DOWNTOWN — A 44-year-old man who police were hunting in connection with the alleged rape of a 56-year-old woman who had recognized him from Occupy Wall Street protests turned himself in Friday after seeing his photo in the news, police said.
Jackie Barcliff, who had formerly been arrested for assault and resisting arrest at Liberty Plaza in December, 2011, who had then tried to flee police, was named as a suspect in the Monday rape at Pier 15 by police officials.
In addition to the rape, attempted murder, and criminal sex act charges in connection with the crime, police charged him in the rape of a 14-year-old girl in August, during which Barcliff allegedly offered the young girl a place to stay for the night and then raped her during the night.
At 2 a.m., he forced the 56-year-old victim into an elevator at the double-decker pier, which opened in December of 2011 as part of the city's $167 million East River Waterfront project. After forcing himself on her, he allegedly threw her body over the balcony of the pier's top level, which hangs 20 to 30 feet over a glass pavillion and paved seating area below.
The woman suffered a broken femur and a fractured pelvis, and was in serious condition earlier this week at Bellevue Hospital.
The most recent victim, who was in town to participate in the week's protests Downtown, told police she had recognized Barcliff from earlier Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.
