Jury of 8 women and 1 man finds Pratt guilty of Carnal Knowledge

At two-thirty this afternoon, a jury of eight women and one man emerged from the deliberating room and announced that Bernard Pratt was guilty of four counts of carnal knowledge of an eleven year old girl. In trial Pratt denied that he had sexually abused the student, but the child’s sister testified that she had surprised Pratt in the act two years ago. The child who testified en camera told the court that while she could not remember the exact dates Pratt had abused her, she recalls that the molestation took place between June first and July thirty-first, 2008. The child said that on the first occasion Pratt climbed through a window of her bedroom and waited in the closet until she was in her bed to sexually abuse her.  There were three other times including one when he slept next to her and told her that she should not speak of the matter even if she is beaten.  On the fourth occasion, the child’s sister found him in bed with the young girl. The child also said she was afraid and she did not tell her grandmother until much later. The grandmother told the court that she initially did not believe that Pratt would hurt the young girl, but that she finally reported the matter. In his defense, Pratt told the court that he was nowhere near the home where the child claimed the crime was committed. His ex-girlfriend testified that Pratt was always at her home.  The trial judge will sentence Pratt after hearing his mitigation plea.