Rapture attack? Man accused of trying to rape woman with child blamed fear of End Times

Orlando Sentinel ^ | June 6, 2011 | Gary Taylor

[greatdefender]

A 28-year-old Daytona Beach man who told police he was worried about the Rapture faces charges of attempted sexual battery and kidnapping in an attack on a woman who was pushing her 4-year-old son in a stroller.

Ray Allen Martin, 28, is being held without bail in the Volusia County Branch Jail.

According to an arrest affidavit:

The victim, who is also 28, told police she was walking east on the south side of the bridge about 10:45 a.m. Monday when she saw a man walking west on the opposite side of the bridge.

She told police the man, later identified as Martin, crossed the bridge and began following her. When he continued to follow her as she walked south on N. Peninsula Avenue, she called her fiancé and told him she was worried.

[greatdefender]

[Joe 6-pack]

I will restate my position once again. IMHO, the death penalty should be on the table for any crime in which the victim would have been justified in resisting with deadly force.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Worst. Excuse. EVAH.

[Mathews]

The last thing this guy needs to worry about is being raptured. With thoughts and actions like this... I don't believe he made the list.

[fwdude]

IMHO, the death penalty should be on the table for any crime in which the victim would have been justified in resisting with deadly force.

In Texas, that applies to commission of criminal mischief at night. A little extreme for toilet papering a house, wouldn't you say?

[Pollster1]

The last thing this guy needs to worry about is being raptured. With thoughts and actions like this... I don't believe he made the list.

What was he thinking: "last chance to commit a rape and go to confession so I'm forgiven for that sin before the Rapture"? Or was it: "last chance to rape someone genuinely innocent before the Rapture leaves no innocents to prey upon"?

[AppyPappy]

Nope, just crazy.

[shadeaud]

He should have resisted and just began to text Weiner. They both could have ‘’gotten off’’ at cloud nine.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

I do believe the whole world has gone nuts.

[Joe 6-pack]

"In Texas, that applies to commission of criminal mischief at night. A little extreme for toilet papering a house, wouldn't you say?"

Do you think it's a little extreme for the property owner to shoot somebody toilet-papering their house?

If a criminal is going to commit an act in which the victim is fully empowered to kill them, then it's the criminal who has placed the value of his/her life below that of the fruits of their crime.

[fwdude]

Oh, I'm all in favor of protecting your property at night using deadly force. I just don't think that the criminal committing the act, if convicted, should face the death penalty as a possible result. I think that's what you implied in your first post.

(Now, throw in a lengthy criminal record, and yes, it should be on the table.)

[Pearls Before Swine]

For this guy, rapture = “rape-ture”. Not a good enough excuse... castrate or execute (with appropriate precautions against conviction for consensual statutory rape).

[Fido969]

His rape-ture is going to make his “end-times” look pretty attractive to Bubba when he’s in the joint.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Oh, I'm all in favor of protecting your property at night using deadly force. I just don't think that the criminal committing the act, if convicted, should face the death penalty as a possible result."

You see nothing inconsistent about that? IMHO, if you feel that toilet papering is not a capital crime, then it should not (in and of itself) be legitimate grounds for the application of deadly force.

[fwdude]

I don't "feel" that toilet papering a house isn't a capital crime - IT ISN'T ONE. My point is that many times we here in Texas ARE allowed to use deadly force in instances that constitute way less than capital crimes. If that's the exception you're referring to, then we agree.

The development of a justified use of deadly force at night to defend against criminal mischief is interesting and has its roots way back in the early days of Texas' development, but I think it's still a valid law. We don't know whether those trespassing and damaging property don't have a more malevolent intent, and waiting to find out could be deadly.

[Joe 6-pack]

Then that's one for the Texas citizens and legislature to decide. Again, I'm not swaying in my position. If a state places a value on certain activities such that the taking of the criminal's life is legitimate, then so be it. They should not be squeamish about taking the life of somebody who committed that crime.

I'm very familiar with the history behind the Texas legislation, and if it works for Texas I'm good with that. If trespassing at night is held to be so serious that it legitimizes killing somebody, then IMHO, the state should put it's metaphoric money where its mouth is and make it punishable by death. It's a risk the perpetrator takes. If that seems too severe, then they ought to re-evaluate the law to where there needs to be at least a perceived threat. Again, JMHO.

[Slings and Arrows]

Worst. Excuse. EVAH.

I dunno - it's in a photo finish with the Twinkie Defense.

[SaraJohnson]

He’s trying to play off the media sympathy in the aftermath of the outrage over Camping’s rapture circus. He’s a rapist whose tuned into the popular culture for a victim persona.