Update: David Clinton Campos, 36, was found not guilt of indecent liberties with forcible compulsion and unlawful imprisonment in November 2016.
David Clinton Campos, 36, was charged with indecent liberties with forcible compulsion and unlawful imprisonment
The attorney for a local landlord on trial for allegedly making unwanted sexual contact with a client while showing her a vacant unit argued that this is a case of “he-said, she-said” and that it was a consensual encounter.
Vancouver attorney Beau Harlan told the jury during opening statements Monday afternoon that his client David Clinton Campos did not force the woman to do anything. Much of her story, he said, is inconsistent with the evidence, which includes video surveillance of her walking out of the apartment complex with Campos after the alleged attack.
Campos, 36, of Vancouver is facing one count each of indecent liberties with forcible compulsion and unlawful imprisonment in Clark County Superior Court stemming from the Aug. 7, 2015 incident. Campos was alone with the woman in the apartment at 305 W. McLoughlin Blvd. in Vancouver when he allegedly made the unwanted sexual contact with her.
Harlan said that the 41-year-old woman Campos was with changed her story several times during interviews and that her story didn’t match up with what was seen in the video surveillance.
The neighboring tenants also didn’t hear anything, Harlan said, despite the woman reportedly yelling “no” and “stop!”
Deputy Prosecutor Aaron Bartlett said Campos forced himself on the woman and tried to remove her clothes. He ignored her protests and efforts to push him off of her and then exposed himself and forced her to touch him, Bartlett said.
He said the woman was crying and hysterical when she called a friend afterward and told her what had happened. Friends and family urged her to report it, he said, which she did later that night. Bartlett added that DNA found on the woman’s pants was a match to Campos and that he later admitted to the unwanted contact.
Campos also tried to bribe the woman with $20,000 to $30,000 so she wouldn’t pursue charges, Bartlett said.
“He didn’t pay her a dime because he didn’t do anything,” Harlan argued. “The evidence will show what she’s saying isn’t true.”
The woman, who testified Monday, said she felt “creeped out” by Campos’ conduct, particularly because he was someone she was acquainted with.
“I was completely in shock,” she told the jury. “It was really scary. I knew I needed to get out of there.”
Campos’ trial continues today.
