A Memphis jury has found 17-year-old James Prindle guilty of raping a 23-month-old girl. The jury took all day on Friday to convict Prindle on all counts.
Prosecutors claimed Prindle committed the disturbing act against the toddler while babysitting at Cordova Creek Apartments in August of 2010. Though just 15 at the time, he was later charged and indicted as an adult.
"There's no DNA, no semen, no blood stain. You'll hear how the child was bleeding but nothing links James to the secksual[..]ault," said Prindle's defense during opening arguments.
Prindle was accused of bathing the child before running to a neighbor for help. Prosecutors say he told that neighbor a lie that a "large black man wearing a mask broke into the apartment," that police later disproved.
The next story Prindle told, according to prosecutors, was that his friends were responsible for the[..]. His defense attorney says he lied about the robber because he was trying to stay out of trouble with his mother for having friends over when he was supposed to be babysitting.
"He's hanging out with friends, high, running the apartment complex. That's what he was doing, making up stories lying about being in the apartment every time he was left alone for hours," claimed the defense.
Prindle's attorney says Prindle, who had not only smoked marijuana but had taken Xanex, wasn't home at the time of the[..] and says once he found the little girl beaten and bruised he did everything he could to help her.
