Miss-Delectable
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Judge binds rape case over to grand jury
It took two sign language interpreters and nearly an hour of testimony before a judge decided to send a rape case involving two people who are deaf to a grand jury for consideration.
Robert Newbraugh, 56, of Moraine, is accused of raping a 62-year-old woman in Middletown. His preliminary hearing on the charges was held Wednesday in Middletown Municipal Court.
A sign language interpreter was used to translate testimony by the woman and a defense witness, and another to interpret for Newbraugh. At one point, the interpreters had to switch places when the woman became frustrated that she was not being understood.
Despite the issues, the woman told the court through the interpreter that she was afraid for her life Nov. 10 when Newbraugh allegedly pushed her into her bedroom and told her to have sex with him.
He did not remove her clothes, but the woman said after the alleged rape Newbraugh told her if she told the police he would kill her. That’s also why she said she did not report the incident until Nov. 18.
“I was scared to death,” she signed to an interpreter.
Newbraugh kept his eyes focused on his own interpreter during her testimony. Occasionally, he shook his head ‘no’ but otherwise sat still and straight-faced.
A witness for the defense, Phyllis Otterbein, who also is deaf, testified
Newbraugh lived with her during the time of the alleged rape. She said she witnessed a video phone call sometime in November when the woman reportedly told Newbraugh not to tell Otterbein they’d had sex.
When questioned by Prosecutor Carrie Carpenter about when this call took place, Otterbein said she wasn’t sure if it was before or after Nov. 10 when the alleged rape occurred.
Several people in the audience, most of whom were deaf and signing to one another, sat in the audience to support the woman, including Newbraugh’s daughter Heather Belcher. She said her father admitted to committing the rape.
“I hope he gets jail time. He needs to be taught a lesson,” Belcher said. “We are all here for (the alleged victim).”
Judge Mark Wall bound the case over to a Butler County grand jury. Newbraugh’s bond remains $100,000.
It took two sign language interpreters and nearly an hour of testimony before a judge decided to send a rape case involving two people who are deaf to a grand jury for consideration.
Robert Newbraugh, 56, of Moraine, is accused of raping a 62-year-old woman in Middletown. His preliminary hearing on the charges was held Wednesday in Middletown Municipal Court.
A sign language interpreter was used to translate testimony by the woman and a defense witness, and another to interpret for Newbraugh. At one point, the interpreters had to switch places when the woman became frustrated that she was not being understood.
Despite the issues, the woman told the court through the interpreter that she was afraid for her life Nov. 10 when Newbraugh allegedly pushed her into her bedroom and told her to have sex with him.
He did not remove her clothes, but the woman said after the alleged rape Newbraugh told her if she told the police he would kill her. That’s also why she said she did not report the incident until Nov. 18.
“I was scared to death,” she signed to an interpreter.
Newbraugh kept his eyes focused on his own interpreter during her testimony. Occasionally, he shook his head ‘no’ but otherwise sat still and straight-faced.
A witness for the defense, Phyllis Otterbein, who also is deaf, testified
Newbraugh lived with her during the time of the alleged rape. She said she witnessed a video phone call sometime in November when the woman reportedly told Newbraugh not to tell Otterbein they’d had sex.
When questioned by Prosecutor Carrie Carpenter about when this call took place, Otterbein said she wasn’t sure if it was before or after Nov. 10 when the alleged rape occurred.
Several people in the audience, most of whom were deaf and signing to one another, sat in the audience to support the woman, including Newbraugh’s daughter Heather Belcher. She said her father admitted to committing the rape.
“I hope he gets jail time. He needs to be taught a lesson,” Belcher said. “We are all here for (the alleged victim).”
Judge Mark Wall bound the case over to a Butler County grand jury. Newbraugh’s bond remains $100,000.
