PALESTINE —
The 12th Court of Appeals in Tyler has affirmed a life sentence assessed against a 32-year-old Palestine man who was convicted last year of raping and kidnapping a local woman in September 2009.
Dustin Matthew Huffman, 32, of Palestine was sentenced to life in prison by an eight-woman, four-man jury at the Anderson County Courthouse on March 30, 2011 at the conclusion of his trial.
Huffman’s punishment sentence came one day after the same jury had found him guilty of the felony offenses of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping.
Huffman was one of five Anderson County men charged with gang raping a 27-year-old local woman near Pat Morris Lake off of CR 2202 on Sept. 7, 2009.
Anderson County sheriff’s authorities have said they were contacted during the wee morning hours of Sept. 7, 2009 by a woman who reported she had been sexually assaulted by multiple males, adding that one of them attempted to run her over with a vehicle following the attack.
The woman also told authorities that the men attempted to give her a “hot shot” of narcotics against her will during the course of the assault.
Following the attack, authorities said the woman was able to escape on foot, running with only one shoe to a nearby residence.
Scott Holden and Elizabeth Watkins represented the state during the trial, while the defendant was represented by local defense attorney Scott Nicholson.
Following the trial, Watkins pointed out that the victim in the case was “an imperfect victim,” with testimony showing she had a drug abuse problem.
“Over and over again, juries in Anderson County have shown us that justice is blind,” Watkins said at the time. “Here in Anderson County, no matter who the victim, if you do something wrong, you will be held accountable.”
369th State District Judge Bascom W. Bentley III presided over last year’s trial.
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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com
Local News
Appeals court affirms man's life sentence
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