Arrest made in Culver City bus rape
A suspect was arrested in a shocking November 7th rape case in which a mentally disabled woman was sexually assaulted in a moving Culver City bus. 20-year-old Kerry Trotter is in custody after extensive media coverage and a tip led to his next-day arrest at a Los Angeles residence.
Kerry Trotter
According to the 18-year-old victim, who has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old, she and Trotter boarded a Metro bus traveling the La Cienega Expo Bus Line at the same time at La Cienega Boulevard and Jefferson Boulevard. Trotter followed the victim to the back of bus where she sat down and subsequently, without provocation, stood and faced her while positioning himself between her legs and sexually assaulted her.
According to the original LASD press release, an unidentified witness, who was the only other person on the bus, tried to alert the bus driver about the rape that was occurring. But nothing was done even as Trotter exited the bus ten minutes later at the last stop before the turnaround on Sepulveda Boulevard and Slauson Avenue. Afterwards, the victim herself reported the rape to the bus driver.
At 11:15 PM on November 8th, a tip came into the South Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station regarding Trotter’s location. Detectives located and arrested Trotter at a residence in the 1400 block of West 99th Street in Los Angeles.
Trotter was transported to the South Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station where detectives from the Special Victim’s Bureau positively identified him. A suspect interview and search of Trotter’s hideout followed, providing additional evidence to support the victim’s allegations. Upon his arrest, police learned that Trotter had an extensive criminal history.
Trotter was booked for rape at the South Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station, where his bail is set at $1 million.
Video images of Trotter on the bus where he assaulted the disabled woman
According to L.A. Weekly, Metro director of public relations Marc Littman disputed the LASD’s interpretation of the rape’s sequence of events. Littman reviewed security camera several times and didn’t see the alleged witness attempting to notify the driver of the unfolding rape.
Littman also said that Trotter and the victim may have appeared to have been “together” to others on board because they entered at the same time and there was no discernible evidence that a violent act was taking place. A high ranking LASD official was brought in to review the footage and agreed with Littman’s conclusion, causing the LASD to back away from their original claim.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, LASD Sgt. Dan Scott said that it “seemed reasonable” that no one on the bus seemed aware of the rape transpiring while authorities are now saying that the driver “acted responsibly and reasonably for what he knew.”
As for why the victim didn’t scream or cry out while being raped, Sgt. Scott offered this explanation: “The victim told our detective that she was shocked, and didn’t know what to do, and was in fear of her safety and her life.”
Anyone with information concerning the suspect or unknown witness are urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Special Victims Bureau toll free at (866) 247-LASD (5877). If you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
Read More:
LA Weekly: Kerry Trotter: Bus Rape Of Teen In Culver City Sees Suspect’s Arrest
Culver City Patch: Suspect Identified in Rape of Disabled Teen on Metro Bus in Culver City
