Lawyer: No plea offers for man accused of raping, imprisoning woman during crack-fueled attack
The Ypsilanti Township man accused of imprisoning and raping a woman during a drug-fueled rage on a morning in May will not be getting a plea agreement.
David Neal
Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office
David Neal, 39, instructed his attorney, Washtenaw County Assistant Public Defender Stephen Adams, to pursue a plea deal with Washtenaw County prosecutors one week before his scheduled trial date on Sept. 17. In court on Monday, Adams informed Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Melinda Morris prosecutors have declined to offer any kind of deal.
“The prosecution has informed me there will be no offers in this case,” Adams said.
The incident occurred during the morning of May 17, when the woman met Neal at a home in the 1300 block of Nash Avenue in Ypsilanti Township. She testified in June the two of them bought crack cocaine before returning to the home, where the they allegedly got high together.
Neal is accused of raping the woman at knifepoint, threatening to kill her if she moved, before taping her hands together and choking her. It’s alleged Neal later imprisoned the woman in the trunk of a car, where she escaped by chewing through the duct tape on her hands, according to testimony at the June preliminary exam.
Neal faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count each of assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful imprisonment and interfering with the report of a crime. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
Prosecutors alleged at a hearing in August that Neal confessed to tying the woman up during a phone call at the Washtenaw County Jail.
After being told there would be no plea offers in the case, Morris scheduled a new trial date. Neal is now scheduled to face trial at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 13.
Neal is being held in the Washtenaw County Jail without bond. He has one previous conviction for attempted receiving and concealing of a stolen motor vehicle in January, according to state records.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
shepard145
Wed, Sep 26, 2012 : 1:28 a.m.
This story says noting about his profession but it's safe to say that after his arrest, he is likely on administrative leave. ..at least. When convicted, he will surely face unemployment and there are not many jobs out there where rape and kidnapping will not raise a few eyebrows. He is made a major mistake taking the narcotics that fueled him and committing this crime. Chances are, his income potential has taken a major it in an already bad economy.
Lovaduck
Tue, Sep 25, 2012 : 9:14 p.m.
What a ghastly horrible culture out of which this sprang!
jim
Tue, Sep 25, 2012 : 2:14 p.m.
Even if he's found guilty on all counts, he'll probably only get a year in the county jail and probation. Look who's on the bench.
squidlover
Tue, Sep 25, 2012 : 11:03 a.m.
Should be a no-brainer, but the criminal justice system has let us down many times before.
jns131
Tue, Sep 25, 2012 : 5:49 p.m.
It is the judge on the bench that lets us down. Not the attorneys. They do their job. The letter of the law is doing its job. From what I see? The judges are corrupt. IMO
Ricebrnr
Tue, Sep 25, 2012 : 10:50 a.m.
Sounds like the prosecutors are holding up their end. We can only hope Judge Morris will as well.