MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A man charged with trying to rape a 73-year-old woman out for her morning walk on the FDR Drive jogging path in East Harlem has been convicted of attempted rape, prosecutors said Friday.
A Manhattan jury found that Kentrel Whitaker, 33, threw the woman to the ground, beat her, removed her clothing and tried to rape her before another pedestrian scared him off at about 6:40 a.m. on Aug. 15, 2010.
Whitaker was arrested for the vicious crime because his DNA profile was alredy logged in the system due to previous criminal convictions. He DNA was matched because he left bodily fluids on the elderly woman's clothing.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said this case highlights how effective DNA evidence can be in solving crimes.
“This accurate and cost-effective technology has solved thousands of crimes, including rapes, murders, robberies and burglaries, and prevented countless more," Vance said in a statement.
Whitaker's criminal history includes drug convictions and patronizing a prostitute.
