Jack Kramer acquitted of raping Calgary woman in front of husband in 1995
Jack Kramer has been found guilty of break and enter with intent and possession of a weapon — but not guilty of the more serious charges of forcible confinement and sexual assault related to a 1995 attack on a woman in her home.
Provincial Court Judge Allan Fradsham cited reasonable doubt in his written ruling.
"I wish to be clear, I have grave suspicions that Mr. Kramer carried out these offences against the occupants of the acreage," he wrote.
"But I have a reasonable doubt as to whether there was another culprit at the acreage and whether it was Mr. Kramer who committed these offences."
Kramer was facing 14 charges relating to the 1995 attack. A woman was woken up in the middle of the night by a masked man with a knife, standing over her and her husband, as they slept in their home in the 1300 block of 69th Street S.W.
The accused tied up the husband in another room, then demanded money from the woman before raping her several times.
Testifying in his own defence, Kramer, 53, said he met two strangers while partying at the Stampede that night and the three of them decided to break into a home to get money to buy more alcohol.
They targeted that home, Kramer said, because he'd once done some lawn maintenance work there.
Kramer insisted he waited outside while the other two broke into the home.
He was arrested in 2014 when DNA testing linked him to duct tape used to tie up the woman's husband.
"It's a big victory for him. It means, in my opinion, he's been exonerated from these very serious accusations that were made against him," said defence lawyer Allan Fay.
"I feel deep sympathy for the victims. They went through a horrific experience and nothing that happens here in court is going to bring them any closure."
Kramer has been in custody for 30 months while the trial progressed, said Fay.
"I certainly will be arguing that he has served sufficient time to be released at this point."
A sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 13.
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