SACRAMENTO, April 5 (UPI) -- An alleged juvenile rape victim in California has been detained to ensure her presence as a witness in the trial of man who is charged with the crime.
The unnamed 17-year-old girl, who has been confined to juvenile hall for a week, was ordered detained by two California Superior Court judges after she failed to appear in court in October, and again in February, to testify against Frank William Rackley, who is accused of three counts of raping and sexually assaulting her, in a trial scheduled to begin April 23.
In an affidavit for a material witness warrant, she was described by Deputy District Attorney Alan R. Van Stralen as a dependent of the state with a history of running away.
The Sacramento (Calif.) Bee reported Thursday that Rackley has six previous felony convictions.
He is also charged with raping a 30-year-old prostitute, a court brief said.
"You never want to have a victim or a witness in custody, but you have to balance protecting the community. It's important that we try to prevent another victim from being harmed," Assistant District Attorney Albert Locher said Wednesday.
"I think it's outrageous that the DA's Office wants to put a rape victim, a juvenile rape victim, in custody, as if she were the criminal," Lisa M. Franco, the girl's attorney, said.
