A co-worker of a woman who claims she was raped by Cedar City Police Detective Kelvin Orton has testified that more than two weeks after the alleged rape, the woman commented on Orton's "cute butt."
Patricia Kimber testified Wednesday that in mid-January 1993, Orton walked through the store where she and the woman worked, and the woman commented on Orton's good looks, adding, "He's got a cute butt.'Orton is accused of raping a Kanarraville woman in her home on Dec. 26, 1992.
Defense attorney Ron Yengich argued Wednesday that three men with an ax to grind against Orton may have persuaded the woman to file the rape charge to destroy the detective's credibility.
Yengich said Cedar City attorney Kent Winnward, businessman David Keller and Orton's former partner - now married to the alleged victim - all had reason to discredit Orton.
Winnward and Keller were the subjects of criminal investigations conducted by Orton. His former partner blamed Orton for ending his career with Iron County's drug task force by giving him a poor evaluation.
Kerry Gunther, a Cedar City animal-control officer, testified that one day he, Orton's former partner and the alleged victim were talking outside the headquarters of the drug task force when the subject of Orton came up.
"(The alleged victim) said that Orton was responsible for (the partner) losing his career and she'd do whatever she could to get even with Orton," said Gunther.
Iron County Attorney Scott Burns testified he first learned of the allegations through an anonymous letter. When he eventually found out who the alleged victim was, he could not get her to file a formal complaint. Her reluctance raised the concern that the accusation may be a hoax, Burns testified.
The alleged victim said she mentioned the rape in a deposition that Keller and Winnward persuaded her to give.
"I thought they were just doing it out of the goodness of their hearts," she testified.