EDMONTON CANADA May 12 2013 - A Safeway security guard was found not guilty Friday of sexually assaulting and confining a teenage girl he caught shoplifting in 2010.
A jury acquitted 37-year-old James Allan Carlson on six of seven charges against him, but could not decide on a verdict on the remaining charge of extortion. On that final charge, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice June Ross declared a mistrial.
With tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, Carlson stood and hugged his lawyer, then members of his family, before he left court.
Carlson caught the 15-year-old and her friend stealing chocolate bars and tampons from the Westmount Shopping Centre grocery store on July 15, 2010.
He testified that the girl was very upset and fearful Carlson would report her.
“She begged me not to tell her parents,” he told the jury. “She started to cry. She was nearly hysterical.”
In particular, Carlson recalled, the girl was scared her father might beat her for the crime because she told him her dad had been abusive. Carlson said the girl pushed up the sleeve of her sweater to show him a bruise she said was from her father. In her testimony, the girl denied ever having a bruise.
“She said her father has hit her before and pushed her around. I felt bad for her. I really did.”
Carlson then worked out a deal with the girls, he said. The second teen would take the blame and have her parents called while the alleged victim would be free to go.
When she asked for a ride to that school, he said yes.
“In hindsight, it was a mistake,” Carlson said about letting the girl in his car. “I shouldn’t have done it.”
Carlson then dropped the girl off and “that was it,” he said.
“At no time did I ever touch her.”
The girl claimed that Carlson repeatedly asked her for oral sex as part of the deal, then rubbed her leg while they were in his car. She also told the jury that he forced her to expose her breasts.
The Crown prosecutor’s office can attempt to re-try Carlson on the extortion charge at a later date, if they choose.
Carlson was found not guilty of sexual counsel of a child, sexual assault, unlawful confinement, sexual contact with a child, kidnapping and procuring a youth for sex.
A jury acquitted 37-year-old James Allan Carlson on six of seven charges against him, but could not decide on a verdict on the remaining charge of extortion. On that final charge, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice June Ross declared a mistrial.
With tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, Carlson stood and hugged his lawyer, then members of his family, before he left court.
Carlson caught the 15-year-old and her friend stealing chocolate bars and tampons from the Westmount Shopping Centre grocery store on July 15, 2010.
He testified that the girl was very upset and fearful Carlson would report her.
“She begged me not to tell her parents,” he told the jury. “She started to cry. She was nearly hysterical.”
In particular, Carlson recalled, the girl was scared her father might beat her for the crime because she told him her dad had been abusive. Carlson said the girl pushed up the sleeve of her sweater to show him a bruise she said was from her father. In her testimony, the girl denied ever having a bruise.
“She said her father has hit her before and pushed her around. I felt bad for her. I really did.”
Carlson then worked out a deal with the girls, he said. The second teen would take the blame and have her parents called while the alleged victim would be free to go.
When she asked for a ride to that school, he said yes.
“In hindsight, it was a mistake,” Carlson said about letting the girl in his car. “I shouldn’t have done it.”
Carlson then dropped the girl off and “that was it,” he said.
“At no time did I ever touch her.”
The girl claimed that Carlson repeatedly asked her for oral sex as part of the deal, then rubbed her leg while they were in his car. She also told the jury that he forced her to expose her breasts.
The Crown prosecutor’s office can attempt to re-try Carlson on the extortion charge at a later date, if they choose.
Carlson was found not guilty of sexual counsel of a child, sexual assault, unlawful confinement, sexual contact with a child, kidnapping and procuring a youth for sex.