Madeira: Decision not made on how to procede shooting victim's rape allegation

Sara Ganim

District Attorney Michael Madeira said he hasn't yet made a decision on how to go forward with allegations of rape made by a 21-year-old shot to death Saturday.

Racheal Perryman is the prosecution's main witness in a trial against acquaintance Kyle Lingle, scheduled for Nov. 23.

But despite what Madeira's assistant on the case, Steve Sloane, said yesterday about "probably" dropping the charges, Madeira says he is looking into other ways of prosecuting the case.

“I’m not commenting on what Mr. Sloane said,” Madeira said Tuesday. “I’m the District Attorney and I have not yet made that decision.”

Sloane was asked about the case after Madeira was reported to be not available for comment by his office.

Madeira said he still needs to explore his options for prosecuting the case without the main witness. Perryman testified at the preliminary hearing in March, saying she was watching at movie with Lingle at his Milesburg home when he held her down and raped her while she told him to get off of her.

Her death, “doesn’t change the allegation,” Madeira said. “It does however change the way we present the case. That is what we have yet to consider.”

It’s possible that Perryman’s testimony at the preliminary hearing could be used at trial, Madeira said. But it’s also possible that won’t work.

Lingle’s attorney, public defender Patrick Klena, said he anticipates the charges being withdrawn, adding Lingle was contacted and questioned by state troopers after Perryman's death, but isn't a suspect.

"He was in fact working at the Bryce Jordan Center on the evening when this occurred" Klena said. "He has no problem turning over to police phone records that show he had no contacts," with Perryman or anyone else.

"He went into the police and left of his own free will," Klena said. "I'm assuming they've concluded he has no involvement in this. I hope this helps to clear up rumors that are flying around."

Perryman died of a gunshot wound to the chest fired by a muzzle loader while apparently hunting in a very remote area near Moshannon State Forest. Police haven't identified the man she was hunting with, and Coroner Scott Sayers hasn’t yet ruled a manner of death.

For more, check Wednesday's Centre Daily Times.