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Posted on Mon, Jun 3, 2013 : 5:24 p.m.

Man convicted of raping prostitute to spend up to 90 years in prison

By Kyle Feldscher

The man convicted of raping, slashing and beating a prostitute in a March 2009 attack will serve up to 90 years in prison but plans to appeal his conviction.

Anthony_Chandler.jpg

Anthony Chandler

Courtesy of WCSO

A jury found Anthony Chandler, 41, guilty on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, assault with intent to do great bodily harm and assault with a dangerous weapon last month. On Monday, Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Darlene O’Brien ruled Chandler will be spending most of his life in prison.

On the criminal sexual conduct charge, O’Brien sentenced Chandler to between 40 and 90 years in prison. On the assault with intent to do great bodily harm charge, he was given between 40 and 60 years in prison. He’ll serve between 10 and 15 years on the assault with a dangerous weapon charge.

Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Robyn Liddell said Chandler deserved whatever sentence O’Brien gave him. Liddell said she knows Chandler is a man of faith, but should only expect mercy in the afterlife.

“I hope that God has mercy on his soul, but this court should show him no mercy,” she said.

On March 29, 2009, a now-44-year-old woman was grabbed while she stood near a baseball field on South Harris Street in Ypsilanti Township. The woman said she was dragged at knifepoint to nearby woods where Chandler raped her on a mattress. At one point, Chandler slashed the woman’s hand with a knife while she was trying to defend herself.

Chandler and the woman had previous contact, said David I. Goldstein, Chandler’s attorney. This is contrary to the woman and Chandler’s initial statements to police.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies called to the scene of the assault interrupted the incident. The suspect fled and the woman emerged, bloodied and beaten, from the woods. The investigation stalled after the incident.

"She's going to have a lifelong physical ailment as a result (of this crime)," O'Brien said.

Three years later, DNA evidence found from semen on the woman’s coat and on a glove found in the snow near the scene pointed investigators toward Chandler. He was previously convicted of stealing a vehicle and his DNA was on file with the state.

Investigators interviewed the woman again after the DNA evidence made Chandler a suspect. The woman identified Chandler in a lineup and a warrant was issued for his arrest on July 10. He was arrested during a traffic stop on Aug. 2.

Appearing in court Monday, dressed in a green Washtenaw County Jail uniform and with his hair pulled back into cornrows, Chandler declined to say anything in his defense before O’Brien. Goldstein said Chandler plans to appeal the conviction.

“My client maintains his innocence,” Goldstein said.

The victim in the case submitted a written impact statement to O’Brien and did not appear in court Monday.

In addition to the prison term, Chandler will be required to pay $1,936 in costs and fees.

Liddell said the three charges were Chandler’s eighth, ninth and tenth felony convictions. The case is something that will always stick with Liddell, who said the victim was moments from death.

“Some cases truly shake you to the core,” she said. “Some cases you will never forget, and, for me, this is one of those cases.”

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Comments

sesomai

Wed, Jun 5, 2013 : 8:41 p.m.

The woman's profession should not have been included in the title.

Local Dude

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 1:24 p.m.

What does the word "prostitute" have to do with this crime, really? Rape is rape. This survivor deserves to have the headline reflect the crime: MAN CONVICTED OF RAPE IS SENTENCED (period)

InterestedReader

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 1:22 p.m.

This woman has personal dignity and the headline should respect that. I understand that her profession is the reason she was where she was and it made her an easy target but it does not need to be written this way, her profession should be named in the article, only. Man convicted of raping prostitute to spend up to 90 years in prison Should read: Man convicted of raping woman to spend up to 90 years in prison Or better yet: Man convicted of raping person to spend up to 90 years in prison This is not a minor detail.

PineyWoodsGuy

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 3:21 a.m.

Glad to see that Judge O'Bee had the intestinal fortitude to impose the sentence. Such a sentence is seldom seen by out current Circuit Court bench. If the victim was a housewife, a 100 year sentence might have been imposed. I doubt this case is over. Perhaps the COA will find some substantial flaws in the jury trial and remand it for re-trial. Am still wondering about the the DNA evidence but, of course, I did not serve on the jury.

Paul

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 2:42 a.m.

What a joke, how long would he have gotten if he killed her ?

zucker

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 2:21 a.m.

he just committed his 8th, 9th and 10th felony....... come on, give this guy another chance.

Paul

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 2:42 a.m.

He did ? Are you certain of that...if so OK but I find it hard to believe

shadow wilson

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 1:06 a.m.

in a recent previous article in AA.convicted stated he had never seen her before.He put it in writing on a picture of the victim. The police had matched his DNA before they caught him in a complete lie. Now he states he had previous contact.....really?when if not on the scene where his semen was found......he will die behind bars hopefully

kilroy

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 12:36 a.m.

"I hope that God has mercy on his soul, but this court should show him no mercy," assistant prosecutor Robyn Liddell said, after snidely remarking that Chandler "is a man of faith, but should only expect mercy in the afterlife." This unfortunate display of religious fervor may set Chandler free.

PineyWoodsGuy

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 3:16 a.m.

@kilroy. You got that right dude! AAP Robyn should be sent to the PA Library and ordered to read recent COA reported cases. If an APA mentions defendant's adherence to a religious faith at sentencing, there are strong grounds for a remand for resentencing. Tsk. Tsk. You would think the PA would have in-house training for APAs concerning this sort of religious disparagement. Just sayin . . .

LaMusica

Mon, Jun 3, 2013 : 11:55 p.m.

Good. He should never get out.

Colorado Sun

Mon, Jun 3, 2013 : 11:32 p.m.

Defense counsel David I. Goldstein is a 1970 U-M Law School graduate.

brimble

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 11:52 a.m.

Mr. Goldstein performs a necessary, honorable, and thoroughly unpopular service to the justice system by providing the most vigorous defense possible for his client. Everyone deserves a fair trial and due process, and we can only assume that Mr. Chandler got a fair trial and that the process succeeded in the best outcome -- removing him from society for as long as possible.

lynel

Tue, Jun 4, 2013 : 2 a.m.

So?

lefty48197

Mon, Jun 3, 2013 : 10 p.m.

They should toss him back so far in jail that they'll need to pump air down to him.