Page 10 University Daily Kansan, November 15. 1982
False rape convictions ruin man's normal life
By United Press International
MOLINE, Ill.—Greg Petesky has been unable to shake his nightmares and recurring memories of the seven brothers, wrongly jailed as “the circuit raptist.”
Until mid-October, when another man confessed to a series of rapes in Illinois and Iowa, Petoskey dreaded each phone call and knock at the door.
"I thought the police were going to come ask me questions about every rape," he said. "I live with this paranoia, wondering if the police are still watching me. I've had a lot of sleepless nights and strange dreams."
A former clothing store manager, Petekosky, 33, has no idea how he became a suspect in the attacks on two dozen women during 1977 and 1978.
HE WAS TAKEN to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1881 for questioning about the theft of money from a clothing store. The next thing he knew, he was in jail and they were calling him "the circuit rapist."
"You have to really live that to know what it's like," he said. "It was so frustrating that they wouldn't listen to me when I tried to tell them I was innocent. When I think about it now, I still shudder."
"I feel dirty, like rape victims say they feel. I feel like my soul and my mind were raped by the judicial system."
Peteksy was charged in April, 1981, with kidnapping, burglary and been armed with intent in two Cedar Rapids raped. He was not charged with sexual abuse because the statute of limitations had run out on that crime.
ALTHOUGH HE had evidence that he was elsewhere when two rannes
occurred, prosecutors refused to drop the case, or reduce his $200,000 bond
"If the police force had been a little more competent, they wouldn't have made these accusations," he said. "It was a very dirty and now we're going to prove it."
Finally, in October, authorities performed blood tests that proved he couldn't have been the assailant in one of the attacks. A grand jury then reviewed the evidence and dismissed all charges against him.
But Petoskey felt his innocence still was in question until David W. Bellman of Davenport, Iowa, confessed to the series of rapes last month.
PETOKESY SAID the worst part of his ordeal was being jailed and facing endless interrogations by police officers who insisted he was guilty.
"It was a fight for survival every day," he said. "You had to put up fronts for the other inmates. You had to be hard and callous all the time.
"I didn't even want to go outside. I didn't want to see what freedom was like if I was going to spend the rest of my life in prison. I just wanted to sit there and let my mind become mush, or maybe I'd vegetate into oblivion."
TIMES ARE still tough for Petoskey. His wife is working two jobs because he cannot find work. Their savings has dwindled to $100 and Petoskey's ex-wife has threatened to terminate visitation privileges with his 9-year-old daughter.
"I lost a lot of friends — well, a lot of people I thought were friends," he said. "And of course you run into the types who are bigots — hypocrites who still to this day feel there must have been a reason I was charged."
Petoskey plans to go back to school next April and is trying to resume a normal life. But, he said, "I've almost forgotten what normal is."
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Terry Frederick, Student Senate representative to RPAB, said there had been a $4,000 surplus of income over last summer. Stouffer Place in the last two years.
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AT THE MEETING, Frederick encouraged board members to be "more than a rubber stamp for the housing department."
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Stouffer residents question rent increase
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will have to pay for installing smoke alarms in every apartment, said J. J. Wilson, director of housing. Wilson will be able to would cost $100 each, including wiring.
Rent at Stouffer Place will increase $13.30 a month next year, the Residential Programs Advisory Board decided last week. But that decision may not be
By KIESA ASCUE Staff Reporter
Married students at Kansas State University can live in apartments similar to those available at Stoffer footwear, a month with utilities paid, Balcazar said.
The association wants the rent increase to be no more than $7, buoyed by a reduction in
Residents of Stouffer Place pay rent to the housing department. They also pay for parking and all utilities.
"We expect to take this further," said Fabricio Balezar, chairman of the Stouffer Neighborhood Association. "We will go to talk directly with the vice chancellor, the chancellor and the Board of Regents if necessary."
Thirty cents of the monthly increase will support SNA programs and $13 will go to the housing department.
Next year, the housing department
The largest projected increase in expenses for Stouffer Place listed by the housing department is for building and equipment repair.
The $13.30 increase will mean that cumulative rent has increased 33 percent in the last five years, Balcazar said.
THIS YEAR, the rent at Stouffer Place is $140 a month for a one-bedroom apartment and $160 a month for a two-bedroom apartment.
KU student to face trial in 1981 burglary of store
A 21-year-old KU student will be tried Dec. 3 in Douglas County District Court on charges of burglary, grand theft, criminal damage and carrying a concealed weapon in connection with a $10,000 burglary of a Lawrence sporting goods store.
Michael Stephen Ruley, Prairie Village special student, was charged in connection with the Oct. 16, 1981 break-in at Francis Sports Goods, 731 W. State Street, which valued $8,500 worth of items were stolen, and the store was severely damaged.
Assistant District Attorney Jean
Sagan said that Ruley's preliminary hearing last Thursday was stopped by the judge because he said enough evidence had been presented to determine probable cause to believe the defendant committed a crime.
The state's main witness, Lisa Williamson, Overland Park junior, testified that Ruley told her in late Oct. 1981 or early Nov. 1981 that he had taken goods and giving Goods and gave her several items as warmup suits, shoes and socks.
John Revenew, manager of the store,
and George Francis, owner of the store.
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Sagan said that Williamson notified the police after she and Ruley broke up.
also testified before Judge Mike Elwell stopped the proceedings.
Sagan said that Ruley was arrested after Williamson notified police in October 1982 about the burglary and police searched Ruley's residence.
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"We have an iron-clad case," Sagan said.
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A search warrant of Ruley's apartment, 704 Arizona St., produced 149 items of sporting good equipment, Sagan said.
Ruley and his lawyer could not be reached for comment yesterday.
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