A Pulaski County circuit judge cut the bail Wednesday of a Little Rock man accused of rape from $500,000 to $35,000, predicting that prosecutors will have a difficult time proving a key allegation against the 28-year-old defendant.
Corey Demetreus Kidd was already facing accusations he molested two other teenagers before he was arrested in November on charges of raping and molesting his latest accuser, a 17-year-old boy.
That teen complained to police that between December 2010, when he was 13, and last September, when he went to authorities, Kidd had regularly abused him, detective John Trent told Judge Leon Johnson at Wednesday's bail hearing.
The boy said he had been a frequent overnight visitor at Kidd's Marshall Street home and that he and Kidd regularly shared a bed, Trent testified.
The teen looked up to Kidd and considered the man, who regularly took him out to eat and helped him with his schoolwork, a mentor, Trent said. He said the boy went along when Kidd wanted to fondle him in a series of sexual encounters that culminated in sodomy in September, the detective told the judge.
Twice questioned by police, Kidd admitted to sexual contact with the teen, Trent testified, saying saying Kidd was charged with rape and second-degree sexual assault under a provision of a statute involving "guardians" who have sex with children. The charges together carry a potential life sentence.
But defense attorney Lou Marczuk disputed that Kidd fit the legal definition of a guardian, noting that the boy has a legally appointed guardian who is not Kidd.
Trent agreed with Marczuk that Kidd has no legal obligation to provide food, care or clothing for the teen, and that the boy had always been able to freely visit Kidd's home.
The detective acknowledged that Kidd had denied any kind of significant relationship with the boy, telling the judge that to accuse Kidd of molesting the boy while in a guardianship role was based on his interpretation of the teen's description of his relationship with Kidd.
Marczuk requested reduced bail for his client, arguing that prosecutors will have a hard time proving the relationship between the teen and Kidd.
"I don't find a strong likelihood of success" getting a conviction, the judge said, saying that determining the strength of the prosecution's case is part of the analysis he's required to make to assess bail for a defendant.
The judge also noted Marczuk's argument that in the three years that Kidd has been awaiting trial since his October 2011 arrest, the defendant has shown up for each of his 17 court appearances.
The judge rebuffed a request from deputy prosecutor Robbie Jones to impose a high bail.
Jones said Kidd should have a high bail because the defendant has admitted to police that he's been having sexual contact with a teenager while he's been awaiting trial on two counts of second-degree sexual assault, based on accusations he molested two other men in 2008 when they were teens and Kidd was 21.
Jones said he planned for all three of Kidd's accusers to testify against the defendant at his trial, which is scheduled for June.
Metro on 01/15/2015