Police officer rape trial to begin

PROVIDENCE, RI (AP) - A suspended Providence police officer accused of rape is heading to trial next week.

Marcus Huffman is charged with raping a woman at a deserted substation in 2007, then showing up to take a report after the woman called 911.

Lawyers are scheduled to argue pretrial motions Monday morning in Providence Superior Court and jury selection will begin sometime after that.

The trial occurs at a difficult time for the Providence police department. Three officers—Det. Joseph Colanduono, Patrolman Robert Hamlin and Sgt. Stephen Gonsalves—were arrested last week on drug-related charges and several others were placed on desk duty as part of the same probe.

Another officer, Det. Robert DeCarlo, pleaded not guilty last month to charges that he beat a restrained man with a flashlight. Capt. Keith Tucker, a Providence police spokesman, said Huffman has been suspended without pay.

Prosecutors say Huffman was on patrol in March 2007 when he met the woman after she was turned away from a club because she appeared intoxicated. Huffman is accused of offering her a ride, driving her to the substation and raping her.

Prosecutors have said they have a video showing Huffman entering the substation with the woman, then leaving separately before she did.

They also allege Huffman was among three officers who responded after the woman called 911 from a relative’s home to report the rape.

His lawyer did not return calls seeking comment. Huffman’s previous lawyer has said there’s no direct evidence that any sexual assault took place.