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On Top? It's Not Rape
Houston judge questions whether victim was raped
By Richard Connelly
Newly elected judge Kevin Fine isn't your typical jurist — he's been frank and outspoken about his missteps in life, which include a cocaine addiction.
Now he finds himself dealing with another alleged misstep — accusations that he told a rape victim in his court that he didn't believe she was raped because she was "on top" during the act.
There are no transcripts yet to the July 31 hearing, which came after the defendant was convicted and before he was sentenced. Transcripts are being prepared for appeals. But observers in the courtroom have spread word of the alleged comment, and it will likely come up in the appellate process.
A woman can't be raped if she's on top? That will be difficult to explain away.
Fine tells Hair Balls he can't comment on the case because it's still pending, but he did offer a general take on events. He said the method he used in questioning some of the evidence was "incorrect," and it seems from his answer that his doubts were based on more than just the "on top" issue.
We'll print his response here in full: "The manner in which I went about garnering answers to my questions that I had, and that I needed answered prior to assessing appropriate punishment for the defendant, was incorrect. I should not have gone about it in the manner in which I went about it.
"In other words, I should not — probably the better method would have been to call counsel into chambers and express my concerns directly to them, demonstrating all of the physical evidence that I was looking at that did not match what the complainant had to say during [the] guilt/innocence and during [the] punishment [phases of the trial].
"And then let them flesh it out with the witness, rather than me question the witness, because of the appearance that I didn't believe the witness, or was picking on the witness, which I don't think a judge should do. Although in certain circumstances maybe it's appropriate.
"I think in light of the nature of the offense the better means would have been to call counsel for both sides into chambers, express my concerns, explain my concerns based on the evidence I had in front of me — and by that I mean the physical evidence — and then let them flesh it out."
As to whether the concerns included the woman being on top, as others in the courtroom have alleged, Fine said he couldn't comment.
That will be answered whenever the transcripts are released; still, it's clear that something unusual went on that day.
The defendant was reportedly sentenced to 25 years, which seems to indicate Fine considered his doubts addressed. (The defendant's newly appointed appellate attorney tells Hair Balls the 25 years "sounds right," in terms of being what Fine assessed, but he hasn't had time to look at the case.)
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Spaced City
One Way to Get A Quote
Full-service journalism from theCHRON
By Richard Connelly
All the recent BARC brouhaha brought us an interesting bit of e-mail correspondence, forwarded to us from a chain that began with a Houston Chronicle reporter.
Rebecca Maitland, a freelancer who writes occasionally for the Chron's Fort Bend zoned edition, was doing a story on animal shelters in that area. Here's the e-mail she sent to one official, with the name of the recipient and the relevant organization omitted. (The stuff in brackets is what was removed by the person who forwarded it to us; the underscored lines, for filling in the blanks, are in the original.)
"Hi [volunteer's name], As you know I'm a reporter and I am working on an article that I have to turn in tomorrow on the over population of unwanted animals, which I suggested and was approved. However, right now it was only approved for the Fort Bend County area. I would like some quotes from [animal rescue group] and here they are- this is not the whole article just the quotes I need - can I use your name or can you direct me somewhere?:
"'Animals and people have one thing in common, and that is all they want is to be loved and cared for,' said _____ [animal rescue group] animal rescue volunteer.
"One of the saddest aspects of this, according to _________, is some pet owners drop their animals off in subdivisions, along highways, or in parking lots hoping someone will find them and take them in.
"'With all of the shelters and rescue groups full, many just toss their pets out the windows. But what people do not understand is these animals stay where they were dropped off, waiting for their owners to come back and get them. While they wait, these animals often starve, are hit by cars or are attacked by wildlife or other stray animals. We beg people not to do this, please try to find some other alternative,' _____ ______ said.
"'But most of all, please understand that pets are people too, with the same emotions and needs that we all have. So before you cut your pets out of your life, consider other options, options that could allow the pet to stay or a chance to find a good home,' ________ said."
