Victim in Former M.E. Investigator Sexual Battery Trial Admits to Sending Racy E-mails

By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- After a day of testimony in the trial of a former M.E. investigator accused of twisting a male co-worker's nipple both the state and the defense rested.

The defense rested shortly after the state, without calling any witnesses. The judge dismissed the jury until Wednesday morning when the deliberation process will begin.

The alleged victim took the stand first. He testified he was offended when Rowland twisted his nipple.

On cross examination, he admitted he sent emails to Kevin Rowland and other M.E.'s office employees that included a crude sense of humor, dirty pictures and commercials. The alleged victim said you needed to be part of the office sense of humor or be ridiculed, and that was just the climate around the office. The alleged victim said, "You needed to kiss Kevin's ass to make sure you weren't targeted and fired."

He acknowledged the e-mails were inappropriate and that's why he lost his job in March 2010 when the emails became public, but the alleged victim also said e-mails are one thing, being touched by a superior is another.

He admitted he never told the OSBI agents about the nipple twisting incident because he feared retaliation and losing his job.

"More than one of you has asked if this is a waste of taxpayer money. You saw the waste of taxpayer money that agency was allowed to go on for a prolonged period of time. That's what the grand jury investigated and tried to stop," said Assistant Attorney General Tom Bates.

The alleged victim said he also believed Rowland got sexual gratification by giving him the "titty twister" and could tell Rowland enjoyed it. He did not think the incident was merely horseplay.

Also taking the stand for the prosecution, a woman who said she was also a victim of Rowland. She testified he grabbed her buttocks and breasts. She said she never reported the incidents because Rowland ran the agency and nothing would have happened.

"Mr. Rowland did this many time. He did this to many of his employees male or female. They're still his employees. He felt he had a license to maul them or abuse them anyway he wanted to," said Assistant Attorney General Mykel Fry.

Rowland's attorney, Scott Adams, said the judge was very close to dismissing the case Tuesday afternoon on grounds the prosecution failed to prove a crime had taken place. However, the case will go on, and jury deliberations will start at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

"This charge is trumped up ridiculous thing, and we're going to beat it at the end of the day," Adams said.

If convicted, Rowland faces up to five years in prison.

Last month, a Tulsa County judge dismissed three charges of sexual battery against Rowland but ordered him to stand trial on one count of rape.

More On News9.com:
- Former M.E. Investigator Accused of Twisting Male Co-Worker's Nipple
- M.E. Investigator Ordered to Stand Trial on Rape Charge; 3 Other Charges Dismissed
- Former Oklahoma M.E. Chief Investigator Indicted on Sexual Battery Counts
- Chief Medical Examiner Discusses Efforts to Change Agency
- Possible Tainted Evidence from ME's Office Concerns Public Defenders
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- Grand Jury Rebukes Medical Examiner's Office 
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- Oklahoma ME's Office Loses Accreditation
- OSBI Investigates Medical Examiner's Office