Defendant at rape trial says relationship with girl ‘flirty’

The defense argues the two teenagers, then 18 and 15, had consensual sexual contact.

State officials say New Hampshire will have to close state parks for the rest of the year if it does not receive $1.1 million in emergency funding. He turned the testing over to a DNA expert.

Zaganjori asked if testing for saliva was done and Swango, after checking McMahon’s notes, said no such testing was done.

The defendant, Owen Labrie, 19, who is accused of raping a 15-year-old student at the school, is expected to testify, along with an unknown number of witnesses. He said some freshmen feel a sense of pride over losing their virginity to a senior, Curtin told the jury.

Testimonies from Labrie’s friends and the DNA found on her underwear are further indications that, despite what the defense has maintained, Labrie did have sex with the accuser.

But on the fifth day of the high-profile trial, the defense team’s stubborn insistence that Labrie didn’t have sex with the now 16-year-old girl appears to have weakened his case. However, Labrie told the detective he abruptly left the girl after a moment of “divine inspiration”.

Former St. Paul’s School student Owen Labrie holds his arms over… She said that during the interview, Labrie often mentioned his accomplishments in school, later sent her his college admission essay and at one point asked, “Do you know anything about me?”

“He was arrogant”, Curtin said.

But Curtin said she told Labrie he wasn’t in custody and could leave at any time.

Last week, Labrie’s accuser testified that she twice told him “no” during their encounter and that she felt “frozen” when he became aggressive. He told police they went back inside because it was soggy and damp. He also said he cautioned Labrie against having sex with the girl because she was younger but Labrie later made a comment suggesting he did.

Labrie acknowledged the tradition during his interview with police, though he said his encounter was not an instance of the senior salute. When they kissed, she did not object, she testified.

His friends testified Monday that the two were barely acquainted, just saying “hi” in passing.

Labrie, of Tunbridge, Vt., is charged with three felonies, each carrying a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Tuesday, the judge in the case dropped one of the two misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of a child, leaving nine charges remaining in all against Labrie.