A man charged with kidnapping a woman and her 4-year-old son and sexually assaulting the mother after he escaped from a substance abuse treatment center went on trial for some of the charges Tuesday.
Everett Simpson, 45, is charged in federal court with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of interstate car theft. He is representing himself in the trial, which is expected to last four days. If convicted of the kidnapping charge, he could be sentenced to life in prison. Simpson was charged separately in state court with sexually assaulting the woman. He has not yet entered a plea on that charge.
The start of the federal trial was delayed several times, at least in part because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Before the jury entered the courtroom Tuesday, Simpson, who is being assisted by a federal public defender, told U.S. District Court Judge William Sessions he objected to the wording of the indictment. Sessions told him he was obligated to read the indictment to the jury.
The start of the federal trial was delayed several times, at least in part because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Before the jury entered the courtroom Tuesday, Simpson, who is being assisted by a federal public defender, told U.S. District Court Judge William Sessions he objected to the wording of the indictment. Sessions told him he was obligated to read the indictment to the jury.
Police say Simpson left a Vermont drug abuse treatment center on Jan. 4, 2019, stole a vehicle, and traveled the next day to a shopping mall in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he is accused of pushing the woman and child into their car and driving them to Vermont.
