Jury Recommends Life Sentence For Tulsa Man Convicted Of Rape, Kidnapping

A jury took less than 90 minutes to find Christopher Cardwell guilty of kidnapping and rape Thursday.

We interviewed the victim in this case last August, right after the attack. She told us how Cardwell wrapped tape around her hands and face, beat her, strangled her, raped her, then begged her not to tell anyone.

But she did tell, and Thursday, she cried when she heard the verdict.

8/29/2012 Related Story: Unregistered Sex Offender Accused Of Raping Tulsa Woman

Katie still had cuts and bruises on her hands, elbows and knees, when she told us last fall about the night she was terrorized and brutalized by a man she knew. She said she'd gone out with Cardwell a couple of times before.

She said they got together on August 25, 2012, and he invited to show her where he worked. She agreed, but she said when they arrived, he grabbed her from behind, knocked her to the ground. She said he then duct taped her mouth and hands, beat her, strangled her and raped her.

She said she screamed and fought back and ultimately begged him not to kill her.

Cardwell was arrested and pleaded not guilty. But his attorneys called no witnesses and provided no evidence, in the course of the trial.

It didn't take long Thursday for the jury to find him guilty on two counts of first degree rape and one count of kidnapping.

Then, in the punishment phase, the jury was allowed to hear about five of Cardwell's previous felony convictions--three in Oklahoma and two in Texas, including failing to register as a sex offender.

With the prior convictions, the jury could sentence Cardwell anywhere from 20 years to life without parole for the rape, and from 20 years to life for the kidnapping.

Prosecutors argued, given the brutality of the attack and his past record, the jury should go for the maximum sentence.

The jury deliberated from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and sentenced Cardwell to life in prison without parole for each rape count and life on the kidnapping conviction.