Former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain
Closing arguments are Monday in the child rape trial of former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain. Five male accusers took the stand, leveling graphic charges of sexual assault against him while they were children.
“Those sort of allegations are very difficult to hear about and reject,” said Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino.
Strain did not take the stand in his defense and if convicted could face life in prison.
Ciolino suspects the defense will counter in their closing arguments that the allegations against Strain are not to be taken for granted.
“Confabulated testimony that perhaps is the result of false memories or perhaps even outright lies for an ulterior purpose,” said Ciolino.
Ciolino says it’ll be difficult for the jury to diminish the damning testimony against Strain since it has come from five accusers and not just one or two.
“That sort of testimony just compounds and it becomes difficult for jurors to reject it once they hear the same things over and over again,” said Strain.
Ciolino can’t predict how long it’ll take the jury to reach a verdict, but that the panel is being sequestered and was told by the judge to bring extra clothing as they work to determine Strain’s fate.
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