http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/09/BAGU3JBEIR1.DTL
SAN FRANCISCO
Arrest in Mission District rape of nun
Suspect drove her car to police station, saying he wanted to return it to owner
Jaxon Van Derbeken, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, June 9, 2006
A San Francisco man kidnapped a Roman Catholic nun while she was driving in the Mission District, held her for eight hours and sexually assaulted her before letting her go at 5 a.m., police said Thursday.
Leroy Racklin, 31, turned up at the Mission District police station Wednesday afternoon, hours after the alleged attack. Police say he was driving the 50-year-old nun's car and told officers he was simply trying to return it to its owner.
Racklin, who police said frequents the Mission District, was charged Thursday with several crimes, including two counts of rape, one count of assault with great bodily injury as well as charges of kidnapping, carjacking and crack cocaine possession.
In a jailhouse interview, Racklin denied the allegations and said he had simply borrowed the woman's car. He said he hadn't known she was a nun.
Racklin has served time in state prison for trying to burn down a building where his girlfriend was staying, authorities said. San Francisco police arrested him two weeks ago for failing to register as an arsonist, a crime punishable by 90 days in jail, investigators said.
On Monday, however, a judge released Racklin, police said; prosecutors said he was put on misdemeanor probation. It was not immediately known who the judge was or why Racklin was freed before serving the full 90 days.
It all began about 9 p.m. Tuesday when, police said, Racklin approached the nun as she sat in her Honda Civic in the Mission District. Police and prosecutors released few details about what followed. They say she was forced to an undisclosed location, where she was sexually assaulted.
Racklin allegedly kept the woman captive for eight hours before releasing her. She was treated at an undisclosed hospital.
After noon Wednesday, Racklin parked the car near Mission station and went inside, telling officers he wanted to contact the woman about returning the vehicle.
In an interview Thursday, Racklin identified himself as the brother of a man who was shot to death Tuesday in Visitacion Valley, 24-year-old Maurice McKinney. He said he had met the woman in the Mission District that evening and persuaded her to drive him to San Francisco General Hospital, where McKinney was taken after being shot.
Police said they did not know whether Racklin is in fact McKinney's brother.
Racklin said the woman told him she had been robbed earlier Tuesday night. After taking him to the hospital, he said, she agreed to stay with his family there and lend him her car.
When he returned to the hospital, he said, she was gone.
"Everybody at the hospital saw me with this lady,'' he said.
"I don't rape females; I sure as hell don't carjack them,'' Racklin said. He said he would submit his DNA for testing.
Debbie Mesloh, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Kamala Harris, said of Racklin's account, "Defendants say a lot of things. The truth will come out in court. We look forward to prosecuting the case to the fullest.''
SAN FRANCISCO
Arrest in Mission District rape of nun
Suspect drove her car to police station, saying he wanted to return it to owner
Jaxon Van Derbeken, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, June 9, 2006
A San Francisco man kidnapped a Roman Catholic nun while she was driving in the Mission District, held her for eight hours and sexually assaulted her before letting her go at 5 a.m., police said Thursday.
Leroy Racklin, 31, turned up at the Mission District police station Wednesday afternoon, hours after the alleged attack. Police say he was driving the 50-year-old nun's car and told officers he was simply trying to return it to its owner.
Racklin, who police said frequents the Mission District, was charged Thursday with several crimes, including two counts of rape, one count of assault with great bodily injury as well as charges of kidnapping, carjacking and crack cocaine possession.
In a jailhouse interview, Racklin denied the allegations and said he had simply borrowed the woman's car. He said he hadn't known she was a nun.
Racklin has served time in state prison for trying to burn down a building where his girlfriend was staying, authorities said. San Francisco police arrested him two weeks ago for failing to register as an arsonist, a crime punishable by 90 days in jail, investigators said.
On Monday, however, a judge released Racklin, police said; prosecutors said he was put on misdemeanor probation. It was not immediately known who the judge was or why Racklin was freed before serving the full 90 days.
It all began about 9 p.m. Tuesday when, police said, Racklin approached the nun as she sat in her Honda Civic in the Mission District. Police and prosecutors released few details about what followed. They say she was forced to an undisclosed location, where she was sexually assaulted.
Racklin allegedly kept the woman captive for eight hours before releasing her. She was treated at an undisclosed hospital.
After noon Wednesday, Racklin parked the car near Mission station and went inside, telling officers he wanted to contact the woman about returning the vehicle.
In an interview Thursday, Racklin identified himself as the brother of a man who was shot to death Tuesday in Visitacion Valley, 24-year-old Maurice McKinney. He said he had met the woman in the Mission District that evening and persuaded her to drive him to San Francisco General Hospital, where McKinney was taken after being shot.
Police said they did not know whether Racklin is in fact McKinney's brother.
Racklin said the woman told him she had been robbed earlier Tuesday night. After taking him to the hospital, he said, she agreed to stay with his family there and lend him her car.
When he returned to the hospital, he said, she was gone.
"Everybody at the hospital saw me with this lady,'' he said.
"I don't rape females; I sure as hell don't carjack them,'' Racklin said. He said he would submit his DNA for testing.
Debbie Mesloh, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Kamala Harris, said of Racklin's account, "Defendants say a lot of things. The truth will come out in court. We look forward to prosecuting the case to the fullest.''
