A South Strabane Township man accused of raping a 16-year-old girl at his home earlier this year was ordered to stand trial following a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Central Court.
Jermaine A. Mitchell, 32, of 690 Lakeview Drive, was arrested last week by South Strabane police on charges of rape, sexual assault, indecent assault, attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of minors. He was ordered held on all charges by Senior District Judge Jay Dutton.
The girl, who was crying when she took the stand, said Mitchell had asked her to baby-sit his two children on April 2 at his home. She said that she had never been to his home although he has been a friend of her family for about a year.
She said Mitchell was shirtless when he answered the door. The two went into the kitchen, where he put on a shirt. They then went into the dining room.
"He told me to put my hands against the wall," she said. "He patted me down. I don't know what he was looking for, and when I asked what he was doing, he laughed."
Mitchell told her to go upstairs while he got his son off the bus. The victim said she was looking for a telephone to call her mother. Mitchell sent his son out to play and came upstairs, where he allegedly raped her.
"He pushed me on to the bed," she said. "I asked him to stop over and over. He looked angry, and he frightened me."
"He crossed the line," she added. "I didn't know what was going through his head ... if he was going to hold me hostage. I was worried about my safety and going home alive."
Defense attorney Robert Brady and Assistant District Attorney Kristin Clingerman got into heated discussions over whether Brady should be allowed to ask the girl when she reported the alleged assault. The information was not presented.
Brady also argued that his client's $30,000 bond should be reduced. Dutton denied the request and Mitchell was returned to Washington County Jail.
In another rape case in Central Court, Kevin Aristotle Cottrill of Pitcairn waived his charges to court.
Cottrill, 22, is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl inside a Mt. Pleasant Township home in October 2007. He is charged with rape, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.
Dutton adjusted Cottrill's bond from $100,000 to a $25,000 percentage bond. He was ordered not to have any contact with the girl or to leave the state. Cottrill is originally from West Virginia.