In just one short lifetime, Mark Rathbun has been arrested, held
or charged on 73 felonies in two states.
He has been found guilty of 67 felonies, predominately crimes against women.
Provided he and behaves himself in prison, and that further
advancements in DNA technology don’t link him to other unsolved crime scenes,
we can expect Mr. Mark Rathbun to be a free man after 1136 years plus ten life
terms, or sometime around 3864.
7/15/04
A post office clerk, an ethics adviser and a secretary hooked on the "CSI" crime series were among the 12 jurors chosen on this date. Juror # 1 was an industrial specialist for the U.S. Department of Defense. When asked what he thought of Mark Rathbun's appearance, he replied, "He has a pleasant demeanor from where I’m sitting.” Mark Rathbun glanced at his attorney with the hint of a smile. Juror # 7, a customer service representative, described Rathbun as "decent." Juror # 11, an outpatient coordinator for Veterans Affairs Medical Center, described Mark Rathbun as "well-dressed." Defense attorneys dismissed some people who had taken advanced classes in statistics or science, including a San Pedro nurse, an occupational therapist and an aide to a Los Angeles City Council member who recently studied DNA in college. Mark Rathbun’s female attorney said she was looking for jurors who could ignore what they had previously learned about DNA and weigh only the evidence presented to them in court
7/22/04
During the trial Alice Edith Rathbun, mother of Mark Rathbun, was charged with contempt. A $100,000 bench warrant was issued.
7/22/04 The $100,000 bench warrant was recalled.
8/2/04 (circa)
Testimony at the trial was expected to wrap up this date.
After the prosecution closed its case the defense presented forensic consultant Dr. Elizabeth Johnson in an attempt to counter and dampen the damaging testimony of several DNA experts presented by the prosecution. Johnson’s testimony was designed to lessen damage from witnesses who used astronomical numbers to rule out anyone but Mark Rathbun as leaving DNA at the crime scenes. Testimony was interrupted several times as prosecutors objected on a basis of irrelevancy. Judge Joan Comparet-Cassani dismissed the jury and then criticized the defense for its "far-flung attempt to introduce evidences from other cases that is not relevant."
8/4/04
Second Amended Information is filed against Mark Rathbun. There were 64 Counts alleging crimes against 14 unidentified female victims.
8/10/04
Fifty-nine guilty verdicts were returned on the Second Amended Information.
9/15/04
Hon. Joan Comparet-Cassani ordered Mark Rathbun imprisoned for a total of 1,030 years, plus 10 life sentences, to run consecutively. He was given credit for 692 days already served. Additionally, he is given additional credit of 346 days for “good time / work time” days.
6/6/05
Seattle Detective Anthony Stevenson obtained a warrant from King County Superior Court Judge Gregory Conova for the person of Mark Rathbun to obtain a DNA sample in the form of buccal (cheek) swabs.
6/8/05
Detectives Anthony Stevenson and Grossman traveled to Imperial County California and sought the assistance of Officer Ronald Pegues, employed by the Imperial County District Attorneys Office, to obtain a search warrant from Imperial County Superior Court Judge Matias Contreras. Jodi Sass, Forensic Scientists with the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, subsequently determined that the DNA collected was a match to the semen left behind by Mark Rathbun. Sass was able to perform additional tests of the comforter and bed sheet from the first assault and was able to detect elevated levels of amylases, which is usually associated with saliva. From that amylases sample, Sass was able to determine DNA profiles to two different people, a minor DNA component belonged to an unidentified female, and a major DNA component matched to the reference sample from Mark Rathbun.
3/31/06
Seattle Police Detective Anthony Stevenson executed a Certificate of Probable Cause detailing the three 1996 Seattle rapes, crime scene investigation and the forensic investigation that followed.
8/23/07
California Court of Appeals vacated the sentence on Count 6. The judgment was otherwise affirmed, and the matter was remanded for resentencing.
9/16/08
Washington prosecutors were preparing to charge Mark Rathbun in King County Superior Court. Mark Rathbun was being represented by female attorneys Micheline Murphy and Evgeniya Mordekhova (of the Northwest Defender's Association) who anticipated prosecutors would try to admit Mark Rathbun's statements to Detectives Collette and Kriskovic (Rathbun confession) in violation of his Fifth Amendment and Sixth Amendment Rights. They filed a Motion to Suppress on this date.
9/23/08
King County Superior Court case number 06-1-03230-2, Amended Information filed this date. Mark Rathbun was further accused of committing the crime of Burglary in the First Degree on or about 5/13/96, Rape in the First Degree on or about 5/13/96, Burglary in the First Degree on or about 8/1/96, Rape in the First Degree on or about 8/1/96, Burglary in the First degree on or about 12/15/96, and Rape in the first Degree on or about 12/15/96. /s/ Sean O’Donnell, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
9/23/08
Judge Jim Rogers granted a motion restricting news media from filming any part of Mark Rathbun’s face during the Seattle trial proceedings. Additionally, Judge Rogers granted an order allowing Mark Rathbun to shave daily.
10/1/08
In the King County Superior Court criminal case against Mark Rathbun, a Second Amended Information is filed on this date.
10/31/08
In King County Superior Court, there were a total of 129 exhibits in the case including statements by Jane Doe A, Jane Doe B, Jane Doe C and a DVD of the deposition of Detective Dale Harper. Not all exhibits were presented to the jury. The jury trial found Mark Rathbun guilty of three counts of first-degree rape and three counts of first-degree burglary.
12/5/08
Mark Rathbun was sentenced to 100 years in King County Superior Court. Court costs were waived, however Mark Rathbun was ordered to have a Sexual Deviancy Evaluation and to follow treatment recommendations.
12/8/08
Judgment and Sentencing of Mark Rathbun was passed on this date for a total of 1,200 months to run consecutive with the Los Angeles sentencing. A Sexual Assault Protection Order was also granted prohibiting Mark Rathbun from having any contact with Washington victims Jane Doe A, Jane Doe B and Jane Doe C. The order will not expire until December 8th of the year 2199.
