jury on Wednesday found Darrell Grissom, 37, of Conway, guilty of 19 counts of rape, incest and sexual abuse.
At the daylong trial, Grissom's 17-year-old daughter described the abuse that began when she was 11. The girl faced her father in court and told of years of victimization.
Marcus Vaden, deputy prosecutor for the 20th Judicial Prosecuting Attorney's Office, said: "She's had damage done to her from which she will never recover." He called the girl a hero.
The girl testified that Grissom would molest her when he was drunk, about once every week or two.
"It was hell for five years," deputy prosecutor Stephen Hawks told the jury.
According to Grissom's confession, taken following his August 2003, arrest, Grissom drank often.
"Yeah, I knew it was the wrong thing," the confession transcript read, adding that he "felt pretty bad about it."
Grissom said he was aware of at least one letter given to his wife, the girl's mother, telling her about the abuse. His wife walked in on at least one occurrence, the statement said.
Grissom's wife, Melody Grissom, 37, is scheduled for a November trial for accusations that she knowingly permitted her daughter's abuse.
Grissom's attorney, Phil Stratton, argued the timetable of the events. The victim's age when each act occurred directly affected the charges for which Grissom could be found guilty.
Hawks told the jury while pointing at Grissom: "This is a case about a father - that man - victimizing his daughter over and over and over... for his own sexual gratification."
The jury found Grissom guilty of rape, because it is believed the acts began before his daughter's 14th birthday. On the rape charge, Grissom was sentenced to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction- with about 17 years mandatory. Rape turned to incest when the girl turned 14. For incest, Grissom was sentenced to 30 years.
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/080504/loc_0805040005.shtml
At the daylong trial, Grissom's 17-year-old daughter described the abuse that began when she was 11. The girl faced her father in court and told of years of victimization.
Marcus Vaden, deputy prosecutor for the 20th Judicial Prosecuting Attorney's Office, said: "She's had damage done to her from which she will never recover." He called the girl a hero.
The girl testified that Grissom would molest her when he was drunk, about once every week or two.
"It was hell for five years," deputy prosecutor Stephen Hawks told the jury.
According to Grissom's confession, taken following his August 2003, arrest, Grissom drank often.
"Yeah, I knew it was the wrong thing," the confession transcript read, adding that he "felt pretty bad about it."
Grissom said he was aware of at least one letter given to his wife, the girl's mother, telling her about the abuse. His wife walked in on at least one occurrence, the statement said.
Grissom's wife, Melody Grissom, 37, is scheduled for a November trial for accusations that she knowingly permitted her daughter's abuse.
Grissom's attorney, Phil Stratton, argued the timetable of the events. The victim's age when each act occurred directly affected the charges for which Grissom could be found guilty.
Hawks told the jury while pointing at Grissom: "This is a case about a father - that man - victimizing his daughter over and over and over... for his own sexual gratification."
The jury found Grissom guilty of rape, because it is believed the acts began before his daughter's 14th birthday. On the rape charge, Grissom was sentenced to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction- with about 17 years mandatory. Rape turned to incest when the girl turned 14. For incest, Grissom was sentenced to 30 years.
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/080504/loc_0805040005.shtml