The Selma Times-Journal

Even as his victim sobbed on the witness stand, Earl Goldsby stared ahead stoically.

“I never did anything to you Earl,” she said between sobs. “Why did you do me like that? Why? Why Earl?”

Goldsby pleaded guilty to the September 2003 rape and was sentenced to 10 years.

According to Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lynch, Goldsby raped the woman because he believed she had stolen his drugs.

Once released Goldsby -who has already been in jail nearly two years – will have five years of probation and will be required to register as a sex offender.

“We came really close to trying this case,” said District Attorney Michael Jackson. “We had struck the jury and the defendant decided it was time for him to plead guilty.”

That the two were allegedly doing drugs at the time of the rape didn’t impede the District Attorney’s office from pursuing

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a conviction,

“Just because of where she was and just because of what she was doing – does not make her right to say no any less valuable than anyone else’s,” Lynch said. “It doesn’t matter where a sexual assault occurs.”

Lynch, who comforted the victim throughout the proceedings, said that Goldsby seemed to have no remorse for his act.

“She (the victim) is not a throw-a-way person,” she said.

Jackson added that the law protects everyone.

“Even victims who might have some problems – still have rights,” Jackson said. “We’re going to protect everyone in this community because no one deserves to be raped.”