Sep 3, 2008 5:49 pm US/Eastern
East End Rape Victims Speak Out
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
His victims included a young teacher, a lawyer, and a doctor. All women, all raped in what they thought was the safety of their homes. Eight years ago, Keith Wood was dubbed the "East End Rapist," terrifying women who were afraid to close their eyes.
Today, the 51-year-old Highland Park man was sentenced to 80-to160-years in prison. Before that sentence was handed down two of his victims courageously described the damage he has done.
From June 2000 until May 2001, Wood crawled through bedroom windows, armed with a butcher knife or screw driver, and raped and robbed his victims. "If the defandant ever sees the light of day as a free man again," said one of them, "It will be too soon."
Wood was convicted by DNA evidence clearly linking him to the four rape cases although he continues to deny guilt. A 37-year-old victim says she is offended because he has "No remorse for the damage he has caused to myself and the other women in this case."
Another victim told us, "I am happy to end this phase of my life, a phase of sadness, anger and pain." With her voice breaking at times she told the court that after July 9, 2000, "I was constantly afraid someone would come in and harm me again." Her sense on independence was shattered.
She has "flashbacks of the assault during intimate moments with her boyfriend." She has gone through years of therapy and wanted Wood to know "What it is like to have precious time taken away." She asked Judge Jeffrey Manning to levy the harshest punishment possible.
A victim who had just graduated from medical school before the attack and was a resident at UPMC, looking forward to becoming a doctor described herself as fearless and confident before the summer of 2000. After that, she told the court, "I am no longer that woman," that Wood "took all those things away from me."
Wood also beat her causing head trauma that left her with memory and hearing impairment. Now, though she is a part-time physician, she says that she is still afraid of the dark. "There will never be a time when this is behind me."
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