Green claims sex was consensual Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 04:12 AM By Jade Ortego
Killeen Daily Herald

BELTON – A Killeen man took the witness stand in his own defense Tuesday and claimed that he was not responsible for the brutal beating of a woman in April 2008.

Jamaal Larome Green, 26, testified in Judge Fancy Jezek's 426th District Court that he had consensual sex with the victim in exchange for money in the early morning of April 9. He said he then left her at an apartment complex on Root Avenue, far from the Zip Cleaners parking lot on Gilmer Street where she said he beat, dragged and raped her.

The last time he saw the 53-year-old woman, Green said, was about 3:15 a.m. and she had no bruises and was not bleeding.

On Monday, the victim described being repeatedly slammed face-first into asphalt and raped over several hours after a failed attempt at sex for money.

The victim said Green, the married father of four children under 9, paid her $20 for sex, but he experienced impotence until after she left his car and he attacked her. She said she returned his money, but he continued to beat her.

Killeen police officer Todd Mallow told the court Monday about the pools of blood and bloody drag trails he found in the cleaners parking lot the morning of the incident.

On Tuesday, the prosecution showed pictures taken by examiners at Scott & White Hospital that depict the unrecognizable victim, whose eyes were too swollen to open. The woman had deep purple bruising on her entire face, had large bruises and abrasions on her knees and elbows, and a gash across the bridge of her nose. She had a large section of skin missing from her forearm, and her white-blond hair appeared brown with blood.

Police officer Karl Ortiz said he visited the victim, who he called a known prostitute, six days after the attack.

"She looked real bad," he said. "Much different."

Prosecuting attorney Kara Schneible showed the jury pictures of the victim's genital area, which was lacerated and covered in gravel and debris.

The DNA collected from the victim matched her own DNA and Green's DNA.

Soon after the incident, the victim was shown photo lineups of men, including Green. She didn't identify him then, and selected a different suspect. That man was later exonerated by DNA evidence and when the victim identified Green's vehicle, a tan SUV.

She said she may have selected the wrong person in the lineup because she had trouble seeing for several months after the attack.

The victim said when Green first picked her up, he stopped at First National Bank to get $20 to pay her. Ortiz told the court Tuesday that records from the bank showed a transaction made from Green's account at 2:32 a.m. April 9.

Prosecuting attorney Shelly Strimple asked Green why the victim, a stranger to the defendant, would lie about him.

"I'm not saying she's lying. She could be mistaken," Green said.

The jury is expected to begin deliberations today.

Contact Jade Ortego at jortego@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7553.