Victim 'adored' Damore before alleged assault, mother testifies

YOUNGSTOWN

A man accused of raping a 12-year-old relative said he drank too much and didn’t remember what happened, the victim’s mother testified.

Eric Damore, 44, of Boardman faces charges of rape and gross sexual imposition. If convicted, he could receive a life prison sentence.

The trial resumes this morning in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court with Judge Anthony M. D’Apolito presiding.

The alleged events are said to have taken place when the victim spent the night at Damore’s house in October 2014.

The victim’s mother testified Wednesday that Damore said he doesn’t know why the victim would make something like that up, but he also doesn’t know why he would do something like that.

He consumed four beers over the course of the evening, his attorney said.

The girl, who is now 15, testified when she spent the night at Damore’s house he pulled her pants down and touched her private parts with his hands and mouth.

She asked him to stop several times, she said. He also asked her to put her mouth on his private parts, and she said no.

After the incident, “he said he should go to jail, and my mom shouldn’t like him anymore,” the victim said.

The victim’s mother testified Damore and her daughter were very close. “She adored him,” she said.

Read more about the case in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.