Defense attorneys attacked the testimony of a forensic scientist and Anne Arundel County police officers in the final hours of a three-day jury trial, in which a Baltimore man is accused of raping a 19-year-old Russian exchange student.
Kelroy Williamson, 39, was linked to the case last year when forensic chemist Annette Box said his DNA matched that taken from the victim in 2002.
“Ms. Box broke the rules by [selectively picking] the data ? and violating her own lab?s guidelines for interpreting the results,” Jeffrey Gilleran said during closing arguments Thursday in Anne Arundel Circuit Court.
“Whatever that is based on is not science, and that?s a very scary thought,” he said.
Williamson listened intently with his eyes on the jury. He faces life in prison if convicted of rape, assault and sex offense charges.
Defense attorneys also mocked the testimony of former Anne Arundel Det. Victor Creel, who said police exhausted all leads before suspending the case in 2003.
“I?m not saying [the police] sat around and didn?t do anything, but they didn?t do a complete and thorough investigation,” said defense attorney William Davis.
The victim, who said her attacker called her by name, told police a man directed an inappropriate sexual comment to her while she was working at McDonald?s on Reece Road.
But police never found the man or had the victim review video surveillance of the McDonald?s to identify him, Davis said.
“You call that complete and thorough?” a flustered Davis asked the jury.
“[Creel?s] caught with the cookie crumbs on his face because he didn?t follow up on it.”
But Creel said the victim had already ruled out the man at McDonald?s.
Williamson, a stocky man with facial hair and a gold tooth, also does not match the description the victim gave to police, Davis said.
“She lives in Russia ? I wonder about the amount of black people in Russia and her exposure to the African-American race,” he said.
“Honest people make honest mistakes ? it?s human to want someone to be held accountable for this [crime].”
Prosecutors painted a different picture.
“Only one in 5 quadrillion people have the DNA of her attacker,” said Assistant State?s Attorney Kathleen Rogers, who added the match is 99.9 percent fool-proof.
Williamson fits the attacker?s description except for the facial hair and gold tooth. He also wore jewelry like the attacker and lied to police about where he was living in 2002, which was the Severn area where the rape occurred.
“The DNA is plain and simple ? he left his calling card,” Rogers said.
The jury began deliberations late Thursday afternoon.
