First Accuser Takes Stand In Herman Thomas Sex Trial

The first accuser in the Herman Thomas trial took the stand Tuesday morning, describing to jurors how the former judge "whipped" him with a belt for sexual pleasure.

The alleged victim, who was 18 when he was arrested on burglary and credit card charges in 2002, testified another inmate at Mobile Metro Jail told him to write a letter to Thomas, who at the time was a circuit court judge. The young man, now 26, said the inmate told him Judge Thomas would get him out of jail on probation.

Two weeks after writing a letter to Thomas, the accuser testified Thomas visited him unannounced at the jail. During a second visit a couple weeks later, he said the judge told him he'd get him out, and on August 13, 2007 he did, according to the testimony. The accuser says he was released from jail without posting bond.

When he walked out of the jail, the alleged victim said Thomas was waiting for him in a car. The accuser said Thomas drove him into a private parking garage at Government Plaza and led him up an elevator to the judge's chambers. "He started unraveling his pants, and he took his belt off," he told jurors. The alleged victim says he was told to pull down his pants and his boxers and bend over a chair.

"I didn't have a choice," he testified. "He was the judge."

The alleged victim told jurors he bent over the chair while the judge "whipped" him several times with a belt. "When I turned around his penis was out and erect," he recalled. "I was like no please, and he kept telling me to turn around." The accuser told jurors the judge eventually allowed him to put his pants back on and drove him home.

On cross examination, defense attorney Bob Clark tried to convince jurors the alleged victim's testimony could not be trusted. "You lie alot, don't you," Clark asked. "No," the accuser responded.

Testimony in the Thomas trial is expected to last several weeks. The other 13 accusers are all expected to take the stand.

Thomas is charged with more than 70 felony counts including sex abuse, sodomy, kidnapping and extortion.

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