Corbin acquitted of sex-related charges

By LISA SIMPSON STRANGE

GLASGOW — A Barren County man on trial for five counts of sexually-related charges involving a minor female was found not guilty on all counts by the jury Thursday afternoon in Barren County Circuit Court.

Jeffrey Douglas Corbin, 37, had been charged first, second and third degree-sodomy, third-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse.

The female, now 16, testified Thursday morning that the alleged abuse began in July 2004 when she was 11 years old and continued until April 2008 when she was 15. She recounted how she told her mother about the abuse after becoming afraid she might be pregnant.

While being questioned by assistant commonwealth’s attorney Traci Peppers, the alleged victim said Corbin began the abuse after she was diagnosed with a case of pin worms in the summer 2004 and that he told her he was checking her for worms. She tearfully recounted on the stand how over the next four years the defendant sodomized her, engaged in oral sex and had sexual intercourse with her on many occasions.

She was able to describe a growth on Corbin’s genitalia, which was then confirmed by photographs presented into evidence by the commonwealth.

Barren County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Wilson testified he executed a search warrant to obtain the photographs of the defendant after Detective Ann Phelps with the Barren County Sheriff’s Office asked him to assist in the investigation.

Phelps testified she, along with a social worker, observed a video interview between the girl and a forensic interviewer at Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center in Bowling Green, on May 21, 2008, after allegations of sexual abuse were raised.

The detective testified she interviewed Corbin on May 22, 2008. The defendant denied the allegations of sexual abuse and told Phelps there would never have been a time when the alleged victim would have seen his genitalia.

The girl testified that Corbin used condoms or, when those weren’t available, Saran or plastic wrap from the kitchen when he had intercourse with her.

Dr. Tara Horn, an obstetrician and gynecologist, testified she examined the 15-year-old on May 29, 2008, and that the girl told her she had been raped. Horn said she observed the presence of human papilloma virus on the alleged victim’s external genitalia.

A pathologist’s report was entered into evidence that stated the test for a sexually-transmitted disease from a sample from the girl was “suggestive of, but not entirely diagnostic of HPV.”

Defense attorney Robert “Buddy” Alexander cross-examined the doctor and asserted that the diagnosis for HPV was not definitive because of the wording of the report. Horn explained that the test was for only two types of HPV out of approximately 100 various strains of the virus. She said as a OB-GYN she saw cases of genital warts all the time and knew how to recognize them.

Peppers asked Horn if an uncircumcised male was more likely to transmit HPV to a partner and the doctor said he was. Another examination of the female earlier this year revealed no physical symptoms of the virus, but Horn said that was not unusual and that many times cases cleared on their own.

Alexander pointed out the presence of a second growth on Corbin’s genitalia from the photographic evidence that the girl did not mention seeing. He asserted this made the alleged victim’s description of Corbin’s genitalia suspect. However, the second growth was in an area not easily seen.

The defense called Corbin’s wife, Mary Jo, to the stand to testify that Corbin was working out of state when the alleged abuse started and that she did not believe he had the opportunity to commit the crimes of which he was accused.

In his closing argument, Alexander used a baseball analogy of rounding third base, heading for home and “he’s sliding in right now” to tell the jury about his client’s innocence and that they should find him not guilty.

The jury went into deliberations after receiving instructions from Judge Phil Patton Thursday afternoon. After just more than an hour’s time, they returned not guilty votes on all five counts.