A 21-year-old man convicted of raping his neighbor's housekeeper has been sentenced.
Spencer Scarber was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison.
A year ago, a jury found him guilty on four counts of rape, burglary and robbery.
Scarber's parents are speaking about the case, and CBS 47's Lemor Abrams joins us live in the studio with more on the trial.
Spencer Scarber's mom left Judge Sarkisian's courtroom showing emotion... after her son was sentenced to 35 years to life for rape.
But she still says the sex was consensual. "
She said in her testimony that she followed spencer to the bed," said Gail Scarber.
Gail Scarber claims her 21-year old son is innocent and the trial was unfair.
She showed us a stack of reports she says weren't allowed as evidence.
"These eleven reports were made after this girl went to them and said she wanted to drop charges...she told 3 people she didn't want to prosecute," said Scarber.
Scarber is the son of a former assistant chief of the chp.
His trial follows a long chain of events that began in July 2011.
Scarber raped a neighbor's housekeeper, and disappeared to Mexico the day he was supposed to testify in his defense.
He was was captured by Mexican Authorities a couple months later, and his arrest led to the arrest of his parents and sister...charged with aiding his escape.
Scarber's attorney Charles Magill believes the trial was politically motivated, because of Scarber's dad's position with the CHP.
"LIke today- the sheriff herself was sitting in court along with 20 other officers- that's so un usual for a sentencing on a rape case," said Magill.
Magill pushed for leniency, and opened up rebuttal with a verse from the bible.
"I used that analogy to apply to the Scarber family because the way they feel is the legal system has forsaken them," he said.
Magill will appeal.
Scarber's parents and sister are scheduled to appear in court in March.
Spencer Scarber was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison.
A year ago, a jury found him guilty on four counts of rape, burglary and robbery.
Scarber's parents are speaking about the case, and CBS 47's Lemor Abrams joins us live in the studio with more on the trial.
Spencer Scarber's mom left Judge Sarkisian's courtroom showing emotion... after her son was sentenced to 35 years to life for rape.
But she still says the sex was consensual. "
She said in her testimony that she followed spencer to the bed," said Gail Scarber.
Gail Scarber claims her 21-year old son is innocent and the trial was unfair.
She showed us a stack of reports she says weren't allowed as evidence.
"These eleven reports were made after this girl went to them and said she wanted to drop charges...she told 3 people she didn't want to prosecute," said Scarber.
Scarber is the son of a former assistant chief of the chp.
His trial follows a long chain of events that began in July 2011.
Scarber raped a neighbor's housekeeper, and disappeared to Mexico the day he was supposed to testify in his defense.
He was was captured by Mexican Authorities a couple months later, and his arrest led to the arrest of his parents and sister...charged with aiding his escape.
Scarber's attorney Charles Magill believes the trial was politically motivated, because of Scarber's dad's position with the CHP.
"LIke today- the sheriff herself was sitting in court along with 20 other officers- that's so un usual for a sentencing on a rape case," said Magill.
Magill pushed for leniency, and opened up rebuttal with a verse from the bible.
"I used that analogy to apply to the Scarber family because the way they feel is the legal system has forsaken them," he said.
Magill will appeal.
Scarber's parents and sister are scheduled to appear in court in March.