AUBURN - A 10-year-old sex abuse victim testified against her alleged attacker, who has been indicted on 26 charges, during a Cayuga County Court trial on Thursday.
During her testimony, the victim accused Douglas Clarkson, 60, with a last known address of 7856 MacArthur Blvd., Bridgeport, of sexually abusing her on a weekly basis from October 2006 to March 2007.
The Citizen does not name alleged victims of sexual abuse.
Clarkson faces 23 felony counts of first-degree sex abuse, two counts of misdemeanor acting in a manner to injure a child and one count of felony course sexual conduct with a child.
After the victim spoke, Clarkson's defense attorney, Jethro Loftus, moved to have the charges dismissed on the grounds that the Cayuga County District Attorney's Office failed to show enough evidence for each sex abuse charge.
There was one count of sex abuse for each week Clarkson resided with the victim's family.
Cayuga County Judge Mark Fandrich denied the motion because of the nature of the crime and the age of the victim. Fandrich also said he would look into the dates of the alleged crime to make sure they match up with the each of the listed charges.
Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann also called on Elizabeth Staude and Stacey Rick, forensic investigators from the New York State Police, to present DNA evidence of body fluid stains found in the victim's bed and on Clarkson's bathrobe.
During her testimony, Staude described how the stains contained DNA from Clarkson and at least one other person, who she could not rule out as the victim.
In statements made to the sheriff's office, Clarkson had said the stains were from when he slept with a former girlfriend in the victim's bed.
“The facts are all there,” Budelmann said. “It's all a question of if the jury believes it. The first hurdle is to present the evidence to the jury, and the second hurdle is to make sure they understand it.”
An investigation was also being conducted into a second man, identified only as Kenny, who authorities believe may have also molested the victim while he resided with her family.
Budelmann said his office was not aware of the abuse until days before the original trial date several months ago.
Further investigation determined that the victim was not blaming Clarkson for Kenny's alleged abuse, and she may have been molested by the two different men.
The original trial was adjourned to investigate Kenny.
“(The victim) is not very suggestible and we were confident she was not blaming Clarkson for someone else,” Budelmann said. “This is a strong case.”
The defense will begin calling witnesses on Friday.
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
The Citizen does not name alleged victims of sexual abuse.
Clarkson faces 23 felony counts of first-degree sex abuse, two counts of misdemeanor acting in a manner to injure a child and one count of felony course sexual conduct with a child.
After the victim spoke, Clarkson's defense attorney, Jethro Loftus, moved to have the charges dismissed on the grounds that the Cayuga County District Attorney's Office failed to show enough evidence for each sex abuse charge.
There was one count of sex abuse for each week Clarkson resided with the victim's family.
Cayuga County Judge Mark Fandrich denied the motion because of the nature of the crime and the age of the victim. Fandrich also said he would look into the dates of the alleged crime to make sure they match up with the each of the listed charges.
Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann also called on Elizabeth Staude and Stacey Rick, forensic investigators from the New York State Police, to present DNA evidence of body fluid stains found in the victim's bed and on Clarkson's bathrobe.
During her testimony, Staude described how the stains contained DNA from Clarkson and at least one other person, who she could not rule out as the victim.
In statements made to the sheriff's office, Clarkson had said the stains were from when he slept with a former girlfriend in the victim's bed.
“The facts are all there,” Budelmann said. “It's all a question of if the jury believes it. The first hurdle is to present the evidence to the jury, and the second hurdle is to make sure they understand it.”
An investigation was also being conducted into a second man, identified only as Kenny, who authorities believe may have also molested the victim while he resided with her family.
Budelmann said his office was not aware of the abuse until days before the original trial date several months ago.
Further investigation determined that the victim was not blaming Clarkson for Kenny's alleged abuse, and she may have been molested by the two different men.
The original trial was adjourned to investigate Kenny.
“(The victim) is not very suggestible and we were confident she was not blaming Clarkson for someone else,” Budelmann said. “This is a strong case.”
The defense will begin calling witnesses on Friday.
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
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