Fate of Accused Mall Rapist Kevin Thomas in the

Hands of the Jury

October 28, 2008; 11:24AM

FLINT, Michigan -- Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton concluded his closing arguments this morning by playing a 9-1-1 tape of a tearful rape victim as he asked jurors to find Kevin Lee Thomas, 32, guilty on 18 felony counts, including 15 which are punishable by up to life in prison, for assaulting three women and kidnapping and raping two of them during a spree of attacks at local shopping malls in October of last year.

During the course of the 6-day trial, Prosecutor David Leyton and Assistant Prosecutor Tamara Phillips presented a case that Prosecutor Leyton has called "every woman's worst nightmare."

Testimony showed that that the first incident occurred in the parking lot of the Courtland Center shopping mall in Burton on October 22, 2007. In that case, testimony indicated that a female shopper was getting into her car when she was attacked by the defendant and taken in her own vehicle to another location where he raped her numerous times.

Further testimony showed that two days later, another female shopper was leaving the Genesee Valley Center shopping mall when the defendant assaulted her and forced her into her car before she was able to break free and seek help.

Just hours later, the man took the second victim’s car to Courtland Center where he assaulted another female shopper who was getting into her car. As he had done with the first victim, the defendant forced the third victim to drive him to the same location where he also raped her numerous times.

In all, Thomas is charged with eight counts of first degree sexual conduct, each carrying a possible sentence of life imprisonment; three counts of carjacking, which is also a life felony; three counts of kidnapping, each a life felony; one count of armed robbery, a life felony; two counts of unarmed robbery, a 15-year felony; and one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, a 10-year felony.

Judge Judith Fullerton has read the jury instructions and the case is now in the hands of the jurors.

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