MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Bridges Randle, a one time Memphis Police Officer, listened intently inside Judge Mark Ward’s courtroom Friday, hoping to bring a quick end to the rape case against him.
“Do you hope it gets thrown out?” WREG asked Randle.
“Of course, of course I do. It’s been a long time. It has. It really has. It’s unfortunate, but I would refer back to my attorney,” said Randle.
Randle was charged with a rape that happened 14 years ago, when he was a Memphis Police Officer.
According to reports, he and other officers responded to a disturbance call from a female at a Hickory Hill apartment.
After the other officers left, the victim said one officer came back later and raped her.
For years, there was no movement in the case until the woman’s rape kit was finally tested and a DNA match was made with Randle.
Randle’s lawyer wanted the case thrown out, saying the 14 years it took to bring charges was not due process.
“June of 2000 and they wait til June of 2014. Science was there to help them prosecute a case that we say we are not guilty of,” said Randle’s Attorney, Leslie Ballin.
That science, in the form of rape kit testing, didn’t happen for years.
It was a part of the delayed rape kit testing first uncovered by a WREG investigation.
Randle’s attorney said there was a chance his client could have dealt with this even earlier.
His DNA was in the system had testing been done.
“My client was prosecuted for an unrelated event in 2004. He was sentenced. Why not then? Why wait an additional 10 years. It’s crazy,” said Ballin.
Prosecutors said the time factor was not a defense and Randle should go to trial.
Judge Ward will make a ruling June 24 on whether the case moves forward.
The statute of limitation on rape is 15 years.
