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Posted on 04/22/2015 3:25:47 PM PDT by iowamark
A jury in Hancock County has found Henry Rayhons not guilty.
He was accused of having sex with his wife, Donna Lou Rayhons while she was suffering from dementia in a care center and may not have been able to give consent. She died last summer...
Rayhons testified himself that the couple did not have sex on May 23, 2014, the day of the alleged sexual abuse.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office gave KIMT a statement following the verdict on Wednesday:
“Our office prosecuted this case based on a complaint, thorough law enforcement investigation, and Iowa law. The jury made its decision, which we respect.”
After about 13 hours of deliberation over three days, jurors on Wednesday found 78-year-old Henry Rayhons not guilty of third degree sexual abuse of his wife Donna Lou Rayhons. He was accused of having sex with her at a nursing home on May 23 after being told by a doctor that she was no longer capable of consenting due to dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease. She died in August.
Henry Rayhons testified in his own defense that on the night in question the couple held hands, prayed and kissed, but had no sexual contact...
The key issue was when a previously-consenting spouse is no longer mentally capable of consenting to sex. Iowa law defines an act as sexual abuse in the third degree if the two parties are not living together as husband and wife and if one person “is suffering from a mental defect or incapacity which precludes giving consent.”..
Rayhons served 18 years as a Republican member of the Iowa House. He withdrew from the race for another term shortly before he was charged last year
(Excerpt) Read more at kimt.com ...
It sounds like the only complaint was from the room mate - who complained of some unusual sounds.
My question is .. when did she hear the sounds, and when did she notify the staff of what she heard ..??
Obviously, it was after the person died .. proving NOTHING.
In our residence for seniors with Alzheimer’s or Dementia, husbands and wives would just lay beside their respective mates (on top of the covers) during the last moments of their spouse’s lives. Their tenderness with their dying spouse brought most of us to tears; and we would usually close the door and let them have their privacy for the last few moments. In fact, I don’t recall allowing a room mate to be present during the dying process.
My summation: This man was targeted because he was a Republican .. and not because somebody heard “sounds”.
That my friends is how the DemocRATS DO BUSINESS.
If I et dementia,any husband of mine is welcome to it. I think that’s good for us in many ways.
Had I been on the jury and heard this coupled with the other testimony and evidence, I would have cast a "Not Guilty" and petitioned the judge to censure the prosecution for wasting not only my time, but the judicial system's time for this kind of crap.
Absolute stupidity on the part of the prosecution.
I’m sorry for your loss, and I understand your post.
But, let’s suggest another scenario:
Alzheimer’s doesn’t necessarily leave someone so physically incapacitated that they don’t enjoy physical affection - in fact, it’s probably very important!
These people may have been exchanging some hugs, kisses and ‘sweet nothings’ that were of great comfort to both of them; and the woman who overheard it jumped to judgment (?) and conclusions. Then the staff, and their lawyers, geared up.
It’s a crazy case.
(Note to self: That ‘living will’ that I’m planning must contain a clause that my husband can be alone with me behind a closed door!)
Again: Jeez...
What a mental and emotional dystopia we are creating for ourselves.
-JT
This country has gone completely insane.
What business could this be of a prosecutor?
Or of the staff of the care home?
I didn’t realize that Iowa was this tyrannical.
This prosecution was obviously politically motivated. Just as in Wisconsin and Texas.
Sounds as though someone employed there raped this poor woman and blamed her husband.
Best part is: No unexpected pregnancy...
LOL
“An exam done on Donna Rayhons that night found no sign of injury. Also, lab tests done on swabs from that exam found no conclusive evidence she’d recently had sex.”
How was this not abusive? How was she supposed to understand this violation? Poor woman.
There you have it, folks. The whole point of this exercise.
Yep.
Democrat evil, as usual.
That was one of my questions, as well.
In order to obtain the “evidence” (or lack thereof!) they had to do things that this woman apparently couldn’t understand or consent to any more than she could the purported ‘violation’ that her husband was accused of.
He probably abused her not at all; while the ‘law’ did.
-JT
“Unless there is some major element missing here...”
He was a long time Republican office holder.
Um....There ARE times to take life seriously.
-JT
Well, I like older women cuz they can’t get away.../S
I’m just shocked. I never would have guessed that the politician who ginned up this attack on a Republican was a Democrat. Who could have seen that coming.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Miller_%28politician%29
I like younger men, because they’re so easily led (no S).
-JT
We should get together then...
LOL
No, that wouldn’t work. I’m happily married - and I can’t get past the “you won’t live through it anyway” part.
(Though I do think that Keely Smith is one of the greatest pop singers I’ve ever heard.)
Best Wishes,
-JT
Just think of it. Our judicial system recognizes a right to privacy that it is so great that a mother may dismember her unborn child, but not so great that a husband may share affection with his dying wife.
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