MEMPHIS, TN – It’s day two of Bridges Randle’s rape trial, a case that came together after police finally began testing its back log of rape kits.
That testing linked the former Memphis police officer to the rape of a woman who, in 2000, called police about her car being vandalized.
She says an officer, later identified as Randle, came back and raped her.
The Rape Crisis Center worker who interviewed the victim and administered the sexual assault kit on her testified what the victim told her happened.
“She said that he held her at gun point and forced intercourse,” said Clara Pieh, a former employee of the Rape Crisis Center.
The worker says there was no indication of physical injuries on the victim, but that is normal because of how the anatomy works.
MPD officers tested how DNA kits were stored and if there was a chance they could have been in an unsecure location and possibly tampered with.
The officer who handled the kit in 2013 and got a hit on Randle talked about going to Atlanta, Georgia where Randle was then living.
In Atlanta, he and other officers got DNA samples from Randle.
He also testified about the reaction from the victim when police talked with her all those years later.
“Yes, she was upset. The more we got into it and talked about it, initially she was upset,” said Sgt. Mario Knox of the Memphis Police Department.
Bridges Randle did not take the stand to testify.
He has denied the rape charge.
His attorney says the sex was consensual.
Closing arguments are Thursday.
Stay with WREG for the latest as this case goes to the jury and as they reach a verdict.
