Alexandria, Louisiana – A convicted rapist in Rapides Parish has been denied a new trial and a request to reconsider his 10-year sentence. Judge Patricia Koch made the ruling after Antonio Demetrius Jones, 49, was found guilty by a jury on two counts of third-degree rape. The victim, who was acting as an informant for the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, testified that Jones had forced her to perform oral sex on him twice during a drug sting operation. Jones’ attorney had requested a mistrial, claiming that multiple jurors had not watched a graphic video of the rapes. However, Judge Koch denied the request.
During the trial, jurors watched the disturbing video footage of the assaults. Some jurors found it difficult to watch due to its explicit content. One juror even had to cover her eyes at times. The victim can be seen pleading with Jones to stop, but he ignored her pleas. After leaving the scene, the victim reported the incident to the authorities, leading to Jones’ arrest later that day.
Following his conviction, Jones’ defense attorney filed a motion seeking a new trial. Meanwhile, the assistant district attorney filed a motion to have Jones’ sentence reconsidered, arguing that the 10-year sentence did not adequately reflect the severity of the crime. The prosecutor had requested the maximum sentence of 25 years, to be served consecutively.
However, Judge Koch upheld the original sentence, ruling that it was justified based on the evidence presented during the trial. She also dismissed the defense’s claims that a civil lawsuit filed by the victim after the trial should be considered new evidence. The victim had testified that she never blamed the sheriff’s office for what happened and had no intention of suing.
Jones, currently serving his sentence in the Louisiana Department of Corrections, has appealed his conviction to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal in Lake Charles. The appeal was put on hold until the resolution of the motions in the district court. In addition to his rape conviction, Jones still faces a felony charge of distributing methamphetamine.
The denial of a new trial and a request for a reduced sentence for Antonio Demetrius Jones, convicted of two counts of third-degree rape in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, has been confirmed by Judge Patricia Koch. In-upholding the original sentence of 10 years, Judge Koch ruled that it appropriately reflected the seriousness of the crime. Jones has filed an appeal with the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal in Lake Charles, while also facing a separate charge of distributing methamphetamine.