Ex-WRKO talk meister’s fate up to Big Apple jury

Ex-WRKO talk meister’s fate up to Big Apple jury
By Jessica Heslam  |   Tuesday, March 22, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage

Photo by Mike Adaskaveg

A New York City jury is expected to begin deliberations today in the child rape trial of ex-WRKO radio gabster Reese Hopkins, who has been behind bars for two and a half years, a spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney said.

The fallen host is accused of sexually molesting a pair of 11-year-old girls in his Manhattan apartment in 2004 and forcibly raping one of them.

Attorneys for both sides delivered their closing arguments yesterday in New York State Supreme Court, where the two alleged victims testified for the prosecution.

One of the girls was the daughter of Hopkins’ companion, the other was the girl’s best friend.

At the start of the trial, prosecutor Rachel Ferrari said Hopkins molested the young girls at his Big Apple digs. Hopkins later raped the daughter’s friend, according to the prosecutor.

Hopkins has maintained he’s innocent. His attorney, David Cohen, did not return a phone call yesterday but said during the trial that the charges were false.

Hopkins is charged with two counts of rape in the first degree, two counts of sexual abuse in the second degree and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted.

Hopkins was arrested in October 2008 — just days after WRKO-AM (680) cut him loose amid budget cuts.

The former yakker has claimed that he turned down a deal from prosecutors to be released on time served if he pleaded guilty to a lesser felony charge and registered as a sex offender.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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