Girl Says She Was Raped by Great Mills Teen

Verdict in Trial Expected This Week

A 13-year-old girl testified in St. Mary's County Circuit Court on Tuesday that she was raped in July by a 16-year-old boy after he grabbed her arms and yanked her into his bedroom.

During most of the girl's three-hour testimony, she sucked her hand and shifted in her chair, appearing impatient with the questions.

"Never mind, whatever!" she said exasperatedly after the defense attorney asked whether she had lied to the nurse who examined her after she reported the incident.

John K. Edison Jr., of Great Mills, is charged as an adult with second-degree rape and other offenses. He is accused of assaulting the then 12-year-old girl early July 5 after she and her cousin had walked to his home.

Edison's attorney, Kevin J. McDevitt, told jurors that any contact between the two was consensual and that the girl used the rape allegation as an excuse for being out late. According to her testimony, she returned to her house from Edison's in the early-morning hours of July 5.

"The story that the state has painted is based on a girl who was trying to stay out of trouble," McDevitt said in his opening statement, noting that the girl's story has changed since she first talked to detectives.

Prosecutors said that the girl had no motive to lie and that the essential fact of her story -- that Edison tried to have sex with her against her will -- has remained consistent when she has talked with police officers and lawyers.

Prosecutors also say that Edison's story changed during an interview with a detective. After initially saying that he had been alone that night, prosecutors said, Edison told police that the girl wanted to have sex with him.

"She was defenseless. She tried to fight back," Assistant State's Attorney Julie White told jurors. "But he was older, he was stronger, and he was bigger."

During the trial this week in Leonardtown, the girl repeatedly said that Edison dragged her into the bedroom by her arms, forced her down and raped her. She said she tried to fight back, pushing against his chest and telling him that she had to leave, but he ignored her. She said her cousin was in another room with a friend. As she and her cousin were getting ready to leave, Edison playfully hit her with a belt, she said.

According to records presented at the trial, the girl told law enforcement officials in July that Edison pinned her down and beat her with a belt and that the cousin tried to pull him off.

During the trial, the girl said she did not remember providing those details, and she speculated that police made them up.

Physical evidence shows that the two had some sort of sexual contact, although it was not clear that an attack occurred. The nurse who examined the girl testified Tuesday that she found no evidence of physical trauma on the girl. Prosecutors said other experts will testify that Edison's DNA was collected from the girl.

McDevitt said those findings are consistent with consensual sexual contact. He also said that Edison had only a scratch on his bicep and that it was caused by a police officer, not the girl.

Testimony was expected to resume yesterday, with a verdict expected this week. McDevitt hinted in his opening argument that Edison would take the stand in his defense.