Jury begins deliberations in Bentley case
Posted: Friday, August 01, 2008
OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) -- Prosecutors said during closing arguments on Thursday that 10-year-old Jetseta Gage may have called James Bentley "Dad," but instead of treating her like a child he sexually abused the Cedar Rapids girl.
A Clarke County jury began deliberating the case Thursday afternoon, and was expected to resume its work on Friday morning. The second-degree sexual abuse trial was moved from Benton County, where the abuse was alleged to have taken place, because of pretrial publicity.
Before resting its case on the Thursday, the defense called three former Linn County Jail inmates who said Bentley never spoke to them about sexually abusing Jetseta.
That followed testimony Wednesday from two inmates who say Bentley discussed the sexual abuse. One says Bentley admitted abusing the girl.
Jetseta was kidnapped and killed by Bentley's brother, Roger, in March 2005. Roger Bentley is serving a life sentence for that crime.
Benton County Attorney David Thompson said during closing arguments that James Bentley had his own family -- a wife and two boys -- yet pursued a relationship with Jetseta, an ex-girlfriend's daughter.
Thompson said Bentley showered the child with attention, and targeted her because she was vulnerable, developmentally slow and had problems making friends.
Bentley's attorney Mark Brown argued that Thompson failed to establish what type of sex act took place and where it happened. Brown also argued that Thompson relied on the emotional value of nude photos that aren't in evidence and are not an element of the crime.
Bentley's ex-wife had testified during the trial that she found nude photos of Jetseta in Bentley's coat pocket. She said she knew the photos were taken at the Bentleys' home because she recognized the mattress that Jetseta was lying on.
A Clarke County jury began deliberating the case Thursday afternoon, and was expected to resume its work on Friday morning. The second-degree sexual abuse trial was moved from Benton County, where the abuse was alleged to have taken place, because of pretrial publicity.
Before resting its case on the Thursday, the defense called three former Linn County Jail inmates who said Bentley never spoke to them about sexually abusing Jetseta.
That followed testimony Wednesday from two inmates who say Bentley discussed the sexual abuse. One says Bentley admitted abusing the girl.
Jetseta was kidnapped and killed by Bentley's brother, Roger, in March 2005. Roger Bentley is serving a life sentence for that crime.
Benton County Attorney David Thompson said during closing arguments that James Bentley had his own family -- a wife and two boys -- yet pursued a relationship with Jetseta, an ex-girlfriend's daughter.
Thompson said Bentley showered the child with attention, and targeted her because she was vulnerable, developmentally slow and had problems making friends.
Bentley's attorney Mark Brown argued that Thompson failed to establish what type of sex act took place and where it happened. Brown also argued that Thompson relied on the emotional value of nude photos that aren't in evidence and are not an element of the crime.
Bentley's ex-wife had testified during the trial that she found nude photos of Jetseta in Bentley's coat pocket. She said she knew the photos were taken at the Bentleys' home because she recognized the mattress that Jetseta was lying on.
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