State v. Cheatam

Jerry Dawayne Cheatam appeals his first degree rape with a deadly weapon jury conviction. We affirm.

On the early morning of January 5,1996, a rapist, with a knife in hand, grabbed 16-year-old M.M. by the neck from behind while she was walking to a bus stop. The rapist told M.M. not to scream and led her to a nearby ditch in a backyard to rape her. According to M.M, the rapist, whom she later identified as Cheatam, instructed her to lie down and take her pants off. M.M. told Cheatam that she was menstruating, thinking this would dissuade him. It did not. *781M.M. asked Cheatam if he wanted her to…