CHANGE MY LOCATION
Local
California News
Multimedia News
Rape suspect had been released by judge last week
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The Baltimore City man accused of raping a woman behind a Linthicum Light Rail Station on Tuesday walked out of Anne Arundel Circuit Court last week after a judge dropped indecent exposure charges.
“The state believes very strongly that the case was incorrectly dismissed,” said Kristin Riggin, spokeswoman for the Anne Arundel State’s Attorney’s Office.
Eugene Waller, 49, of 215 Greenmount Ave., allegedly masturbated in front of a woman on the light rail.
However Judge Michele Jaklitsch dismissed the case based on a venue issue because the woman departed from the train at the Patapsco stop over the Baltimore City line, Riggin said.
“We provided sufficient evidence that the venue was not an issue because it was a continuing course of action. ... now the result is very upsetting for everyone,” Riggin added.
Now a week after the case was dismissed, Waller is accused of grabbing a 22-year-old woman who was waiting on a bench at the Nursery Road Light Rail Station on Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard and dragging her into a wooded area where he held a gun to her neck and raped her, said Sgt. Sara Schriver, spokeswoman for the Anne Arundel police.
The victim managed to free herself, jumped unclothed into the Patapsco River, swam back toward the Light Rail Station and flagged down a passing motorist, who called the police.
Police used a K-9 unit to set up a perimeter and found Waller. He walked toward police with his hands up, but then turned and ran back into the woods. After a brief chase, Waller was found hiding behind a cement block in the Patapsco River, Schriver said.
Waller was charged with first- and second-degree rape, kidnapping, first- and second-degree sex offense, first-degree assault and use of handgun during a commission of a felony.
Police said Waller is registered as a violent offender on the Maryland Sex Offender Registry, but his name was not found in a search of the state and national registries, nor was his alias Tony Brown.
Officials said Waller spent more than half of his life in jail for rape, according to a law enforcement official, who would not provide documentation.
This is the first stranger rape reported in Anne Arundel County in 2007, police said.
cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:40 PM MST on Sun., Apr. 13, 2008 re: "First-degree rape charges dropped in Anne Arundel"
Report as inappropriate
7:16 AM MST on Sun., Apr. 13, 2008
re: "First-degree rape charges dropped in Anne Arundel"
Report as inappropriate
10:11 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 12, 2008
re: "First-degree rape charges dropped in Anne Arundel"
Report as inappropriate
8:08 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 12, 2008
re: "First-degree rape charges dropped in Anne Arundel"
Report as inappropriate
6:25 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 12, 2008
re: "First-degree rape charges dropped in Anne Arundel"
Report as inappropriate
6:14 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 12, 2008
re: "Rape suspect had been released by judge last week"
Report as inappropriate
3:52 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 12, 2008
re: "Rape suspect had been released by judge last week"
Report as inappropriate
9:46 AM MST on Tue., Oct. 16, 2007
re: "Rape suspect had been released by judge last week"
Report as inappropriate
4:00 AM MST on Thu., Oct. 11, 2007
re: "Rape suspect had been released by judge last week"
Report as inappropriate
The Undertaker said:
Why did the State continue to press charges after it was obvious that the so-called victim lied about an extremely important fact? Who could trust the word of such a person? How do we know it wasn't rough sex that she regretted later? Hopefully, Mulford will go light on this guy given all of the facts.
1 agree | 3 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Caspare said:
there any doubt what would have happened if she hadn't run away?
2 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Don't know nakia, or what he writes, but anyone can hit the inappropriate link and if there are constant hits, then they may block it. I disagree all the time, and have never been blocked. Perhaps its nakia's content people don't like.
2 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
just as an information point. Say something on the Examiner post that they do not agree with and you will have your IP blocked. While I was no fan of Nakia she had her IP blocked. It is their site and have the rights and the power.
2 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The Department of Justice needs to create a special department within itself that spcecifically focuses on sexual assault and rape investigations. Just like the Justice Department has the Drug Enforcement Agency for illegal narcotics investigations, it needs to have a special department for sexual assault and rape investigations. Present statistics are a s follows: An average of 1 in 6 women report being raped every year. However, seeing as how most rapes are not reported, it is estimated that actually 1 in 4 women are raped every year. And, in the rape cases that are reported, the conviction rate is about 5 or 6 percent. That is a deplorable conviction rate! I believe this low conviction rate is why many women don't report their rapes. They know there will probably be no conviction, so why bother? If men were being raped with such frequency and the conviction rate was that low, I believe most of the Justice Department's investigative resources would be geared toward solving the rap
3 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Another Judge who could not find their butt blind folded with both hands free. Common sense and fairness don't show up much more in our judicial system.
1 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
sue said:
What can I say? This is Baltimore City at Its best.
2 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Mass transportation in the state of Maryland is not only terrible, it has also become dangerous. When was the last time that you saw any type of police presence whether it be on the trains or in the parking areas? Gangs of teenagers ride the train and the regular commuters who use the train to go to work everyday get to put up with their rudeness and obnoxious and threatening behavior which includes being pushed down the train steps. The MTA has been contacted on several occasions and they are not really interested. They tell you that they are not babysitters. I originally lived in New York and can honestly say that this is the worst public transportation system that I have ever dealt with. The drivers of the Light Rail are pretty rude too. I can't tell you the number of times that it is pouring rain and I am pushing the door button on the train to board and the driver deliberately drives off. Maybe it is time to start thinking about driving or carpooling. It would be safer.
21 agree | 23 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The judge's action is irrelevant because even if the guy had been found guilty, he would have been fined or otherwise allowed to walk.
65 agree | 31 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree