Trial date set for suspected serial rapist


By From Staff and Wire Reports
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday, April 2, 2004

The trial date for an accused serial rapist suspected of committing several assaults around the UA in 2001 and 2002 has been set for June 1.

James Allen Selby, 37, is charged with four campus-area rapes, along with more than 25 other crimes ranging from attempted murder to kidnapping.

Selby was ordered to appear in Pima County Superior Court Wednesday after refusing to attend previous court dates.

He was convicted in Colorado of raping a woman last September.

Tucson authorities charged Selby on Aug. 16, 2002, with one count of attempted murder, three counts of sexual assault, one count of aggravated assault and one count of kidnapping.

Bradley Roach, Pima County deputy attorney, has asked that the cases against Selby be consolidated into one trial.

Roach told Judge Jan Kearney that each case could take a week to try.

If the cases are tried together, forensics and DNA experts will have to testify only once, which will speed up the trial.

Selby is also wanted in Oklahoma, Nevada and California in connection with 15 sex crimes committed in the past four years.

All the attacks occurred in college towns.

The first assault near UA occurred on Oct. 3, 2001, on East Adams Street. Another took place on Oct. 31, 2001, on East Blacklidge Drive.

Selby was also charged with entering a home near North First Avenue and East Roger Road in January 2002 and sexually assaulting the resident.

The last sexual assault Selby was charged with occurred on May 30, 2002, near East 22nd Street and South Fifth Avenue.

After a nationwide manhunt, Selby was caught when he gave his name to hospital officials in the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., who recognized him from police photos.

Kearney will consider the consolidated trial request at an April 14 hearing.