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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Jailed 3 Years, Man Convicted Of 1980 Rape

David Allen Monson, who spent the past three years in a Spokane jail claiming he had been denied a speedy trial, finally got his day in court

After a two-day trial, a jury on Wednesday found the 40-year-old Monson guilty of second-degree rape.

Jurors took five hours to decide that Monson had raped an 18-year-old girl in his Five Mile home in July 1980.

The victim, now married, testified that Monson had taken her to his house after they had spent several hours cruising Riverside Avenue downtown.

At the house, she said, he raped her after she refused his advances.

Monson testified he and the woman had had sex two previous times and the sex was consensual that night in July.

The victim has remained in Spokane the past 17 years, hoping prosecutors would bring Monson to trial.

Testifying nearly two decades after the attack “was like it happened just yesterday. It brought back the whole thing,” she said.

After the verdict, Superior Court Judge Michael Donohue revoked bond for Monson and set sentencing for early February.

Deputy Prosecutor Ed Hay said he would recommend a 10-year prison sentence.

Monson also faces a trial for another alleged rape in 1980.

From 1980 until 1994, Monson worked, traveled and ended up living on his parents’ property in upstate New York.

He was extradited to Spokane after he was stopped while crossing from Canada to New York in 1993. New York officials learned then that Spokane police had issued a warrant for Monson in the summer of 1980 in connection with the Five Mile rape charge.

Monson was brought back to Spokane County Jail in the summer of 1994 and has remained in custody since.

His trial was delayed three years while his attorneys pursued legal motions in both state and federal courts, claiming Monson’s right to a speedy trial was being denied.

A Washington state appellate court ruled against the motion this year, setting the stage for this week’s trial in Spokane.

U.S. District Court in Spokane said it would not issue a ruling on Monson’s request for dismissal until the criminal case against him had been settled.

In 1981, Monson briefly was identified as a suspect in the “South Hill rapist” case.

, DataTimes