MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Cleotha Abston, the man indicted in the rape of Alicia Franklin and accused of kidnapping and killing Eliza Fletcher one year later was in court Tuesday morning.
His first day of trial included a packed courtroom with 15 jurors. Three witnesses spoke during the trial.
Abston’s defense argued that this was a prostitution case involving Alicia Franklin back in September 2021.
Abston is charged with rape, kidnapping, and unlawful possession of a weapon. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
“It’s a case about a prostitute who got into an argument about her prices with her customer and called it rape,” said Juni Ganguli, Abston’s defense attorney.
Alicia Franklin has said in the past she wants her name and face known. But today she didn’t want to be recorded giving her tearful testimony.
She says she has worked to forget what happened to her and that she had complications with her pregnancy. She also says she met Abston to have sex and make money.
Memphis Police didn’t request the rape kit evidence be expedited, so it sat on the shelf for nearly nine months before the lab could get to it.
“This isn’t TV. In CSI Miami we get those results in hour, 30, 15 mins. Here it took a year,” said Paul Hagerman, state prosecutor.
The trial is set to continue Wednesday morning. The judge says deliberation should start on Thursday.