Wow. What do you say to this?
DARLINGTON — Kenneth Glenn Hinson was found not guilty this morning of raping two
17-year-old girls and leaving them to die bound with duct tape in a secret chamber underground in a rural section of Darlington County last year.
Jurors rejected the victims’ story after deliberating four hours on trial’s eighth day on two charges each of kidnapping, rape and assault and battery with intent to kill.
I don’t ordinarily pay much attention to crime stories — what do you say, except "I’m against it?" — but that message, apparently inadvertently sent as a buildingwide global by the reporter covering the trial, pulled me away from policy issues when I received it.
Or rather, when I heard a colleague down the hall exclaiming in amazement, and I went to look and see what it was about…
(Oh, and about the headline on this post — I’m from the Pee Dee myself, so I’m not casting slurs.)
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OK, there’s got to be some sort of explanation.
Did they draw the jury from the sexual predators pool?
Did the girls dress like hookers and flash the jury from the witness stand?
Were the jurors one-toothed primitive fundamentalists?
Can your intrepid reporter at least try for an explanation from a juror?
I don’t know what the reporter’s doing, but he sent that just minutes after the verdict, I believe…
I was completely stunned when I first heard about this verdict, but some folks have told me that there were witnesses who testified to these two girls being seen in some sort of “porn shop” (their words) with Mr. Hinson before the alleged incidents, and some other news reports have stated that the girls asked him to buy some sort of sex toy. Now, I don’t know if this is true (I was out of state and haven’t been following the trial), but if it is, I can see where this may have introduced some doubt into the minds of the jury. This is all such a sordid story….just boggles the mind….
Incredible. You mean that it was legal for this man to have consenual sex with two tied up TEENS, supposedly take these TEENS into a PORN SHOP (hello – age limit here), tie them up with duct tape (once again – consenual?), and hold them against their wishes (this wasn’t playing cowboys and indians here)? Are these jurors out of their minds (heads shaking YES here)? I don’t care about the defense planting that nagging doubt in these juror’s puny heads. There are just some things that you do not allow an adult to do to a CHILD. They are, after all, still CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, not adults. I bet the girls’ parents are just flabergasted at this jury.
Now I guess that since he was found not guilty, the media can now name these “alledged victims” since they are no longer considered “victims”. And will these teenage girls now be charged with bringing false charges against Mr Hinson?
I hope the reporter can talk to a juror and get their story on the verdict.
This just became every parents’ worst nightmare and I really feel for the parents of these two girls.
To hold a victim responsible for a crime like this is absolutely reprehensible. When Hinson does it again (and he will, and it will be horrendous next time) those jurors and that defense attorney will have to live every day with the consequences.
Was this the same jury that acquitted OJ? Did each of them walk away from this experience with new houses and cars? What should have been an open and shut case is now a debacle for legal students to pour over for years to come. How can that defense attorney hold his head up or even sleep at night? Cases like this make me wonder if the legal system works at all? This is the oldest tactic used in the book. If all else fails blame the victims…This isn’t the 1950s , people…
Steven, you’ve layed out the prosecution’s case but is that really what happened? Apparently the jury didn’t think so or at least had a sense of reasonable doubt. Since the age of consent is 17 (or maybe younger) in SC so there’s no statutory case here. Whatever the jury saw was apparently quite different from the events as portrayed in the media. The guy probably was guilty and justice was not served. This one is tough. Let’s hope the gun charge carries some significant penalty.
Ease up folks. Hinson is still facing the gun charge which is a federal charge and there’s a good chance he will receive a life sentence on that under current state laws for repeat offenders. So, it ain’t over til it’s over.
I don’t know which would be worse for him…setting him free in Darlington County and have him look over his shoulder for the rest of his life or putting him in prison where his dance card will be full for the rest of his life. He’s screwed, and rightfully so.