Three men have been sentenced to life in prison on Friday for a rape that occurred on Campus Corner in 2022, with the possibility of parole after serving their term. Arkavis Moore, Darius Evans, and Jacob Howard received their sentences following a jury's recommendation in June, as detailed by Cleveland County District Attorney's Office. According to OKC FOX, each was convicted of three counts of first-degree rape and three counts of forcible sodomy.
The sentencing comes as result of an incident on December 7, 2022, in an alley on Campus Corner near the University of Oklahoma campus. The victims' advocate, Assistant District Attorney Merydith Harmon, portrayed the necessity to uphold the autonomy and safety of women in her closing statement in June. "Women should feel comfortable enough to walk alone at night, and enjoy their lives freely," Harmon stated, as reported by OKC FOX. "It is men like these who make it necessary for us to have such rules in our society."
This case was a significant concern for the Cleveland County Assistant District Attorney Merydith Harmon, who addressed the long journey of healing ahead for the victim. "In all the years I've been a sex crimes prosecutor, this is one of the most heinous rapes I have ever seen,” Harmon said in a statement obtained by KOCO.
During the trial, video evidence was critical in establishing the lack of consent and the violent nature of the act. Cleveland County District Judge Michael D. Tupper reflected upon the evidence saying, “The facts and testimony in this case, that video…there was no consent. What Ms. (name withheld) endured was not wanted. This was a deliberate act of violence against a vulnerable person,” according to The Norman Transcript. The court also heard an impact statement from the victim, where she addressed the damage done to her and to the futures of the men standing trial.
District Attorney Greg Mashburn commended the efforts of the Norman Police Department and Detectives Jackson and McGuire in bringing the case to justice, as per OKC FOX.
