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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, January 3, 1992                   TAG: 9201030269
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By KATHY LOAN
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                  LENGTH: Short

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MAN GETS 5 YEARS FOR RAPE

A Montgomery County man was sentenced to serve five years in prison for the rape of his former girlfriend March 9, 1990.

James K. Rowland, 30, was sentenced in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Thursday. He was indicted in October 1990, pleaded not guilty in November 1991, but was found guilty by Judge Kenneth Devore.

Sentencing was delayed until Thursday so a background report could be prepared by a probation officer.

Devore imposed a 10-year term, but suspended five years. After serving five years, Rowland will be placed on probation for five years.

Before sentencing, Rowland's attorney, Keith Neely, referred Devore's attention to several letters of support and to a number of people in the courtroom to show support for Rowland.

Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith asked the judge to recall the victim's testimony.

"You did hear her testimony and you know the pain and suffering she's gone through," Keith said.

Keith said the woman had testified she and Rowland had lived together at a Montgomery County trailer park and were planning to marry.

After a serious argument, Keith said, "she told him to get out, which he did."

But, Keith said, Rowland came back to the trailer a few nights later without the woman's permission. He apparently had been drinking and the two talked and argued for a while.

According to the woman, Keith said, "he finally told her he was going to teach her a lesson so he proceeded to forcibly rape her." The woman fled to a nearby trailer for help, Keith said.

Keith said Rowland's testimony was that the two had consensual sex.

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