Jury deliberating in Lakenheath airman’s rape trial

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Jury deliberating in Lakenheath airman’s rape trial
By Mark Abramson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A court-martial panel started deliberations Monday afternoon in the case of an RAF Lakenheath staff sergeant charged with rape of a fellow airman.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors in Staff Sgt. Aaron Ellis’ court-martial wrapped up their cases with closing arguments before the case was given to the nine-member jury.

Ellis’ attorney, Capt. Lauren Torczynski, told the panel that neither the alleged victim — a senior airman at the time — nor the accused were believable because they were both drunk when the incident happened after a Halloween party in Thetford residence on Oct. 28.

"This was an alcohol-induced haze," Torczynski said. "You can’t believe either one of these drunks and that is reasonable doubt."

Ellis, a nine-year Air Force veteran, is charged with one count of rape. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years’ confinement, a dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a demotion to E-1.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59045