Jessup v. State

Larry Gray Jessup was indicted by a Lamar County grand jury for rape and kidnapping with bodily injury. The jury convicted him of kidnapping with bodily injury, and he was sentenced to life in prison. Jessup contests the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the verdict, arguing that because his victim voluntarily accompanied him, his conviction should be reversed. The facts show that Jessup and the victim were husband and wife. The victim testified that on May 27, 1994, Jessup called and told her to meet him to go look at a house for rent. The victim, along with the couple's infant son, accompanied Jessup to the house, but upon entering, observed that ""someone was still living in this house."" The victim thereupon attempted to leave with the child, but testified that at that point, Jessup pushed her back into the house, pulled a small knife on her, and kicked her in the groin.