Rapist sentenced to 50 years with half to serve for attack on girlfriend

Tavaeras Lamont Kimble, 33, was sentenced to 50 years in prison last Tuesday with 50% remission based on good prison behavior, for raping, kidnapping, and burglarizing his ex-girlfriend's house last year. The 50 year sentence for aggravated sexual assault will be served concurrently with a 10 year sentence for kidnapping, and 5 years for burglary. He will also have to pay a $17,000 fine.

Kimble admitted in court Monday he headbutted and bit the woman, but claimed it was an "act of love." He denied everything else, including stealing her things. The 2 year relationship included 3 criminal trespass warnings, then a protective order against him.

On the day the woman filed for a protective order, Kimble attacked her outside a friend's house. According to testimony, Kimble followed her by car and then blocked her from leaving before throwing a rock through her passenger car window, which hit her in the arm, the woman said. Kimble, who is disabled and has back trouble from a 2002 car accident, then jumped through the broken window, head-butted the woman and bit her chest, she said.

The woman testified she got into Kimble's car and he drove her to his mother's house where he had sex with the former girlfriend against her will, keeping her for two days.

"He had done this much. I felt like I had no choice, but to do that," she testified Monday morning.

The woman told jurors she was finally able to reach out for help when Kimble let her go into a local grocery store alone, where she alerted an employee who called police, and Kimble was arrested.

Angelina County District Attorney Clyde Herrington asked the jury to find Kimble guilty so the victim could have justice.

"She's got scars on her body, but worse, on her spirit...It's a shame we need a women's shelter in our community, but it's because of people like Mr. Kimble that we do."

Bill Agnew, Kimble's attorney, said that "there's nowhere near enough evidence" to convict his client but conceded that the relationship was unhealthy.

"This was a very unhealthy, volatile relationship. There is no denying that. Did Mr. Kimble assault her? Yes, there is evidence indicating that, but he's not charged with that."