CLEARFIELD – The man accused of molesting a girl a little over two years ago took the stand in his own defense on Tuesday.
Eric Queen is on trial for the charges of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault and indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age. The charges stem from an alleged incident in which Queen allegedly molested a girl, then 8, on June 14, 2009.
Queen testified that on June 14, 2009, there was a picnic planned at his residence. He testified that a number of people were there, including two of his paternal relatives. He said the alleged victim in the case’s mother had asked his wife if the girl could spend the night. He stated that later in the evening he was alone with the girl because his wife got called into work.
Queen testified that the girl got cleaned up and dried off with a towel, which was either his or his wife’s.
He said they were in he and his wife’s bedroom watching television and that the girl wanted a snack. He said he gave her milk, chips and popcorn, and she spilled the milk when he was on the phone with his wife. He said when she did, he said, “Goddamnit.”
He said his wife talked to the girl and while he toweled some of the milk up. He said the girl cried when she talked to his wife, as she was drinking milk and eating somewhere where she was not allowed to.
Queen said that the girl asked to call her father for a ride home, and he said okay. He said she went to call her father and he continued to clean. He said he went looking for her and overheard her on the phone telling who he assumed to be her father that Queen touched her and licked her. He said she couldn’t tell him that because it never happened. He said she replied, “Yes it did.” He said she hung up and they waited for her father to arrive.
Queen said that when her father arrived, he told him he never touched her or did anything to her. He said the father said, “I never said you did.” He said after she left, he called his wife to tell her that he was accused of molesting the girl. He said he waited up all night, eventually falling asleep at around 6:30 a.m. He said he got a call from Trp. Terry Jordan, who requested that he come to the state police barracks to talk to him. He said he would come in when his wife came home, and when she did, they left.
Queen testified that he did not shower or change his clothes from the night before before he went to the barracks. He said Jordan questioned him, and that Jordan was aggravated, and he was also aggravated. He said that he answered the same questions multiple times, and that he denied the accusations levied against him.
He said that while he was there, none of his clothing was taken, nor were any fingernail or mustache clippings.
Queen also testified about an attempt at suicide. Under direct questioning from his defense attorney, he stated that he was “rather upset and distraught,” and “I couldn’t function.”
Queen read from the suicide note that he left for his wife. In the letter, he stated that he wanted to protect his wife. He also questioned the character of the alleged victim’s mother and father. He said that after he wrote the note, he took “quite a few pills, drank a beer and laid down.” Queen said he did not expect to wake up, but that he did so in Clearfield Hospital.
Under cross-examination, Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. went through a list of Queen’s paternal male relatives that the defense had referenced the day before. He asked Queen about each one and whether they were present on the day in question. Of those on the list, only two were. He also asked if those two were at the house after the girl took a shower and put on clean underwear and a nightgown. Queen said they were not.
Shaw asked him if he wanted the jury to believe the girl was making the story up because she was in trouble.
“My testimony is that she’s lying about it,” said Queen.
Shaw also questioned him about the mess on the bed. Queen said he tried to clean it up. Shaw asked him if he removed the sheets or bedspread. Queen indicated he did not. He said he slept on the same sheets after she left, on his side of the bed. Under redirect, Queen said it was his idea to save the sheets in case they were needed for evidence. He said his wife took them off and stored them for three days.
Shaw also questioned him about his suicide attempt. Shaw indicated that Queen was not under arrest, and that the police never talked to his wife about the allegations. Through questioning it was revealed that Queen attempted to kill himself after police came to get a DNA sample.
“I volunteered my DNA,” testified Queen.
“Sure you did,” countered Shaw. “They had a search warrant.”