CLEARFIELD – A hearing was held on Wednesday for a Mahaffey man accused of sexually assaulting a teenager.
James L. Turner Jr. faces charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse-person less than 16; statutory sexual assault; aggravated indecent assault; corruption of minors; indecent assault – person less than 16.
The alleged victim in the case testified that on Sept. 27, 2010, when she was 15, she was babysitting for the Turners. She said Turner’s wife worked a night shift and that Turner had a work-related event early in the morning. She said she was staying the night at the residence to put the kids on the bus.
She testified that after Turner’s wife left for work, she and Turner laughed and joked around while watching television. She said that around midnight, she went to bed. She explained that Turner was to sleep on the couch and she would sleep in the Turners’ bed. She said that Turner entered the bedroom got onto the bed. She testified that he told her to scoot over. She said they laughed for no reason, and that he then grabbed her head and forced her to perform oral sex.
She testified this only lasted a few minutes, if that. She said it was not something she wanted to do. She said he told her to stop and then told her to go downstairs. She said he was behind her as they went downstairs to the dining room. She testified that he pushed her against the table took her sweat pants and underwear off, then penetrated her. She said this lasted no more than 10 minutes.
“I said no … I kept saying it,” she testified.
She said Turner stopped when one of his children turned a light on upstairs. She said he went up and got showered. While he was doing that, she said she stood in the dining room. She said he told her not to tell anyone, to go back upstairs and go to bed.
She testified that she listened to him, and that she was afraid. She said his wife woke her up the next morning. She said she showered at some point and put the kids on the bus. She said she then called her mother. She said they went to her grandmother’s, and while there, her mother realized something was wrong. She said she told her mother what happened. Her father was called, and he told her to contact the state police.
She said she was interviewed and photographed. She said she went to the hospital where a sexual assault kit was administered.
Under cross, she was asked why she didn’t leave. She testified that she was scared. She said during the oral sex, she was trying to get his hands off of her.
Tpr. Randy Powell, PSP Punxsutawny, testified that he was the trooper assigned to the case. He said he interviewed the girl and photographed her injuries, which consisted of bruises on various parts of her body.
He said he also talked to Turner. He said Turner agreed to submit to a DNA Swab. He also said Turner told him the allegations were false, and that nothing happened.
Under re-direct, Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. presented the crime lab report on the DNA analysis. The analysis taken from an underwear cutting pointed to Turner.
In the end, Magisterial District Judge Jerome Nevling bound all charges to the Court of Common Pleas. Turner is free on $50,000 supervised bail.