---
A 23-year-old woman testified that a former Parma police officer raped her while on duty. Mark McCombs, 45, is charged with two counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery, kidnapping, three counts of gross sexual imposition, two counts of tampering with evidence and dereliction of duty. His trial began Tuesday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
The woman says she consumed about 15 drinks while out with her boyfriend the night of March 31, 2007. She says they got into an argument and he made her get out of the car. A Parma police officer saw her and took her to a friend's house. After arriving at the friend's house, she says Officer McCombs showed up. "They said normally they would take us to jail or you could hang out with us," she testified.
The woman says McCombs took her to a secluded area behind Padua High School, where another officer, Christopher Dillenbeck, was already waiting. Dillenbeck was later fired from the department, but not charged with a crime. She says McCombs forced her to take nude pictures, using a city owned camera. Then she says McCombs forced her to perform oral sex on him. "He was calling me names...and said come over here, you know what to do," she testified.
The woman says she never told anyone because she was afraid of the police. The incident came to light five weeks later, when her boyfriend was arrested for DUI, domestic violence, carrying a concealed weapon and reckless operation. "He made statements to the effect to the arresting officers...officers, you're not gonna do anything to me, my girlfriend had her pictures taken by police officers, here's the courtesy card and if you do something to me, I'll go public," Henry Hilow said during opening statements.
Hilow claims the woman voluntarily took pictures with the officers and even told friends about it the night after the incident. "When you came back from Padua High School after your photo shoot, you told the people in the house what happened?" Hilow asked the woman on the witness stand. "I don't recall," she responded. "You don't recall, so that's not a no is it?" Hilow said.
Hilow also claimed the woman, who has several pending criminal cases, was coached by her attorney on what to say on the witness stand. "Do you know what your oath means? Why do you need to be coached by your criminal lawyer before you testify in a case for the prosecution," Hilow angrily asked during cross examination.
But county prosecutors claim McCombs abused his badge. "The philosopher Plato once said, the measure of a man is what he does with power...in this case, we're dealing with the abuse of power," said assistant prosecutor David Zimmerman during his opening statements.
If convicted of all charges, Mark McCombs could face 52 1/2 years in prison.
The woman says she consumed about 15 drinks while out with her boyfriend the night of March 31, 2007. She says they got into an argument and he made her get out of the car. A Parma police officer saw her and took her to a friend's house. After arriving at the friend's house, she says Officer McCombs showed up. "They said normally they would take us to jail or you could hang out with us," she testified.
The woman says McCombs took her to a secluded area behind Padua High School, where another officer, Christopher Dillenbeck, was already waiting. Dillenbeck was later fired from the department, but not charged with a crime. She says McCombs forced her to take nude pictures, using a city owned camera. Then she says McCombs forced her to perform oral sex on him. "He was calling me names...and said come over here, you know what to do," she testified.
The woman says she never told anyone because she was afraid of the police. The incident came to light five weeks later, when her boyfriend was arrested for DUI, domestic violence, carrying a concealed weapon and reckless operation. "He made statements to the effect to the arresting officers...officers, you're not gonna do anything to me, my girlfriend had her pictures taken by police officers, here's the courtesy card and if you do something to me, I'll go public," Henry Hilow said during opening statements.
Hilow claims the woman voluntarily took pictures with the officers and even told friends about it the night after the incident. "When you came back from Padua High School after your photo shoot, you told the people in the house what happened?" Hilow asked the woman on the witness stand. "I don't recall," she responded. "You don't recall, so that's not a no is it?" Hilow said.
Hilow also claimed the woman, who has several pending criminal cases, was coached by her attorney on what to say on the witness stand. "Do you know what your oath means? Why do you need to be coached by your criminal lawyer before you testify in a case for the prosecution," Hilow angrily asked during cross examination.
But county prosecutors claim McCombs abused his badge. "The philosopher Plato once said, the measure of a man is what he does with power...in this case, we're dealing with the abuse of power," said assistant prosecutor David Zimmerman during his opening statements.
If convicted of all charges, Mark McCombs could face 52 1/2 years in prison.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
![Iowa football player hit by truck while on motorcycle [WARNING: GRAPHIC]](http://snsimages.tribune.com/media/thumbnails/htmlstory/2010-09/55928266-02034609-187105.jpg)
