Texas Rape Trial Resumes Without Defendant Present

By: Associated Press

Posted: Thu 11:28 AM, Aug 30, 2012

LIBERTY, Texas -- Testimony has resumed without the defendant present in the first trial over the alleged sexual assault of a Texas middle school girl by 20 men and boys over several months two years ago.

Judge Mark Morefield said today that 20-year-old Eric McGowen's trial will continue even though he hasn't been seen since disappearing during a break in testimony Wednesday, the trial's first day.

McGowen had been free on $35,000 bail. Morefield issued a bench warrant for his arrest and increased his bail to $250,000.

McGowen is among 14 adults accused of sexually assaulting the then-11-year-old girl during a nearly three-month span in 2010. Six juveniles also were charged.

The trial resumed with testimony from a forensic nurse examiner who examined the girl.

Lawmakers Approve Arms Training for Schoolteachers

We ask that the following Community Standards be followed:

Comments must not be profane or vulgar.

Comments must not use hate speech, racial slurs, or violent descriptions.

We encourage varying views to be shared. We do ask commenters to not personally attack other readers, groups, people featured in our stories, or other posters for disagreeing with their views.

Comments must not contain negative, comparative debates between community standards of cities or towns.

Comments must contribute to the discussion, flaming and/or trolling will not be tolerated.

Comments must be truthful and not intentionally falsified. Providing a source link is encouraged.

If you find that a comment violates the above rules, please use the flagging option located to the right of the comment to notify the moderators.
For a complete list of guidelines, please follow this link:
http://www.kbtx.com/home/misc/Online-Commenting-Policy-181579421.html

Texas Rape Trial Resumes Without Defendant Present

AP Video