controversial words to describe an 11-year-old
girl allegedly gang rapéd by 20 men and
teenaged boys. During wrap-up testimony on Tuesday, Steve
Taylor, who represents Jared Len Cruse on
charges that he joined in the repeated rapé and
séxual assault of the now-13-year-old girl during
a 3-month span in 2010, likened her to a spider
who lured the suspects. He said she was "the reason" that the encounters happened, the
Houston Chronicle reported. The Houston Chronicle reported Taylor's
exchange with former Cleveland Police Sgt.
Chad Langdon, who was on the witness stand: "Like the spider and the fly. Wasn't she saying,
'Come into my parlor, said the spider to the
fly?'" Taylor asked. "I wouldn't call her a spider," Langdon replied.
"I'd say she was just an 11-year-old girl." "I hope nothing like this ever happens to your
two teenage sons," Taylor snapped back. The metaphor didn't help however, as Cruse
was found guilty of aggravated séx assault
today, ABC News reports. In the courtroom on Tuesday, the unidentified
victim reportedly said "yes sir" when asked if
she had been a "willing participant" in the acts,
but Langdon testified that she can't legally give
consent for a séxual encounter due to her age. Testimony in the case of 20-year-old Cruse
wrapped up in Liberty in one day, after he
declined to testify. He's already serving a an
eight-year sentence on unrelated convictions for
aggravated robbery and assault. The emotional case began after Cruse, Eric
McGowen and more than a dozen other men
allegedly recorded themselves having séx with
the victim. Two adults, 22-year-old Isaiah Ross and Marcus
Porchia, 28, were slapped with 15-year prison
terms earlier this year. The six juveniles who
pleaded guilty in the case received suspended
seven-year prison terms. McGowen received a
sentence of 99 years. Most of the defendants -- many of whom have individual trials -- face
charges of aggravated séxual assault of a child. Cruse was found guilty of aggravated séx
assault today, ABC News reports.
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