Jurors Hear Voyeur Case

Man accused of recording dozens in dorm showers

— Jurors will decide today the fate of a former University of Arkansas student accused of video recording dozens of men while they showered in dorm bathrooms.

Leiabrently Washington, 21, has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of video voyeurism. Each count is a class D felony punishable by up to six years in prison.

Jurors heard testimony from police, victims and Washington during the trial Thursday.

“This case is about the defendant, Leiabrently Washington, disregarding the privacy and dignity of his victims,” Brian Lamb, deputy prosecuting attorney, said in his opening statements.

Washington’s attorney, James Miller, made no opening statement and asked few questions of witnesses during cross-examination.

Prosecutors believe Washington began using his cell phone to record video of men showering or toweling off as early as August 2008, but nothing seemed amiss until December 2009 when a man in Pomfret Hall’s B-wing spotted a hand holding a cell phone under the stall while he showered.

“I cursed and the hand retreated pretty quickly into the next stall,” Pete Rain told jurors. “I heard footsteps, and I grabbed my towel and ran into the hall.”

Rain was unable to catch the fleeing man, but alerted authorities in the dorm. They reviewed hallway cameras and identified Washington to police.

Officer Logan Crane of the university’s Police Department said Washington denied involvement and allowed Crane to look at his cell phone.

“He kept saying there were problems with his phone and his screen wasn’t working and he needed to reset the phone,” Crane said.

There were no photos or videos in the phone’s media section, but having previously owned the same kind of phone, Crane checked the file explorer where he found a file named “Pomfret” and sub-files for the B- and C-wings, as well as floor numbers.

It was then he discovered the first video of a man in the shower.

Washington was then handcuffed and began to cry, he said.

Along with the cell phone, police seized Washington’s laptop computer, two thumb drives and 14 memory cards.

Police reported finding more than 750 pictures and 200 videos of men in the shower or in other areas of the dorm, clothed, but unaware they were being recorded.

Under state law, someone commits video voyeurism if they tape someone without their consent in an area where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, whether they are wearing clothes or not.

About 40 men appeared in the recordings, said Detective Vance Rice of the university police. Police were able to identify 28 of them, and interview 21.

Some files included the name of the person recorded. Others were identified by other terms such as “scruffy guy” or “Canada,” for a man with a maple leaf tattoo.

Washington stared straight ahead, away from the projector screen, as prosecutors played almost an hour of video. Later, when he took the stand, Washington acknowledged shooting the videos shown.

Jurors showed little reaction as tape after tape was played, including one showing Washington’s roommate during the fall 2009 semester.

“I didn’t really look, but I know what’s on there,” Washington said after the prosecutor asked him about the videos shown to the jury.

Only Washington testified in his defense. He took the stand for about 10 minutes, telling jurors he was confused about his sexuality when he came to college and began taping other students out of curiosity.

“This spun out of my curiosity,” he said. “This spun out of control.”

He said he felt “sorry” about what he did and never intended to harm anyone or publish the pictures and videos online. The university eventually expelled him and, he said he has since twice attempted suicide.

“That’s not what I went to college for, and this last year after being kicked out of college has been a nightmare,” Washington said.

Each side will make closing arguments this morning, with the case going to the jury afterward.

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