Jury still deliberating in Art Horne rape trial

Jurors will continue deliberations Friday as they weigh the evidence against Memphis attorney Arthur “Art” Horne brought by a woman he dated for three years who claims he beat, choked and raped her.

Horne’s defense team has said the woman was possessive, obsessed and jealous enough over a new baby fathered with another woman to file false charges against Horne.

Horne is charged with one count of aggravated rape, three counts of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of aggravated assault in the events that occurred in the early morning on March 1, 2017.

The jury began deliberations at about 1:38 p.m. Thursday. At about 5 p.m., they had questions for Special Judge Bill Acree but reached no decisions on any of the charges. They’ll return at 9 a.m. Friday.

The alleged victim has said she and Horne spent the evening of Feb. 28, 2017, at the Brookhaven Pub. Later, she said, while at her home, Horne saw text messages from another man and became violent. Video from her home security system shows her running out the front door and a naked Horne chasing after her.

However, his defense claims that Horne is the victim of a woman who wanted to marry him and was emotional enough over his new baby that she wanted to get him back. Horne told police the victim attacked him while he slept, surprising him, ahd he fought back and hit her.

She has also filed a $3 million lawsuit.

In his closing arguments, prosecutor Ed Ryan said the evidence tells the truth. Ryan and Jordan Hoffman were brought in from the Davidson County district attorney general’s office to try the case.

That evidence includes photographs of the alleged victim’s bruises and and other injuries that are consistent with her account of the attack, Ryan said.

The victim also submitted to photographs, interviews, an examination at the rape crisis center and was brave enough to come to court and relive her attack, Ryan said.

Horne fled the house rather than talk to police when they arrived. Hours later, knowing he was being accused, “he does what good smart lawyers do” and manufactures a story that makes him the victim, Ryan said.

Ryan didn’t try to explain the relationship between Horne and his accuser, but told the jury being emotional about a baby with another woman was understandable. That the victim used a racial slur speaks to her emotions, but doesn’t negate the evidence.

“We have to prove our case beyond a reasonable doubt. A burden that is as important in this country as it can be because somebody is looking to be convicted of a crime,” Ryan said. “The evidence in this case is overwhelming as to what happened.”

Defense attorney William Massey, whose co-counsel was Kamilah Turner, reminded the jury of testimony that depicted the alleged victim as a woman upset because she wanted a committed relationship with Horne.

“This is a case of traveling from love to hate,” Massey said. “Traveling from love to hate from a lady who wanted to marry Art Horne.”

She wanted to be his only relationship, to have his children and to treat his children as hers.

“I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. I’m saying that wasn’t what Mr. Horne was interested in. He wasn’t willing to give that much,” Massey said, something the victim did not handle well.

Massey highlighted inconsistencies in the alleged victim’s statements as proof that she is not being truthful, while Horne’s story never changed.

Initially the victim said Horne forced his way into the house, but video shows her letting him in.

During the trial, the woman testified that the relationship between her and Horne was not monogamous and that Horne first became violent when he snatched her phone after they entered her house and saw text messages from another man she had started seeing.