Florida Rape Suspect Asks For Public Defender After Cross-Examining Alleged Victim
Woman forced to detail alleged rape to man accused of raping her.
Jan. 14, 2011 — -- A rape suspect who is acting as his own lawyer grilled his alleged victim on the details of the sex assault, and then asked the judge for a court appointed lawyer -- who could now call the woman back to the stand and make her relive the ordeal again.
Rape suspect Luis Munuzuri-Harrishad repeatedly rejected suggestions that he use the public defender, but changed his mind after he questioned his accuser.
The woman's name is being withheld because she may be a victim of a sex crime.
Before asking for a lawyer, Harris, 31, infuriated the judge with his tactics as well as accusing the judge of trolling the internet during the trial.
When scolded by Judge Chet Tharpe for inappropriate behavior and improper questions, Harris told the judge, "I'm not a dog you need to bark orders at."
Tharpe has appointed a public defender for the defense, but he is also considering whether to declare a mistrial and start over. A new trial would also require the woman to repeat the details of the alleged attack.
Harris faces felony charges including impersonating a police officer, sexual battery, aggravated assault and forced kidnapping. If convicted, he faces life in prison, according to court records.
The charges stem from a July 2010 night when prosecutors allege Harris drove along Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa impersonating an undercover narcotics officer. He allegedly pulled over the woman now accusing him of rape.
The request for a lawyer comes after days of tense emotions in the Florida courtroom as Harris questioned the woman for more than two hours about the night of the alleged crime and asked her personal questions such as whether she wore underwear.
When Harris asked her, "When this person walks up to your car ... do you get out of your car?" she corrected him, "When you walk up to my vehicle."
At another point, she corrected his question by saying, "I was raped by you. You forced sex upon me."
The woman claims Harris then used her ATM cards to withdraw money at a bank before raping her.
