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Jury trial begins for 2 in rape case
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Posted on Dec 11 2020
The trial of two men who were allegedly part of a group of four who raped a woman began Wednesday at the CNMI Superior Court with the selection of a jury
The jury selection in the case against Richmond Ray Keybond and Joseph Aquino Saimon continued yesterday at 8:30am before Superior Court Associate Judge Theresa Kim-Tenorio.
Only two of the four men are standing trial because one of the defendants, Christopher Aquino Saimon, was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and the other, Romeo Aquino Saimon, passed away in 2019.
The four men were accused of raping a drunk woman in 2018.
According to court documents, the alleged victim, a 31-year-old woman, reported that on June 24, 2018, she was drinking with Romeo Saimon and Christopher Saimon, and Keybond because she had an argument with her former boyfriend, Joseph Saimon.
The victim reported that she was drunk and that the next thing she remembers was she was in the bedroom and Romeo Saimon was on top of her.
She said she passed out and later saw Keybond on top of her. She said she also saw Christopher Aquino on top of her and that she passed out. Romeo Aquino and Keybond allegedly sexually assaulted her twice.
She told police that she did not consent to have sex with the three suspects.
According to Keybond, he had been drinking with the woman and that she had an argument with Joseph Saimon.
Keybond said his father, Romeo Saimon, took the alleged victim into her room because she was too drunk and vomited on herself.
Keybond said his father, Romeo, took a while to come back and when he opened the door he saw him on top of her.
He said his father told him to close the door and leave. He said she appeared to be asleep.
Keybond said he left the room, but later went back and had sex with her.
