XPost: alt.politics.kerry, alt.politics.democrat, carleton.general
XPost: mn.general
The brother of platinum-selling rapper Nicki Minaj was convicted
Thursday of repeatedly raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter in
their Long Island home.
The verdict in the trial of Jelani Maraj capped a sordid three-
week Nassau County Court prosecution rife with horrific
testimony from the shaken accuser about the unrelenting abuse.
The jury deliberated over two days before returning its
verdicts. A stoic Maraj showed zero emotion as he was convicted
of predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the
welfare of a child.
He faces 15 years to life in prison on the sexual assault
conviction.
The accuser, now 14, girl testified that Maraj, 38, anally raped
her at one point, slapped her in the face and ordered her to
remain mute about his actions.
Her kid brother testified about accidentally stumbling upon
Maraj as he was sexually assaulting the girl.
Juror Arthur Naclerio, 67, of Massapequa, said listening to
their stories was difficult.
“What (the victim) went through all that time,” he said.
“Thinking that if it was a lie, how could she keep it up that
long at that age?”
He added that it was “not that hard” for the jury of eight men
and four women to reach its verdict.endnu
The defense claimed the child sex abuse charges were a shakedown
by Maraj’s new wife, who allegedly sought $25 million in hush
money.
“Absolute absurdity,” responded Assistant District Attorney Emma
Slane.
Despite much speculation and rumor, Queens native Nicki Minaj
was not called as a witness for her brother. And Jelani Maraj
did not testify in his own defense.
But a prosecution witness testified that semen found on the
accuser’s pajama bottoms was a one-in-291 billion match with
defendant Maraj.
Defense attorney David Schwartz, in his closing argument,
accused Maraj’s now ex-wife of planting the DNA.
“It’s all about money and it’s all about revenge,” he told the
jury.
The first sexual assault occurred in April 2015, just fourth
months before the girl’s mother married Maraj in $30,000
celebration where Minaj picked up the tab, officials charged.
Maraj was arrested Dec. 1, 2015, on charges of predatory
assault, second-degree course of sexual conduct and a
misdemeanor charge of acting in a manner likely to injure a
child.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/nicki-minaj-brother- convicted-raping-stepdaughter-article-1.3622197
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