Pugnacious rape case headed for new round

CROWN POINT | An East Chicago man who was beaten by his alleged partner-in-crime during a rape trial last year got a four-month delay in the trial's resumption.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Thomas Stefaniak Jr. said 21-year-old Thaddeus Rodriguez will face a new jury May 21.

Rodriguez is pleading not guilty to a charge he was one of two men who raped a woman June 12 at a Motel 6 in Hammond.

Hiram Perez-Diaz, 28, of Highland, was charged as being the second man.

Tension between the two men rose as Rodriguez's first trial began last November. Perez-Diaz got a break from the prosecutor and was allowed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of assisting a criminal.

Rodriguez's trial came to a halt after Perez-Diaz pummeled him during a recess in the trial.

The two fought over each other's responsibility for the June 12 sexual assault. Rodriguez wanted Perez-Diaz to change his testimony, according to Perez-Diaz. The judge canceled the trial, rather than letting it go forward with Rodriguez holding an ice pack on his head.

The combativeness continued Friday between lawyers in the case.

Defense lawyer Jerry Peteet accused the prosecution of misconduct for failing to disclose, in a timely manner, medical records that might be used as evidence in last year's trial.

Deputy Prosecutor Michelle Jatkiewicz demanded the defense produce medical records proving Rodriguez was so seriously injured that canceling last year's trial really was necessary.

Peteet won approval from the judge to question the alleged rape victim about the details of the crime, despite objections from Jatkiewicz that the defense was only harassing the woman, who already has given several accounts to police and the defense.

Perez-Diaz is awaiting sentencing on the assisting criminal charge and awaiting trial on the charge of battering Rodriguez.