Homeless man now has a home — prison

Homeless man now has a home — prison

YOUNGSTOWN — A homeless man is going to prison for five years after a jury convicted him of felonious assault against one woman and he pleaded guilty to the rape of another woman.

Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed the sentence today on Edward Washington, 46, who was convicted last month of the felonious assault on a 44-year-old homeless woman in a Wick Park area apartment March 24, 2006.

The jury that convicted Washington of the felonious assault acquitted him of kidnapping and raping that woman.

The woman told police Washington punched and kicked her, beat her with a metal rod and a belt with a metal buckle and raped her repeatedly. The defense maintained the only struggle was over the $10 the woman allegedly tried to take from Washington.

Washington pleaded guilty today to raping a different homeless woman on the city’s near North Side on April 2, 2000, and the prosecution agreed to drop a kidnapping charge in that case.

For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.