Trial of man for brutal rape begins

COUNTY, TONY ATKINS WESH 2 NEWS. So, this morning, the man accused of raping and mutilating a woman in Orange County is scheduled to go on trial. Bruce Whitehead is a registered sex offender who served decades in prison for a similar crime. While she’s Bob Hazen live at the Orange County Courthouse, Bob Whitehead has been attempting to represent himself in this trial. Yes, that’s right. He wanted to be his own attorney during the trial. Until a few weeks ago, but he finally agreed to have an attorney represent him. Testimony begins later today here. NOW IN 2022, BRUCE WHITEHEAD WAS TATTOOED WITH THE WORD “SACRIFICE” ON HIS FOREHEAD. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS HE PICKED UP A WOMAN HIKING WITH HER FRIENDS ON THE ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL AT SAND LAKE ROAD AND TOLD HER HE WANTED TO PAINT HER FOR, QUOTE, $850. SHE AGREEMENT, BUT THEN WHITEHEAD ALLEGEDLY DROVE HER INTO A PARKING LOT, MANAGED HER, BURNED HER WITH A CIGARETTE, BIT HER AND SLICED HER WITH A KNIFE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO STAB HER IN THE CHEST. THE VICTIM EVENTUALLY RESISTED HIM AND SURVIVED. NOW WHITEHEAD IS SET TO GO ON TRIAL FOR THIS ATTACK. HE Spent 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A SIMILAR ASSASSINATION IN DUVAL COUNTY IN THE 1980’S AND PROSECUTORS PLAN TO TELL THE JURY TODAY ABOUT THIS OLD CRIME AND EVEN HAVE THE VICTIM OF THAT 1980’S ASSASSINATION TESTIFY. WHITEHEAD HAS ALSO BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE IN COURT AND SOMETIMES SHOUTS AT HIS OWN LAWYER AND EVEN AT THE JUDGE. HE TRIED TO REPRESENT HIMSELF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIAL BUT FINALLY ADMITTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONDUCT APPROPRIATELY IN COURT AND HAS RETAINED HIS COURT-APPOINTED LAWYER. HIS TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH JURY SELECTION. HE IS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY

Trial of man accused of ‘brutally’ raping and mutilating woman begins in Orange County

Updated: 6:55 a.m. EDT, June 17, 2024

A man accused of raping and mutilating a woman in 2022 is scheduled to go on trial in Orange County on Monday. Bruce Whitehead, 55, is charged with attempted murder and sexual assault. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Whitehead picked up a woman who was walking with her friends on Orange Blossom Trail near Sand Lake Road and offered her $850 if she would let him “paint” her. They say she agreed, but Whitehead allegedly drove her to a parking lot where he raped the victim, lit her a cigarette, bit her and slashed her with a knife. Investigators say Whitehead also tried to stab the victim, but the blade slipped back into the handle and the victim was able to fight back before escaping. Whitehead is a registered sex offender who served 20 years in prison for a 1986 rape in Duval County. Prosecutors plan to instruct the jury about that crime in his current trial and have the victim of the previous attack testify remotely. Whitehead had tried to act as his own attorney until a few weeks before the trial began, but eventually agreed to let his attorney handle the case. Whitehead said he was “not adequately equipped” to conduct himself appropriately in court. Previous coverage: Orange County officials say they arrested man accused of ‘brutally’ raping and mutilating woman A man accused of raping and mutilating a woman in Orlando is reportedly trying to stop her from testifying.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

A man accused of raping and mutilating a woman in 2022 is scheduled to go on trial in Orange County on Monday.

55-year-old Bruce Whitehead is accused of attempted murder and sexual abuse.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Whitehead picked up a woman who was hiking with friends on the Orange Blossom Trail near Sand Lake Road and offered her $850 to let him “paint” her.

They say she agreed, but Whitehead allegedly drove her to a parking lot where he raped the victim, burned her with a cigarette, bit her and cut her with a knife.

Investigators say Whitehead also attempted to stab the victim, but the blade slipped back into the handle, allowing the victim to fight back and escape.

Whitehead is a registered sex offender who served 20 years in prison for a 1986 rape in Duval County. Prosecutors plan to tell the jury about that crime in his current trial and to interview the victim of the earlier assault remotely.

Whitehead had attempted to represent himself until a few weeks before the trial began, but then agreed to leave the case to his lawyer. Whitehead said he was “unable” to conduct himself appropriately in court.

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