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Juror On Bonnie Craig Rape, Murder Trial Speaks OutJuror: Video of Troopers' interview with Dion "raised red flags."Related Content
ANCHORAGE—Juror number 15 said she was not yet 10 years old when 18-year-old Bonnie Craig was raped and murdered on Sept. 28, 1994.
“I knew nothing about it,” said Juror No. 15, who asked that her name be withheld.
But in May, she was selected as one of 15 jurors for one of Alaska’s most infamous cold case trials. On Tuesday, three jurors were randomly selected out, but she stayed on.
After deliberating for a day-and-a-half, she and 11 of her fellow jurors reached a unanimous verdict: Kenneth Dion, a 41-year-old former Fort Richardson paratrooper, was guilty of four counts of sexual assault and murder.
The decision was not an easy one, she said.
“One day, we'd go in and I’d say, ‘Oh yeah, he's guilty,” she said. “The next day the defense would present something and we'd go, ‘Oh yeah, well, maybe it was an accident. I think throughout the trial there were doubts and back and forth. I wouldn't be surprised if other jurors lost sleep as well.”
In the end, she said video clips of Troopers’ 2006 interview of Dion in New Hampshire helped her make the final decision.
“Looking at the interview of him being interrogated raised some red flags,” she said. “He didn’t pick up the picture (of Bonnie Craig), he didn’t look at it. He automatically said, ‘No, I don’t remember anything.’ You know, he had mentioned, ‘I remember faces.’ Apparently, the media coverage of this case in ‘94 was pretty publicized and you don’t remember her face? It's a little fishy.”
Juror No. 15 recounted what she saw that Wednesday afternoon minutes before the judge read the jury’s verdict: “the family, holding on to each other, somebody looking up, saying silent prayers, prosecution was just sitting there waiting, defense was sitting there, waiting, Ken was just sitting there, blank stare, looking forward.
“My hands were shaking,” she said. “I was so nervous. When they read the first count, Ken (Dion) shook his head, then the other three counts, and before they sat down, he looked at us, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”
It’s an experience, though, she said she would do all over again.
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justice 1 said on Thursday, Jun 23 at 9:30 AM
I believe hes guilty....hes a sick man with a dark heart!! I had the misfortune dating this sicko!!! I believe Bonnie finally has her justice and her family finally has some closure to this nightmare!! god bless Bonnies family!!
69520761the truth said on Friday, Jun 17 at 12:43 PM
Whomever sent the message about her being a hussy, SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!! Bonnie was a good and caring person who loved her boyfriend very much. Don't make assumptions based on your ignorance!
69208737bill said on Friday, Jun 17 at 11:00 AM
I think he did it
69202577Anonymous said on Friday, Jun 17 at 10:59 AM
I think he did it
69202562Wes Craske said on Friday, Jun 17 at 5:01 AM
To you and your peers I say this: You did a difficult job; my hat goes of to you for your bravery and self sacrifice. Thank you for your service to our state. Without outstanding citizens such as you, we would not have the justice system we have today.
69179437Jim said on Friday, Jun 17 at 12:17 AM
Not worth printing
69171357cantbelieveit said on Thursday, Jun 16 at 8:17 PM
Another innocent man sent to jail because she was a hussy and know one wants to believe it.shame shame
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