News
2007-03-30
Jail shower
reveals suspect's gender
A statutory rape
case against a 42-year-old charged as a man took on a
different look after a jail shower revealed the defendant is
act
A statutory rape
case against a 42-year-old charged as a man took on a
different look after a jail shower revealed the defendant is
actually a woman.The female victim and several
prisoners at the Hamilton County, Tenn., jail
were among those surprised to discover that the person
booked in the case as Alexander David Cross is a woman also
known as Elaine Ann Cross.
Cross had been in
jail awaiting a court appearance Wednesday, where she
pleaded guilty to an aggravated statutory rape charge as
part of a deal with prosecutors. The charge stems from
a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl. In
exchange for the plea, Cross will not serve jail time
if she stays out of trouble for six years.
Officials said
her gender was revealed when jail authorities directed
Cross to take a shower. ''After about 10 days in jail, they
figure out Alex Cross is a female,'' Asst. Dist. Atty.
Boyd Patterson said in court. Patterson didn't
immediately return a call Thursday seeking more
information about the case.
The charges
indicate Cross and the teenager had some sort of sexual
contact at least three times during June and July 2006.
Patterson said the teen was ''enamored'' of Cross and
had considered marriage when she thought Cross was a
man. As part of the plea agreement, Cross must
register as a convicted sex offender, have no contact with
the teen, and change her gender designation on her
driver's license to female. Cross couldn't immediately
be located for comment Thursday. (AP)
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