Sexual assault trial expected to begin today

Brandon Harrison
Brandon Harrison

NEW BOSTON, Texas-Opening statements and testimony are expected to begin this morning in the trial of a Bowie County man accused of sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint.

Brandon Harrison, 31, formerly lived with the woman he is accused of assaulting Sept. 15, 2017, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account. Harrison has pleaded not guilty to aggravated sexual assault. He is facing five to 99 years or life in prison if convicted. A jury of nine men and three women was selected Tuesday to decide the case before 102nd District Judge Bobby Lockhart.

Harrison allegedly hid in the woman's home in New Boston home until she came home. The woman told police Harrison sexually assaulted her while holding a knife to her throat.

At some point, the woman was able to text her current boyfriend and tell him that Harrison had raped her and refused to allow her to leave the house. The boyfriend called for help at approximately 4:30 p.m. When officers arrived and entered the home, they took Harrison into custody and the woman ran out the front door.

At a pretrial hearing Monday, Lockhart heard arguments from Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp and Deborah Moore of the Bowie County Public Defenders Office concerning the state's addition to its witness list. Moore complained that she only received notice of the witness Sept. 7.

Crisp responded by saying she received information on the evening of Sept. 6 concerning Harrison's "misconduct with female jailers" and that she provided notice to the defense by noon the following day. Crisp said the witness will likely be called only if Harrison is found guilty and the trial enters a punishment phase.

Harrison has been in jail since his arrest last year. Bail is set at $250,000.

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