MEMPHIS, Tenn. —A judge has officially denied the motion to dismiss the rape charges against a former Memphis Police Officer on Wednesday.
For several weeks, Judge Mark Ward has said he would consider the motion made by Bridges Randle’s attorney, but never released a decision until now.
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 was supposed to make a ruling on June 24.
The statute of limitation on rape is 15 years.
Randle’s trial is set for April 2016.