Prosecutors reprimanded, asked to apologize at rape hearing
Jun. 4—LIMA — The prosecution got a reprimand.
The defendant got an apology and a substantial reduction in his bond.
And all parties involved in a court hearing for a Lima teenager charged with rape get the opportunity to go through their legal maneuvering for a second time on Friday.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday in Lima Municipal Court for Jourdyn Rawlins, 18, a 2021 Lima Senior honor's graduate and standout athlete charged with one count of first-degree felony rape.
The alleged incident reportedly occurred on May 26 but additional details have not been made public after an arrest affidavit and affidavit of probable cause were ordered sealed by a municipal court judge earlier in the case.
As Thursday's hearing got underway, Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Thines asked Magistrate Richard Warren for a brief delay in the proceedings because of "an issue with a subpoena" that erroneously had not been served. The subpoena was for the alleged victim in the case and Thines told the judge that "attempts are being made right now to pick up that victim."
Thines requested that the court grant a brief continuance or, short of that, reschedule the hearing for Friday morning. Defense Attorney Robert Gryzbowski, however, was adamant in his objection.
"This hearing was set by consent of all parties. It is the obligation of the state to have the victim present and they failed to do so," Gryzbowski said.
Warren sternly addressed Thines with his ruling on the objection.
"It's easy to ask for a continuance when your ass is not sitting in jail," Warren told Thines. "Don't you think you owe Mr. Rawlins an apology?"
"I do," Thines replied.
Rawlins' bond had previously been set at $750,000 with a requirement that an ankle bracelet GPS monitoring be worn if bond was posted. Warren promptly reduced the defendant's bond to $100,000 and removed the GPS monitoring device requirement.
The preliminary hearing was rescheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Rawlins was an honor student while attending Lima Senior High School and was listed on the spring "all A" honor roll. He was also a standout athlete, participating in track and field and basketball for the Spartans.
