Jury Finds Tulsa Man Guilty Of Raping Two Women

A jury found Francis Armah guilty of choking and raping two women. Closing arguments wrapped up just before noon Friday at the Tulsa County Courthouse, and the jury returned with their verdict a few hours later.

The victims were 65 and 22 years old. They say Armah choked them and raped them violently.

Armah first said it wasn't him, but after DNA tests came back, he testified the women came on to him, then framed him. The prosecutor told the jury: you're either sitting in front of a serial rapist or the unluckiest man in the courthouse.

The jury decided he was a serial rapist. They sentenced Armah to life in prison without parole.

Police say Armah was driving around town last year and saw the first victim at a bus stop, offered her a ride, took her on some errands, then bought liquor and drove her to the Marriott parking lot in South Tulsa.

She says he pinched her nose closed and forced her to drink the liquor, a lot of it. She says he took her to her apartment where he choked and raped her. 

A month later, police say Armah offered a ride to a mentally ill woman, bought liquor, then took her to the Doubletree parking lot, where he also choked and raped her.

Armah claimed he was the victim of the womens' sexual aggressiveness. He denied it, then claimed they were drunk, crazy, even a prostitute, who framed him.

Prosecutors say this was no frame up job, that the evidence backed up the women. Records show Armah is an ex-con with four previous convictions for DUI related crimes.

His attorneys say these were hook-ups, the women felt jilted and were getting back at Armah, but the jury didn't buy it. Prosecutors with the special victims unit say they're glad to get Armah off the streets.

They say he's a predator who hunted down women who made for vulnerable prey.

The 49-year-old Tulsa man was found guilty of four counts of first-degree rape, kidnapping, rape by instrumentation, forcible sodomy and larceny.