Former cop accused of rape now a free man
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By Paige Quiggins, WAVE 3 News Intern
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A former Louisville Metro Police Officer convicted of raping a woman three years ago in the presence of her 9-month-old daughter, is now a free man after his conviction was overturned in appeals court.
50-year-old Billy Ray White, who once faced a 12-year prison sentence, had a conviction and new trial ordered last year by the Kentucky Court of Appeals, with the ruling of using limited prosecutor's evidence against him.
A Jefferson Circuit Jury found White guilty of rape, intimidating a participant in a legal process, tampering and official misconduct in February 2006. White was also tried in 2004 for the alleged rape of Shannon Franklin and convicted on charges of tampering with a witness, public records and physical evidence.
Previously, White had requested for separate trials. The Court of Appeals decided that request was wrongly denied for the official misconduct, tampering and intimidation charges for the separate incidents.
On July 28, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Jon Heck and White's attorney Steve Schroering asked Jefferson Circuit Court Judge McKay Chauvin for a new trial date and were told to resolve the case on July 30.
"He determined at this point, that if he had the opportunity to be released from prison to go on with his life while maintaining his innocence, that he would be foolish not to take that," said Schroering.
After the July 30 Alford Plea, White will now face lesser charges of sexual abuse and will be sentenced to time already served. He will be required to register as a sex offender and be under court restrictions for the next three years.
"The only thing that makes me more angry than the fact that he's going to be free, is the prospect that he would be free and not a convicted felon and not a convicted sex felon, he could have this case expunged if he was acquitted alright, and he could go out west and try to become a police officer again," said Heck.
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