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Man found guilty of assault of child
Sentencing set for Dec. 23
MAYSVILLE, Mo. - Jurors had no doubt Tuesday as they delivered their finding that a Livingston County man was guilty on all five felony charges involving the sexual assault of a 7-year-old.
Three years after the investigation started, the jury recommended that Scott Eckert receive a life sentence for forcible rape, another life sentence for statutory rape, four years and a fine for the charge of tampering with evidence, and seven years and a fine for each of the two charges of endangering the welfare of a child.
Susan Boresi, an attorney from the Missouri Attorney General's office, delivered the closing arguments in the case. Ms. Boresi assisted Mike Koenig, the Livingston County prosecutor, throughout the seven-day trial.
Jurors were reminded of how medical personnel described the seriousness of the injuries to the victim. Ms. Boresi focused on a seven-inch gash that threatened the child's life and resulted in the loss of 50 percent of her blood. The attorney told jurors to remember that medical personnel felt they were dealing with a case of sexual assault that had to be reported. She also told jurors that Sheriff Steve Cox and his staff had investigated the possibility of other perpetrators.
Rick Hanson, the lead defense attorney, told jurors in his closing remarks that he was honored to represent the defendant. He told jurors that none of the case made any sense. Ignoring much of the forensic evidence, the defense focused on contradictory evidence. And Mr. Hanson stated that the victim was programed to tell a particular story of sexual abuse through a series of 37 sessions that went on over a period of 13 months.
"There is reasonable doubt all over this case," Mr. Hanson said.
Jurors went behind closed doors, and an hour and 45 minutes later they had a unanimous verdict.
Circuit Judge Warren McElwain set formal sentencing of the defendant for 1 p.m. Dec. 23.
Marshall White can be contacted
at marshall@npgco.com.
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Realityck says...
I don't want to get all "doomsday" on ppl but is it just me or does anyone else feel the evil that is growing at a geometric rate on our planet? I was a cop for 15yrs and I've worked cases that to this day haunt me. But it just seems to me that one act of violence leads to another more severe like ppl are trying to out do the last crime. I was just reading about a 15yr old girl that killed a 9yr old just to "see what it was like". It seems anymore there is just plain "evil" out there in all parts of the world not just here its like a pandemic. But unlike a virus that we can protect ourselves from or cure this evil just spreads .
November 25, 2009 at 3:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ceebee2 says...
While there may be more, I think in this information age we are just more aware of it.
November 25, 2009 at 6:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
He_who_opines_behind_anonymity says...
Realityck,
There is definietly more crime these days. Criminals know that there is a great liklihood that they will either get off completely or get minimal punishment for committing a crime, so it is not a deterrent.
If our judicial system was set up to actually punish these criminals I believe this trend would not continue to escalate. But until we as a people stop feeling sorry for these creeps, it is going to get worse. We as a society have gotten so sympathetic that all any criminal has to do is talk about his bad childhood and people rally around them.
No doubt someone right now is talking about how unfair it is that this guys life is ruined because of this "false allegation". More of us need to step up and start taking our cities and our country back. The more we choose to just stick our heads in the sand, the worse it is going to get.
November 25, 2009 at 7:00 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
guestofaguest says...
What kind of emotional damage this will have done to this little girl for the rest of her life....it makes me sick and I feel horrible for her.
November 25, 2009 at 10:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
donaldo says...
i think he should feel honored to defend him if he is just like him. i understand that he is representing him in this case and he was just trying to convince the jury that he is really a nice guy. i wonder if he still feels honored to know him today. the lawyer is as sick as the guilty one in my books. he should do some time too. i feel very sorry that he did this to a child.
November 25, 2009 at 5:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ddmk001 says...
life in prison w/ 3 square meals a day ?
are you kidding me ?
execute the sob....do you think he is going to be rehabilitated or some other nonsence.
the criminal justice system is supposed to produce justice, not nicey feel good rehab.
as for the defense attorney, god knows his grandparents must be proud.
November 27, 2009 at 7:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )