HOMELESS RAPIST CONVICTED!

Fellow Homeless Man Identifies Von Eric Brown at Trial

Atlanta- Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announces the conviction of 38-year-old Von Eric Brown of Atlanta. A Fulton County jury convicted Brown today of rape and false imprisonment in the case of a woman who was attacked after attending the 2003 Midtown Music Festival. The woman and her husband, who were visiting from Cochran, Georgia, became separated from each other. As she was walking back to their hotel, Brown grabbed her, dragged her into the empty parking lot at Peachtree and Pine Streets and raped her twice.

The victim tearfully told of that harrowing night of May 4, 2003. She testified she was finally able to escape when the owner of the last car left in the parking lot returned to retrieve it. She ran to the car and the owner took her to her hotel, where they called police. Brown was arrested the same night.

At trial, Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Hutcherson also presented the eyewitness testimony of another homeless man who had told police he saw the attack. He identified defendant Brown by name and told police he would take them to the place "where he (Brown) kept his stuff". The witness was able to pick Brown out of a police line-up and identified him during the 5-day trial.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Bensonetta Lane presided. Following the guilty verdicts, she scheduled Brown's sentencing to take place in two weeks.

CONTACT: Lyn Vaughn, 404-224-0560 (office); 404-533-1381 (pager)