Mother of jailed rape victim wants an apology from district attorney
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- "Not once has Devon Anderson apologized or even accepted the fact that her office was responsible for this horrific act towards Jenny, as well as not supporting progressive moves to help the system so this doesn't happen again," the mother of the rape victim who was held for 27 days in a Harris County jail said.
It's the rape case at the center of one of the most heated district attorney's races Houston has ever seen.
She wants to make it clear: she stands behind her story and says she still believes the district attorney and her prosecutor dropped the ball.
The father of the rape victim, however, said he thought the DA's office did the best they could.
But the mother of the victim known as "Jenny" has another version to tell.
If you don't know the back story, chances are, you've at least seen the TV ad run by Kim Ogg's campaign that references what happened to Jenny during the trial of the man who raped her.
She had been called to testify, but broke down on the stand and had to be taken to a hospital for psychiatric treatment where she stayed for 10 days.
Following that, to make sure Jenny would show up to testify again, she was placed for holding in Harris County Jail.
"They conveniently for them put her in jail, saying that I refused to take her," her mom says. "I never would refuse to take my child ever."
Jenny was supposed to go to the jail's mental health facility per the prosecutor's instructions, but somehow ended up in general population.
RELATED: Father of jailed rape victim supports prosecutor's actions
"She was hit by inmates. She had a black eye by one inmate," the mother said.
Last week, the prosecutor in Jenny's rape case, Nicholas Socias, said Jenny going to jail was partially her mom's doing. He claimed she kicked Jenny out of the house, and that she left her in jail by choice. Jenny's mom says that's absolutely not true.
"I pretty much thought they were going to do the right thing and put her in the Harris County psychiatric center, where they promised me she'd be," says her mother.
Despite those promises to put her in the mental health unit, Jenny stayed in general population for 27 days. Socias says he called and emailed many times to find out why, but he never called his boss, District Attorney Devon Anderson.
Jenny's mom told ABC13, after hearing her ex-husband defend the DA on Eyewitness News, she wanted to speak out.
ABC13 has repeatedly tried to get Anderson on-camera, but she has declined.
Anderson did say in a statement: "I am greatly sorry that Jenny ever found herself in any of these situations...I will not apologize for the efforts my office put into seeking justice on her behalf..."
"This isn't just about politics and a contested election. This is about helping the mentally ill people and that's what I want to get from this," says Jenny's mom.
Here's more from Devon Anderson's statement:
"Once again I stand by the trial prosecutor who made the best decision he could to protect the victim in this case and to ensure public safety. Because my opponent has broadcast so much misinformation about this situation, I felt it necessary to address the facts in a video on my campaign Facebook page."
"Regarding Jenny's father coming forward and the press conference held by Rusty Hardin and the ADA, I will just say, thanks. I appreciate their attempts to show the efforts by our office to assist Jenny and to seek justice."
"Not only was Jenny's mental state addressed in the paperwork when she entered custody, as indicated by her coming from a psych hospital but the prosecutor notified 4 different mental health affiliated, jail employees (by phone AND email) of her situation on the 26th, 27th,and 28th of December."
final question: I am greatly sorry that Jenny ever found herself in any of these situations, just like I am for all victims of crime. I will not apologize for the efforts my office put into seeking justice on her behalf because I believe they did the best they could under extremely difficult circumstances.
