The tape tells it all: Newberg convicted in assault on his 14-year-old relative

Erica D. Johnson

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 | 9:46 a.m.

Steven Newberg sealed his own fate when he videotaped himself raping his 14-year-old relative, prosecutors said Wednesday after Newberg was found guilty of 13 charges leveled against him.

Jurors watched the 35-minute tape on the first day of the four-day trial and watched it again during deliberations.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words" Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon said. "In this case, the tape spoke for itself. Nothing outweighed the tape."

Newberg testified Tuesday that the sex was consensual, but after deliberating for about five hours, jurors found Newberg guilty of the multiple charges, which included sexual assault with a minor under 16, use of a minor in producing pornography and open and gross lewdness. Newberg showed no reaction when the verdict was announced Wednesday.

Newberg, 37, faces eight consecutive life sentences for the charges and wouldn't be eligible for parole for 143 years if he gets the maximum sentence, Herndon said. Newberg is to be sentenced April 3.

His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Steve Immerman, declined to comment on the verdict.

After he is sentenced for this week's conviction, Newberg is to be tried on charges of sexual assault and robbery with a deadly weapon for allegedly sexually assaulting, beating and choking dozens of other women. He videotaped those incidents as well, authorities said.

During the four-day trial that concluded Wednesday, prosecutors alleged Newberg raped the teen during the summer of 2001 when she came to Las Vegas from Los Angeles to attend a concert at Sam Boyd Stadium.

In his closing arguments, Immerman claimed the teen was a willing participant and that there had been "playful sexual banter" between Newberg and the girl during her visit.

Herndon said he was surprised defense attorneys questioned the meaning of the victim's declarations of "no," which were audible on the tape.

"Women and children have the absolute right to say no," he said. "In the context of sexual assault, no means nothing other than no. No is not negotiable in sexual assault cases."

Though the victim, now 16, was not in the courtroom when the verdict was read, Herndon said she was doing well and had received some counseling since the incident.