Husband Of Rape Victim Accused In Suspect's Beating

Posted: 8:21 am PDT May 24, 2010
Updated: 6:16 pm PDT May 24, 2010

ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- A man accused of rape is in a coma after he was beaten by the victim's husband and a friend, Issaquah police said.

Police said officers arrived at a home in the 400 block of Northeast Birch Street in Issaquah early Sunday morning and found a woman and three men. One of the men was unconscious and bleeding from the head.

The woman told police she was raped by the injured man, a 31-year-old from Kirkland.

Police said he was beaten by the two other men, one of whom is the victim's husband. The injured man was taken by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center and remains in a coma, police said.

Witnesses told KIRO 7 reporter Gary Horcher that the woman was walking home from a nearby bar around 2 a.m. and was followed by the 31-year-old man.

Witnesses said the man came into the home while the woman’s husband and his friends were leaving a bar.

After the alleged sexual assault, the woman called her husband, police said.

“He was informed that his wife had been raped and he ran home to go to her aid. Meanwhile, 911 was called by other people," said defense attorney John Henry Browne.

Browne said the woman’s husband ran into the home and he saw the alleged rapist fighting with one of the husband's friends, so he joined the fight and both men beat the suspect into unconsciousness.

According to court documents, the two men did the beating with a rubber mallet and with a brick.

Browne said the woman’s husband was not beating the man in retaliation for the rape.

“Things were happening way too fast. He walked in and there was a fight going on, and he intervened in the fight to help his friend," Browne said.

The husband, a 31-year old from Renton, and the other man, a 30-year-old from Issaquah, were arrested on suspicion of assault and taken to the King County Jail.

They appeared before a judge on Monday and are expected to bail out of jail.

Browne said the alleged rape victim is going to the hospital to be treated and have evidence gathered for the rape.

“The police informed her not to go to the sexual assault center for an exam. They have just today (Monday) told her ‘Oh gee, maybe you should’ so she is going to be doing that today." Browne said.

Police have not been able to talk to the 31-year-old Kirkland man accused in the rape because he has not come out of the coma, police said.

Police said the two men arrested for beating the man both knew him.

None of the four people involved lived at the house, they were all visitors.

From: http://www.kirotv.com/news/23656557/detail.html?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss