Houston man faces 25 years to life in rape of 4-year-old
By BRIAN ROGERS
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Sept. 21, 2010
A Houston man today faces the possibility of spending 25 years to life in prison with no chance at parole after being convicted of raping his girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter shortly before her June 2009 death.
Jurors convicted Lucas Coe, 28, of super aggravated sexual assault of a child in visiting state District Judge Doug Shaver's court Tuesday after deliberating Coe's fate for 3½ hours. Because of the heightened charge, Coe will serve every day of whatever sentence the jury hands down.
The case was thrust into the headlines in the weeks following 4-year-old Emma Thompson's death on June 27, 2009, when the extent of her injuries and the fact that she had genital herpes were revealed by investigators. The child arrived at the hospital with more than 70 bruises, a busted lip and a fractured skull.
After her death, it was discovered that Texas Children's Protective Services had been told the girl had genital herpes two weeks before she died. The agency had investigated the case, but did not remove the child from the home, saying there was no evidence she was in physical danger. It later was revealed that CPS previously had investigated Coe three times in connection with another girlfriend's child.
"We'll always have a hole in our heart for Emma," said Laurie Thompson, the child's grandmother. "But, hopefully, no other children will have to suffer what Emma suffered and no other family will have to go through what we went through."
During the week-long trial, jurors heard testimony from several doctors about the girl's injuries and saw graphic photos of the child's autopsy, including several pictures of the vaginal tear with dried blood.
Coe's lawyers had argued that the girl was injured in a straddle fall, which are usually minor. Common straddle injuries include hitting the crossbar on a bicycle or falling awkwardly on a step, doctors said.
Rick DeToto pointed to testimony that Emma Thompson's vaginal area had abrasions consistent with a fall.
Prosecutors argued that Coe, a former handyman, spent weeks babysitting his girlfriend's children, trying to gain Emma's trust, then raped the pre-schooler as other children swam in a backyard pool.
In a whisper to jurors, Assistant Harris County District Attorney Colleen Barnett said Coe worked to lure the child, then cleaned up the crime scene.
"That little girl probably bled everywhere," Barnett said softly.
Coe stood silently as the verdict was read. After hearing the decision, he sat and shook his head at his family.
In the weeks before the girl's death, Coe was dating her mother, Abigail Young, a former registered nurse.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that Young lied to investigators about Coe living with her and babysitting the girl. Young was sentenced in July to 20 years in prison for failing to protect her child.
In rare cases, doctors told investigators, herpes could have been transmitted by casual contact with Coe or Young, both of whom have the disease.
The girl's 12-year-old sister testified that she saw the girl fall and hit her head.
Prosecutors said Emma died from abdominal trauma, including a severed pancreas, at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital.
"She was dying a slow, painful death due to blunt force trauma to her abdomen," Barnett said.
Coe was not charged in Emma's death. Barnett told jurors Coe was prosecuted for the super aggravated charge rather than murder because it carries a stricter punishment.
Coe's mother cried as family members hugged her. A spokeswoman for the family said they were devastated by the verdict.
Afterward, Coe's attorney, Rick DeToto, said his client was upset, frustrated and continues to say he is innocent.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7211816.html