New Hanover jury convicts man in 1995 rape case
A 56-year-old man found guilty of raping a convenience store clerk in 1995 was sentenced to serve between 36 and 44 years in prison after new DNA evidence was revealed.
The trial began Monday, Aug. 7 in New Hanover Criminal Superior Court. According to a news release from District Attorney Ben David, Freddie Anthony Jackson was found guilty of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sexual offense, and robbery. The trial concluded Friday, Aug. 11, with a jury and judge making a decision.
According to the release, Jackson entered the Scotchman store at 906 N. 23rd St. on Sept. 2, 1995 after 2 a.m. He hid in the bathroom until customers left and the clerk was alone. Jackson then called the 26-year-old female clerk over to ask if she had a larger size Gatorade. The clerk replied that she did not, and as she turned to walk away, Jackson grabbed her by the neck and threw her on her back to the floor. Jackson then forced her into the walk-in drink cooler where he sexually assaulted her four times. Jackson stole money from the cash register and beer, and he dropped a pack of Newport cigarettes on the floor behind the cash register. Jackson fled the scene on foot.
The clerk was transported to New Hanover Regional Medical Center and a sexual assault evidence collection kit was completed. DNA analysis was in its infancy and scientists were not able to analyze potential DNA evidence in a sexual assault evidence collection kit unless they had a DNA sample from a suspect with which to compare. The identity of Jackson was not known. Despite efforts by the Wilmington Police Department to discover the offender, the case went cold.
The national DNA database was later created by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This allows law enforcement officers to submit potential DNA evidence left behind by even unknown offenders to be compared to people in the database. North Carolina enacted a law requiring offenders convicted of serious offenses provide a DNA sample for this database. The sexual assault evidence collection kit from the clerk of the Scotchman was submitted for analysis and a match was made to Jackson.
Jackson is currently serving a sentence from other kidnappings and sexual assaults.
Superior Court Judge Frank Jones sentenced Jackson to serve to a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 44 years in prison. Upon release he will be required to register as a sexual offender for the remainder of his lifetime.
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Reporter Chase Jordan can be reached at cjjordan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Hanover jury convicts man in 1995 rape case
