WARREN Rapist faces prison term

The judge sentenced the man to life in prison with parole eligibility after 10 years.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A 33-year-old city man is convicted for the second time of raping an 11-year-old girl.
The jury returned the verdict in Steven Henderson's case after deliberating five hours Thursday afternoon in the Trumbull County Common Pleas courtroom of Judge W. Wyatt McKay.
The judge sentenced Henderson to life in prison with parole eligibility in 10 years.
First conviction: Henderson was first convicted of raping the girl in 1998. He was given the same sentence at that time. His conviction, however, was overturned by the 11th District Court of Appeals last year and he was released from prison on a $50,000 bond.
The appeals court judges cited prosecutorial misconduct in overturning the conviction.
Atty. Sarah Kovoor, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor who prosecuted the case both times, said she was "very happy with the verdict."
The victim, who is now 15, testified during the trial that Henderson raped her in December 1997 when he was baby-sitting her and her 4-year-old brother. The girl did not report the rape for a year. She told officials that Henderson threatened he would hurt her if she told anyone.
Defense attorneys said the girl fabricated the story, pointing out that an investigator with Trumbull County Children Services said the girl's brother was unable to corroborate the allegations.
"Why would she lie about this?" Kovoor said to the jury during closing arguments. "Kids lie to get out of trouble, not to get into it. She had to testify about this. She had to get up on the stand and tell you about intimate details. She has lost her dignity and security."