10th Victim Testifies In Daniel Holtzclaw Trial

On Wednesday, a 10th woman took the stand and testified that she was sexually assaulted by Daniel Holtzclaw. The former Oklahoma City police officer is accused of assaulting a total of 13 women, and even stalking and harassing some of them. He is charged with a total of 36 felony counts.

The woman who testified on Wednesday got very emotional while on the stand. She even started crying as she recalled what happened to her the night she says she was attacked.

Daniel Holtzclaw has now heard from most of the women who police have identified as victims in this case. And each time he sits silently listening to their claims of sexual assault. Wednesday marks the 14th day of testimony in this case, and the trial is expected to drag on into the month of December. 

Both Holtzclaw and the jury listened as the 10th accuser talked about her encounter with the officer. She claims she was walking down the street from her home when Holtzclaw pulled over his police car and started questioning her and told her to get into his patrol car. She then testified he drove her a few miles away and then got out of the car and forced himself on her.

On Wednesday, the jury also heard from this woman's attorney who has filed a tort claim notice on her behalf against the city.

“I think she did well under the circumstances,” said Tony Coleman, the Oklahoma City attorney who is representing the woman who testified on Wednesday. “There was some emotional highs and lows there, but ultimately she answered the questions truthfully and accurately.”

Coleman is no stranger to high profile cases. Most recently he has been in the spotlight for representing Adacia Chambers, the woman accused of killing four people and injuring several others when she drove her car into a crowd of people watching the OSU homecoming parade.

But on Wednesday, he was in an Oklahoma County courtroom, testifying on behalf of his other client who is one of the 13 women who accuse Daniel Holtzclaw of sexual abuse.

“I think there's struggles on both sides of the aisle here,” said Coleman.

Coleman testified that he has filed a tort claim with the City of Oklahoma City, basically putting them on notice that his client may sue the city for damages incurred in light of the sexual allegations against the former Oklahoma City police officer. He testified a normal tort claim asks for at least $75,000 in damages. But for now, Coleman is waiting to see the outcome of the criminal trial against Daniel Holtzclaw before moving forward with the civil case with the city. And he is watching the jury very closely.

“You never really know exactly what they are thinking,” said Coleman. “However I will say this jury is very attentive they appear to be taking notes they appear to be paying very close attention to all the evidence that is being presented all the arguments being made.”

Both the jury and Holtzclaw have heard from more than 40 witnesses that prosecutors have identified as crucial to their case. Holtzclaw's attorneys are yet to have their opportunity to call their witnesses.

Holtzclaw's attorney said the former officer does acknowledge he made contact with all 13 women who have come forward in this case, but denies any sexual assaults took place.

In a late development, Tony Coleman stated that during cross examination of the 10^th alleged victim, she started to become argumentative with Holtzclaw’s attorney, and even claimed she did not need an attorney and had fired Coleman, but could not say when she had officially terminated him.

Coleman said by phone this evening that was the first he had ever heard of this, but claims he felt his client had a psychotic break on the stand. Coleman says even before Wednesday’s testimony the woman kept asking him where her check was, and asked him again on Wednesday morning before her testimony. Coleman says his client does suffer from mental illness.

Due to her actions on her stand, Coleman says he plans on withdrawing his representation of her in the future civil case.