After deliberating for roughly two days, a Shelby County jury found Cleotha Abston guilty of rape, in an incident dating back to 2021. The three-day trial, which saw jurors sequestered during deliberations, culminated Friday with Abston's conviction on charges of aggravated rape, especially aggravated kidnapping, and unlawful possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, as reported by Action News 5.

The guilty verdict comes ahead of Abston's upcoming trial for the alleged 2022 kidnapping and killing of Memphis school teacher Eliza Fletcher. Despite the weight of these accusations, the physical evidence in the rape trial was scant, and aside from the testimony given by Alicia Franklin, the victim, no witnesses were called to directly testify about the rape, as mentioned in a report by The Commercial Appeal. Abston had opted not to testify during the trial.

Arguments in the case concluded Thursday afternoon when the state asserted that Abston had forced a gun to Franklin's neck, covered her face with a shirt, and raped her in a vehicle parked behind a vacant apartment in Hickory Hill. These events formed the basis of the charges to which the jury delivered guilty verdicts across all accounts. The WREG coverage of the trial highlighted that Judge Lee Coffee affirmed the jury's verdict and ordered Abston to be held without bond pending sentencing.

Abston's defense painted a different picture, claiming the incident was rooted in a dispute over a prostitution transaction. "The victim did admit on camera that she and Mr. Abston had discussed prices," said Juni Ganguli, Cleotha Abston's defense attorney, in a statement obtained by WREG. "She expected to get paid two hundred dollars for having sex with him." Nevertheless, the jury's guilty verdict negated this version of events as they weighed heavily upon Franklin's account.