Rape trial defendant denies sex

Kim Smith

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000 | 10:42 a.m.

A 22-year-old Marine accused of drugging and raping a Las Vegas woman last summer took the stand Wednesday and denied not only sexually assaulting her, but having sex with her at all.

Lance Cpl. Raymond Flores is accused of slipping the so-called date rape drug GHB into the woman's drink on Aug. 14, 1999, and sexually assaulting the single mother of three in his motel room.

Flores is the first person ever tried in Clark County for an alleged sexual assault that reportedly took place after the victim was drugged with GHB.

Prosecutors are having to pursue the case without the help of laboratory tests, however. Most hospitals do not test for GHB and those medical experts who examined the woman are basing their diagnosis on the woman's symptoms only.

The woman testified that before she woke up half naked in Flores' motel room the last thing she remembers is accepting a shot of tequila from Flores at The Beach nightclub on Convention Center Drive.

The alleged victim claims to have lost nine hours of time despite having little to drink that night. She said she woke up with her pants and panties off.

A DNA expert testified earlier this week that semen found on the woman's panties and during a sexual assault examination matched with semen from Flores.

Flores, however, testified Wednesday that the woman ended up spending the night in his motel room because she was incredibly drunk. He denied raping her or having sexual intercourse with her.

In an attempt to explain how the panties had his semen on them, Flores testified that his bedsheets had not been changed in at least a week. During that time, he engaged in various sexual activities.

No attempts were made to explain the other DNA results.

Flores, who is stationed in Miramar, Calif., was in Las Vegas at the time of the alleged sexual assault participating in military exercises at Nellis Air Force Base.

Also testifying Wednesday were three fellow Marines who were also at The Beach and in Flores' motel room that evening.

All three men testified that the alleged victim was heavily intoxicated that night and there was no sexual activity between her and Flores. When they left the room, the men testified Flores was passed out drunk on the floor and the woman was passed out drunk and fully-clothed on the bed.

Two of the Marines also testified they no longer associate with another Marine who testified on behalf of the woman. The men both said he has given conflicting stories about what went on that night.

In other matters Wednesday and outside the presence of the jury, District Judge Kathy Hardcastle found Deputy District Attorney Bill Kephart in contempt of court because of an incident that happened in her chambers.

Hardcastle banned Kephart from the courtroom for the rest of the trial, prompting his co-counsel, Teresa Lowry to stand up and protest.

Lowry said she would not continue without Kephart and complained that Hardcastle was helping to "perpetuate a fraud" on the jury by not allowing them to hear about the defendant's knowledge of drugs.

Hardcastle has banned the testimony of a Marine who claims that Flores has used the drug "X" in the past. Prosecutors believe X may be GHB because it is sometimes referred to as "Liquid X." The judge has also refused to allow them to ask Flores' Marine friends about the allegations.

The judge took a brief break and agreed to allow Kephart to finish the trial after he apologized for his behavior. She said she would decide at a later time what sanctions should be taken against him.

Closing arguments in the trial were expected to be heard this morning.