Oklahoma City Cop Convicted of Rapes

OKLAHOMA CITY (CN) - An Oklahoma City policeman was convicted Thursday of four counts of rape and 14 other charges of sexually assaulting middle-aged black women and could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Daniel Holtzclaw wept as the jury's verdict was read aloud Thursday evening in Oklahoma County Court.

He was found guilty of four counts of rape, one count of rape by instrumentation, six counts of sexual battery, four counts of forcible oral sodomy and three counts of procuring lewd exhibition. He was acquitted on two counts of rape, one count of rape by instrumentation, four counts of sexual battery, three counts of forcible oral sodomy, five counts of procuring lewd exhibition, one count of stalking, one count of burglary and one count of indecent exposure.

The jury deliberated for four days after hearing graphic testimony from 13 black women.

One woman sued Holtzclaw and the city in August, accusing him of slamming her face and head against a brick wall and pressing his erect penis into her backside.

A second woman sued in September, saying Holtzclaw forced her into an empty room at a hospital and sexually assaulted and " brutalized " her.

Several women testified at a preliminary hearing 13 months ago that they waited months to tell police what happened to them because they did not think anyone would believe them. Two of the women testified that Holtzclaw used his authority as a police officer to take advantage of them, touch them inappropriately or make them perform sexual acts on him. A third woman testified that she showed Holtzclaw her breasts in hopes it would make him go away.

The Oklahoma Police Department said it was pleased with the jury's verdict.

"It was a long and difficult trial and deliberation process for all involved," the police said in a statement Thursday evening. "It is obvious the jury took their responsibilities very seriously and considered every piece of evidence presented to them. We are proud of our detectives and prosecutors for a job well done."

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