Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis man convicted in 2010 kidnapping, sexual assault case after DNA finally tested
Minneapolis rape case charged 12 years later after DNA proof went untested for years
Hennepin County prosecutors have filed rape expenses towards a Minneapolis man greater than a decade after an armed assault on two girls. The case file reveals essential DNA proof sat untested for years. Now, a kind of alleged victims is talking out, sharing her story of torment and frustration with the felony justice system.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis man was convicted Friday for the sexual assault and kidnapping of two girls from over a decade in the past after essential DNA proof was left untested for years.
A Hennepin County jury discovered James Works, 49, responsible of two counts of first-degree felony sexual conduct whereas armed with a harmful weapon and two counts of kidnapping for attacking two girls on June 26, 2010.
It took Hennepin County prosecutors over a decade to file expenses towards Works after essential DNA proof within the case sat untested for years. The BCA flagged the case in 2019 as a part of an initiative to finish testing on sexual assault kits. The Hennepin County Lawyer’s workplace requested the BCA to run the assessments in 2021, which got here again as a match to Works, courtroom paperwork say.
One of many victims beforehand spoke with FOX 9 explaining how she was pissed off with the case.
“I simply really feel like they should take sexual assault extra severely. They do not. Quite a lot of instances they blame the sufferer, and a number of instances the sufferer is afraid to come back ahead,” she mentioned.
Work was subsequently charged in October 2022 and his trial started on March 21, 2023. The sufferer who requested FOX 9 to hide her id publicly testified towards Works, recounting what occurred that day. The jury deliberated lower than an hour and located Works responsible on all expenses.
He’s scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, in line with courtroom information.