Former Missouri Speaker of the House Rod Jetton has admitted that he hit a woman in the face and choked her before and during a sexual encounter in November 2009. The admission came Thursday as Jetton agreed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor assault, the Southeast Missourian reported.
The 43-year-old Republican was facing felony assault charges, but the former political heavyweight won't be spending anytime in the slammer. He gets probation and has to write the victim a $950 check.
The assault victim had previously testified that she feared for her life during the assault. She said Jetton had dropped by her home with a bottle of wine. After one glass, she felt "very fuzzy," and Jetton made sexual advances, trying to pull off her pants, but she resisted
him and told him no. Then he started hitting her. The woman testified that she went in and out of consciousness; she found her hands bound by a
belt and Jetton having sex with her.
Jetton and the woman were classmates in Charleston, Missouri, and
reconnected on Facebook months before the assault. In one newspaper report, the woman had first contacted Jetton to talk about her work with the Rape,
Abuse and Incest National Network and discuss legislative efforts on behalf of sexual-abuse victims.
Their relationship evolved into a sexual one, and the two established the safe word "green balloons." Jetton's accuser testified that she was
frightened the day after the alleged attack and recalled Jetton telling
her, "You should have said green balloons."
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