Attorney for Former M.E. Chief Investigator Says Rape Victim Not Credible

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The attorney for the former chief investigator of the medical examiner's office is speaking out after his client was charged with rape this week.

Kevin Rowland was charged Tuesday with first-degree rape of a medical examiner's employee from the Tulsa office Rowland's attorney, Scott Adams, said the woman who claimed she was raped is not credible.

Adams has maintained Rowland's innocence in the sexual harassment accusations stating the case is without merit, but now Adams said the new rape charge leveled at Rowland is a new low.

"It was the biggest, dirty trick in my 21 years of practicing law," Adams said.

Adams said he only found out about the first-degree rape charge at a preliminary hearing this week.

"You got to understand, I have all the grand jury testimony. I have all the OSBI interviews. Nothing like this was ever mentioned anywhere," Adams said.

The alleged victim who works in the Tulsa Medical Examiner's office said the rape happened somewhere between January and August of 2006. A specific date and time was not mentioned.

"I questioned them, where are the police reports? Don't have any. Where are the forensics? Don't have any. Where are her statements that this happened? Don't have one," Adams said.

Criminal Law Professor Art LeFrancois said it's not uncommon for rape victims not to report the crime.

"These are matters that people feel understandably private about. These are matters that people are sometimes reluctant to go forward on," LeFrancois said.

But he said Adams may have a point on the issue of perjury.

"My understanding is that lying before a grand jury and committing perjury before a grand jury could be punished at the level of something not to exceed five years," LeFrancois said.

Adams said the accusations are in retaliation for Rowland speaking about the problems inside the M.E.'s office.

"For me to sit back and allow this to happen to anyone, I won't do it. Not on my watch. I won't do it," Adams said.

Assistant Attorney General Tom Bates said he is not going to try the case in the public and all of the alleged victims will have their day in court.

A spokesman for Attorney General Drew Edmondson said the state will present the rape evidence at a preliminary hearing in April.

More: First Degree Rape Charge Filed Against Former ME Investigator