People v. Brocato

This is an appeal from a conviction of taking indecent liberties with a female under the age of 16. 1 Seventeen persons, including defendant, were separately charged with crimes upon the complaint of a 14-year-old girl, alleging either statutory rape or other sexual offenses. These cases were of great public interest in Kalamazoo, not only because of the nature of the charges, but because some of the defendants were business and professional men.

The complainant testified that on the evening of September 28, 1965, an attorney, Larry Eldridge, took her to a basement apartment below defendant’s…