The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A woman who was reportedly sexually attacked by her great-nephew in 2019 has testified against him and provided the court with her account of what transpired during the assault.
36-year-old Jewell Powell reportedly needed a place to stay at the beginning of the summer in 2019.
Powell was granted permission by his 81-year-old great-aunt to spend a month in her Brooklyn home, with the stipulation that he would need to sleep on the sofa.
The man, whose great-aunt dubbed as her “favorite,” accepted her offer and moved into the residence.
On June 13, 2019, Powell’s great-aunt reported that she had been watching television in her room, and she made a trip to the kitchen. The woman said she encountered Powell, and the man was not wearing clothing.
Powell allegedly forced the woman back into her bedroom before forcefully raping her. During the incident, his great-aunt said she tried to kick Powell to get him away from her. In response, Powell allegedly told her if she did it again, he would “smother her.”
When the alleged sexual assault concluded, the woman said Powell tried to get her to stab him, but she would not. He additionally reportedly told her he would take his own life with the knife.
On May 5, the alleged victim spoke at Powell’s trial in the Brooklyn Supreme Court.
It was reported that the woman struggled through giving her testimony, and she became tearful during her recollection of the alleged events. Though he was once her favorite, Powell’s great-aunt shared that she now hates him.
On June 15, Powell was taken into custody. He has been jailed at Riker’s Island in lieu of a $75,000 bail since his arrest.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a sexual offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.