West Blocton Man Guilty of Raping 14 year old

By Daniel L. Bamberg

Daniel@Centrevillepress.com

Donald Ray Burr, a lifelong resident of West Blocton was found guilty of 1^st degree rape, 2^nd degree rape, and incest by a jury of his peers on Tuesday, May 11^th.

“I don’t think he thought he would ever be found guilty.  He showed no emotion throughout the trial and I am very pleased with the jury’s decision as well as the decision of the Judge to place him in immediate custody,” said Amy Burr, estranged wife of the convicted rapist.  Her daughter was the victim of the incident, which provoked the trial.  Donald Burr’s conviction affirms that he brutally raped his 14-year old stepdaughter at gunpoint on August 4^th, 2008.  After the conviction Burr was ordered to immediate custody and hauled away by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Department.  When asked if he had any remorse for what he had done, Donald Burr replied, “No I do not.”

The trial began on Monday, May 10^th.  On that day court members and those attending were moved by the gripping testimony of the now 16-year old victim. 

She appeared as a witness for the prosecution and at first seemed like an average teenage girl.  Moments after being sworn in she was asked to point out the man who raped her.  It was at this point when her lips began to quiver and her eyes were drenched with tears.  She was able to point out Donald Burr, who even at this point showed no emotion.  Throughout the entirety of the trial Burr was stone-faced and even in moments appeared to be confident.  The teenage victim, however was shaken but showed a strength well beyond her years as she fought emotions to describe in detail the vicious assault from her stepfather. 

The DNA evidence found inside of the victim by Bibb County Medical Center only moments after the attack was insurmountable for the defense.  It was a match so specific that the chances someone else attacks the young girls were 1 in more than the population of the earth, according to forensics experts at the trial.  In spite of it all, Donald Burr seemed unraveled.  Even before jurors read the decision he seemed certain of an acquittal. 

In fact that evidence against Donald Burr was so strong that the defense offered a scenario during their closing arguments that the prosecutor called “ridiculous.”   The defense offered what they called “a potential reasonable doubt” through an idea that the teenage girl who was frustrated about living with the abusive Donald Burr, had somehow extracted seaman from him without his knowledge and planted it inside of herself.

Following the closing arguments Judge Jack Meigs charged the jury.  Twenty minutes later the jury completed deliberation and found Donald Ray Burr guilty.

Burr will remain in custody until a sentencing date, which has yet to be scheduled.  While his sentence is unknown, the prosecution is pushing for life in prison.  Donald Burr had no comment regarding the jury’s decision and as he was escorted in handcuffs his heir of confidence seemed to be missing.