prosecutor Patti Powers highlighted the girl's testimony, a diary she wrote describing the relationship she had with Vega Barcenas and forensic evidence linking the two of them.
She reminded jurors of the girl's testimony that Vega Barcenas had instructed her not to reveal their activities because he would get in trouble.
Hm..I remember another YHR blogger once said it quite simple..If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...
should be an easy conviction if you ask me...but then again I am sort of like the Queen of Hearts....OFF WITH HIS HEAD! I wonder if that is why I have never been called to jury since living in the are?
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