The judge in the case against Harold Franks of Hempfield, who is charged with rape and other crimes for an incident in October of 2017, ruled that statements made by the victim and later recanted can not be used against him.
The Tribune-Review reports that the victim claimed Franks raped her after she made her way to a local police station, saying Franks assaulted her, dragged her to the bedroom and forced her to perform a sex act before raping her. She would later claim that she was drunk at the time and the sexual activity was consensual.
Franks faces charges of attempted strangulation, simple assault and other offenses in a separate case.