Massachusetts

Jury Deliberates Lewdness Allegations for Convicted Child Rapist Wayne Chapman

The 71-year-old has served 30 years in prison after he was convicted of sexually assaulting two boys in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1977

A jury began deliberations in the trial of convicted child rapist Wayne Chapman Thursday, mulling additional time behind bars for the man who allegedly exposed himself to prison nurses in Massachusetts.

Chapman pleaded not guilty to charges of open and gross lewdness and lewd, wanton and lascivious acts for allegedly exposing himself to staff at Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Shirley for hours on June 3, 2018, then openly masturbating several times the next day.

The 71-year-old has served 30 years in prison after he was convicted of sexually assaulting two boys in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1977. He has admitted to molesting hundreds going back to the 1960s.

Chapman's prison term ended in 2004, but he remained civilly committed until last year. Two "qualified examiners" found that Chapman was no longer sexually dangerous because of his age and medical condition — he has Parkinson's disease.

But before he was scheduled to be released, he was accused of exposing himself to the nurses and refusing to cover up.

"During the course of that hour and a half, when he was intentionally exposing himself, he didn't say one word to anyone. He didn't ask for help, he didn't say he couldn't do it, he didn't say he didn't have clean pants or a pull-up in his room," assistant Middlesex district attorney Emily Jackson said.

Defense attorney Melissa Devore argued, "If these women were truly suffering from the negative emotional experience that is required by the law, why weren't they going in there and giving him a sheet to cover himself with? Why werne't they helping him to get dressed?"

She had previously said that it often takes Chapman two hours to get dressed due to his disease and chronic itching.

If convicted of both counts, he could spend several more years in prison. If acquitted, he would essentially be a free man.

During the course of that hour and a half
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