Feb. 2 — 3:53 p.m.
TOPEKA, Kan. — Judge Tim Chambers Friday ordered that DNA testing be done in the case against a 27-year-old man convicted of rape and other crimes.
Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton informed the court that the DNA testing for Craig Lee Gooch was already in the works.
Judge Chambers set a status hearing for March 9 to see where things stand in the case.
Gooch wants the DNA analysis of his fingernails to show that none of the victim’s DNA was under his fingernails.
Gooch was found guilty of forcing a Hutchinson woman into sex after he crawled into her van. Gooch forced the victim to drive him to her home, where the sexual assault occurred.
The crimes occurred back on May 11, 2012.
Feb. 1 — 2:07 p.m.
TOPEKA, Kan. — DNA testing is scheduled for a hearing on Friday in the case against a 27-year-old man convicted of rape and other crimes.
The decision came from the Kansas Court of Appeals back in December.
Craig Lee Gooch was found guilty of forcing a Hutchinson woman into sex after he crawled into her van. Gooch forced the victim to drive him to her home, where the sexual assault occurred.
He apparently asked for a post-conviction DNA analysis of his fingernails to show none of her DNA was under his fingernails. That request was denied in a previous hearing, so he appealed and won that appeal. The case will now come back to District Court on that issue.
District Attorney Keith Schroeder says the fingernail analysis shouldn’t make any difference because his DNA was found on the victim’s clothes and the couch in her home.
The crimes occurred back on May 11, 2012, when the victim went into Dillons at 4th & Pershing and bought some groceries for a party. She came out with her cart and loaded the groceries in her van, then pushed the cart back into the store. She then walked out, but forgot to mail some letters. She entered the store a third time, but failed to lock her van. That’s when Gooch entered her vehicle.
The hearing Friday is scheduled on Judge Tim Chambers’ criminal docket.