Officer Mark McCombs Charged with Rape of Drunk Woman(pic)

[WaTcHeR]

Officer Mark McCombs


A former Parma police officer faces decades in prison if convicted of charges accusing him of raping a drunk and disoriented woman.

Mark McCombs, 44, of Parma, is charged with rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, gross sexual imposition, tampering with evidence and dereliction of duty.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors say McCombs took sexual advantage of the 23-year-old woman in the early-morning hours of April 1 while another officer watched. The city fired McCombs and Patrolman Christopher Dillenbeck on May 26, a little more than two weeks after the victim told police what happened.


Dillenbeck gave a statement implicating McCombs and hasn't been charged, said Assistant County Prosecutor David Zimmerman. The actions that resulted in the charges are inexcusable, the prosecutor added.

"I know police officers are human just like everybody else," said Zimmerman, a retired Beachwood police officer. "But because of the responsibility we entrust them with, we hold them to a higher standard, and that is as it should be."

Police and prosecutors gave this account of what happened on April 1:

Another police officer originally came to the woman's aid as she stumbled along a Parma street, heavily intoxicated and distraught over her boyfriend throwing her out of his home during an argument.

That officer, who hasn't been identified, drove her to one of her friend's home, with McCombs following.

When the other officer dropped her off and drove away, McCombs put the woman in his cruiser, drove her to a secluded area and coaxed her into performing oral sex.

Dillenbeck showed up in another cruiser and watched.

Parma police learned of the incident weeks later, when they were arresting the woman's boyfriend for public drunkenness. He had a friend-of-police card with McCombs' name on it, and told the arresting officers what his girlfriend said McCombs did, Zimmerman said.



http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/05 ... _rape.html

[WaTcHeR]

Mistrial declared in case against former Parma police officer

CLEVELAND -- A mistrial was declared as jury selection began in the trial against a former Parma police officer accused of raping a drunk and disoriented woman.

According to the court, the prosecutor assigned to the case was ill, forcing the judge to declare a mistrial and set a new trial for a later date.

Forty-four-year-old Mark McCombs is charged with
rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, gross sexual imposition, tampering with evidence and dereliction of duty.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors say he's accused of taking sexual advantage of a 23-year-old woman inside his police cruiser in the early morning hours of April 1st.

The prosecution says another officer looked on from a second cruiser.

The city fired McCombs and the other officer on May 26th, about two weeks after the woman told police what happened.

McCombs' lawyer -- Henry Hilow -- says his client denies any criminal wrongdoing.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.a ... ider=gnews

[mommacinthehouse]

I really think everyone should take a look at the big picture here. There is allot that doesn't add up. Specially all the facts that are put in front of everyone in the papers. Were is Dillenback? Why is he getting off Scott free? Think about it folks. I know this person, get off it people this is all politics. He is innocent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would bet my life on it! There are worse things going on here and Parma needs to pass a levy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hum.......... Lets end this now!!!!!

[crawdaddy]

Want to know where dillenbeck is? Look to a small township police department in Medina county, Brunswick Hills. He has a new police job there. wonder if the women of that community would be happy knowing a man with that character is patrolling their streets. Isn't that the same department that the chief caught a dui and kept his job? hhhmmmmm

[WaTcHeR]

Former Parma Ohio Police Officer Only Convicted For Tampering With Evidence After Raping Motorist In His Patrol Car


PARMA, OHIO - A 45-year-old former Parma police officer was acquitted of rape, kidnapping and gross sexual imposition by a Cuyahoga County jury on Friday.

But the jury found Mark McCombs guilty of two counts of tampering with evidence.

McCombs now faces from 10 years in prison to community-controlled sanction, under which he would have to report to a probation officer. Judge Bridget McCafferty will decide his fate during sentencing May 28.

McCombs had been accused of raping a drunk and disoriented 23-year-old woman in his patrol car while he was on duty last April. Prosecutors also accused McCombs of taking nude pictures of the woman standing next to his patrol car. During the rape investigation, McCombs told another Parma officer to take the memory card containing the pictures out of the camera and bring it to him, Assistant County Prosecutor David Zimmerman said.

McCombs later destroyed the diskette, Zimmerman said. The officer who brought him the diskette was not charged because prosecutors said he did not know what McCombs planned to do with it.

During the trial that started Monday, Parma officers testified that McCombs tampered with the evidence by destroying the memory card, Zimmerman said. McCombs did not testify during the trial.

McCombs was fired from the Police Department last May along with Patrolman Christopher Dillenbeck, who was accused of watching McCombs have sex with the woman.

Neither McCombs nor his attorney, Henry Hilow, could be reached for comment Friday night.

http://cleveland.indymedia.org/news/2008/06/30587.php