Man sentenced to 11 years to life for attempted murder in 1989 assault on San Mateo woman
A man who raped a San Mateo woman in and slit her throat from ear to ear was sentenced Friday to eleven years to life in prison nearly five years after he was revealed by police using DNA innovation prosecutors commented Related Articles Inmate s death at Redwood City jail investigated as homicide Hearing officer finds cause to remove San Mateo County sheriff from office Person of interest sought in Half Moon Bay stabbing Seven individuals arrested on suspicion of involvement in San Jose jewelry store smash and grab Three men arrested on suspicion of child sex crimes following Menlo Park undercover operation John Harris Jr a -year-old resident of Manteca was at large for more than years until investigators were able to link DNA left at the scene of the crime with DNA he left on an envelope he licked and sealed It s a spectacular feeling and we re so happy for this victim noted San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe This victim throughout those years perpetually kept in contact with the police She s one of the strongest casualties we ve ever encountered and she reliably made sure we were still paying attention Harris initially pleaded not guilty but later pleaded guilty to all charges open meaning there were no sentencing limitations at a hearing in September that would have assigned his circumstance to a jury trial prosecutors announced He pleaded no contest to a charge of attempted murder with enhancements for premeditation and deliberation use of a knife and infliction of great bodily injury and a charge of aggravated mayhem with enhancements for use of a knife prosecutors stated For both charges he admitted to serious and violent felony accusations At a hearing Oct the victim appealed the judge to impose the maximum sentence on Harris which San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Sean Dabel agreed to do on the grounds that Harris s acts were committed for sexual gratification or compulsion prosecutors revealed Wagstaffe added that the victim gave a very strong comment at the hearing She is a very strong person who has survived this and is a wonderful example of not letting a rapist take advantage of her Wagstaffe noted She is stronger than her rapist and so we were very pleased and proud that we were able to bring justice to her Harris will also have to register as a sex offender for life prosecutors added Harris s defense attorney Marsanne Weese did not respond to a request for comment The victim has requested restitution of more than million which will be considered by the court at a later date prosecutors explained Harris was years old when he broke into the victim s house in the middle of the night on March as she slept prosecutors explained He proceeded to rape her stab her slit her throat and threaten to stab her in the eye The victim tried to reason with him telling him that she had not seen his face and that he could disable her phone and leave and he fled the scene Police communicated to the home on the block of Casa De Campo in San Mateo around a m prosecutors added Harris was a neighbor of the victim and though police interviewed other neighbors they did not speak with him Harris s seminal fluid was uncovered during a forensic exam after the attack and he left behind a scarf with his DNA on it prosecutors disclosed Police submitted Harris s DNA for testing intermittently for years and there was certainly a match in December The DA s office and police were led to Harris s family using DNA mapping techniques and they were able to isolate Harris as the suspect by matching the DNA with that left on an envelope he licked to seal prosecutors explained Harris was arrested in Manteca in Harris will be eligible for parole after eleven years but Wagstaffe added that his office will be there at every parole hearing to oppose I don t think he should ever get out Wagstaffe announced We would much have preferred a longer sentence but that s the law
