Testimony Suggests Navy QB Confessed To Rape
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
WASHINGTON – A midshipman who says she was raped by the Naval Academy’s starting quarterback testified yesterday that with her help academy investigators secretly taped an apparent admission of the assault.
The woman, who has not been publicly identified, said that she called Lamar Owens on the phone and an investigator listened as he told her he felt distraught about what he had done and considered killing himself.
“I didn’t do it for that long, you weren’t even awake,” said the midshipman quoting Mr. Owens.
Mr. Owens, a 22-year-old senior from Savannah, Ga., was charged last month under the military code of justice, with raping the female midshipman in her dormitory room on January 29.
The alleged victim testified at the beginning of Mr. Owens’ Article 32 hearing at the Washington Navy Yard. Described by the academy as roughly equivalent to a civilian grand jury proceeding, the hearing will determine if there is sufficient evidence to go ahead with a court-martial, Navy officials said.
Mr. Owens’ lawyer, Steven Wroble, has predicted that his client will be cleared by a military court.
The alleged victim testified the assault occurred after she had been out drinking at an Annapolis bar with friends. She said she was examined for rape on January 31 and reported the attack to criminal investigators on February 6.The taped conversation occurred shortly after.
Under cross-examination, the woman acknowledged she was very drunk on the night of the assault and that her memory of events was spotty. When defense attorney Mr.Wroble asked her if it was possible that she had consented to sex, she answered, “I suppose.”
Later, however, she said, “I wouldn’t define it as consent if I can’t remember it happening.”
Still later, she said, “I don’t believe I would have consented.”
Both Mr. Owens and the woman are attending classes at the academy, but officials say they have taken steps to ensure their paths do not cross.
Owens guided Navy’s football team to an 8-4 season record that included victories over Air Force and Army and a victory in the Poinsettia Bowl over Colorado State.
