Four alleged sexual assault victims, ranging in age from 79 to 101, will be giving their testimony in the upcoming trial of their accused attacker at their nursing homes. Wayne County Prosecutor Martin Frantz requested the arrangement because he worries that the victims will not be able to testify at the trial, scheduled to take place in October.
Jeffrey L. Humrichouser, 49, formerly of Apple Creek, is charged in Wayne County Common Pleas Court with six counts of aggravated burglary, seven counts of attempted rape, four counts of gross sexual imposition, six counts of rape, one count of felonious assault and one count of disrupting public service.
The rape and related charges stem from a series of incidents between August 1996 and April 2007 in which Humrichouser allegedly forced his way into the homes of women. When met with resistance, the intruder reportedly fled, according to Wayne County Sheriff's Office reports.
After entering prison for unrelated vehicular assault and felonious assault charges, Humrichouser was required to give a DNA sample to CODIS (Combined DNA Index System),which came back in June to match four crime scenes.
At a hearing Monday, defense attorney John Leonard argued the circumstances did not warrant depositions be taken early, but Judge Robert J. Brown disagreed.
Because cross examination of the victims likely would focus on identifying their assailant, the need to fully examine and retest DNA evidence in advance of the deposition would not be necessary, said Brown, rejecting Leonard's argument a deposition date in the near future would prohibit him from adequately preparing.
The women will be questioned at their homes in the presence of both attorneys, the judge, a court reporter and Humrichouser, at his request. The sessions will be videotaped.
If convicted of all counts, Humrichhouser will serve 15 life sentences and be labled a sexual predator, Ohio’s Tier III classification.
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