Victim testifies in rape and beating case

The victim of an alleged rape and mutilation took the stand Tuesday to testify against the suspect. The trial of 55-year-old Bruce Whitehead began last week. He is charged with attempted murder and sexual assault for allegedly taking a woman who was walking with her friends on Orange Blossom Trail near Sand Lake Road to a parking lot and sexually assaulting her. Related: Trial of man accused of ‘brutally’ raping and mutilating woman begins in Orange County After days of testimony, the victim of the attack took the stand. She broke down in tears as she described the incident. She said, “He kept repeating, ‘If you scream, I’ll kill you right here and now.'” During a break in testimony, Whitehead burst into tears and asked the judge if he could apologize to the victim. He also claimed he had his own issues. “It’s like something’s not adding up all the time,” he said. “I’ve been trying to grasp it my whole life.” The judge wouldn’t allow that. “I’m not going to force her to stand in front of you and have you say something to her in a public courtroom,” the judge said. Related: Man accused of raping and mutilating Orlando woman allegedly tries to stop her from testifying When the victim took the stand again, she described the attack in more detail. She claims Whitehead said, “You know, I said I’m not going to kill you, but I’m going to chop you up a little bit.” The victim said Whitehead allegedly led her to a lumber yard and tried to bite off part of her body. When that didn’t work, she continued, he used a knife and she could feel her flesh tearing. She concluded her statement by describing how Whitehead allegedly forced her to perform a sexual act on him, burned her buttocks with a lit cigarette and attempted to stab her in the chest. When asked what she was thinking, the victim said, “I have to get back to my son, no matter what happened, no matter what happened. I have to get out of here. I can’t die tonight.” Closing arguments will be held Wednesday morning.