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Alleged teenage victim testifies in
former corrections officer rape trial
November 2, 2007
By Mark Caudill
 MANSFIELD
-- A 15-year-old girl started to cry, taking a lengthy pause before
answering a question about possible sexual abuse.
She was the first witness Thursday
in the trial of Brian Crawford, the former city corrections officer
accused of 43 sex crimes involving two girls. Crawford, 33, of
Crestline, is charged with eight counts of rape, 15 counts of sexual
battery and 20 counts of gross sexual imposition.
The 15-year-old and another girl,
now 13, previously told police the sexual abuse started when each
was 7 and living with Crawford and their mother.
In his opening statement, defense
attorney Lewis Williams said the girls resented Crawford because he
was too strict. Williams said they made up their stories to get
Crawford out of the house. "They felt this was a way to get rid of
Brian," Williams said. "I don't believe they knew the magnitude of
what they were getting into, but once they got into it, they ran
with it."
The 15-year-old broke down on the
stand only once, when Richland County Assistant Prosecutor Bambi
Couch-Page asked her about Crawford touching her. She said the first
time he touched her inappropriately was the day she wore a skirt for
third-grade orientation.
"He was pretending to tickle me,"
the teen said.
The girl said Crawford did monthly
"doctor checkups" of her body.
Crawford, wearing a white dress
shirt, a tie and gray slacks, was noticeably thinner from his time
in jail. He took frequent notes as the girl testified.
The alleged sexual abuse went
unreported until March 10, when the younger girl told her mother,
who in turn asked the older girl if she thought Crawford was capable
of such acts.
"I wouldn't doubt it," the
15-year-old recalled saying. "I said, 'He's doing the same thing to
me except he's not raping me.' "
Couch-Page asked the girl why she
had never told anyone.
"I was scared," she said. "I didn't
know what he would do. He was an intimidating person."
Crawford wrestled on the
minor-league circuit as the Canadian Crusher. The Mansfield native
has family in Canada.
The teen said her mother initially
believed her but no longer does. Stacy Crawford has been charged
with four counts of obstructing justice and one count of obstructing
official business in the case. She will be tried separately.
Couch-Page asked the girl about the
defense attorney's claim she made up her story to get rid of
Crawford.
"I didn't lie about it to get him
out of the house," the 15-year-old said. "It was the truth."
On cross-examination, Williams
pointed out discrepancies between the girl's initial statement to
police on March 10 and an interview with Children Services three
days later.
Williams also asked the teen about
complaints she reportedly made about Crawford to a neighbor nearly a
year before police became involved.
"You've always been a kid who was
above average in intelligence," Williams said, seemingly implying
she was smart enough to concoct a story.
Couch-Page revisited the issue on
redirect.
"Did you resent him badly enough
that you would make up a story about being sexually abused?" the
assistant prosecutor asked.
The girl said she didn't.
The trial will resume today before
Common Pleas Judge James DeWeese. It is expected to last three or
four days.
mcaudill@nncogannett.com 419-521-7219
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