BOSTON — In a surprise move, Victor Pena, the Charlestown man accused of locking a woman in his apartment and raping her for days, took the stand in his own defense Monday.
It was the jury’s first glimpse of Pena.
During jury selection he committed a lewd act and was kept out of the courtroom for his trial.
On the stand, Pena spoke through an interpreter, but he repeatedly, and unexpectedly stood up in the witness box and gestured towards the jury.
At one point, he even lifted his shirt when he claimed arresting police beat him.
“They broke some ribs, my ribs are broken, you can see. I’m thin, I’m not fat!” Pena testified.
Video surveillance cameras in the area of Faneuil Hall recorded the moment on January 19, 2019 when Victor Pena first encountered the alleged victim.
She was alone, but earlier, had spent much of the night drinking at Hennessey’s bar.
More video shows Pena with his arm around the alleged victim.
The prosecution alleges he was directing her to the T, and to his Charlestown apartment, where he repeatedly raped her.
The alleged victim testified last week that she could not remember how she got to Charlestown.
But on the stand, Pena, wearing what appeared to be a rosary bead necklace, told the jury the intoxicated woman was immediately attracted to him.
“We kissed, she liked it, she was pleased and she said, you’re beautiful,” Pena testified.
Pena claimed he wanted to take the alleged victim to a hospital, but said she insisted going to his house.
Last week, the alleged victim testified Pena threatened to kill her and that out of fear, she did not fight back as she was repeatedly raped.
On the stand, Pena claimed it was consensual.
“We made love, which is normal,” Pena testified. “God tells us in this life to have relations.”
The prosecutor did not cross examine Pena.
A forensic psychologist called by the prosecution testified, that in his opinion, Victor Pena does not suffer from mental illness.
Closing arguments are set for Tuesday.
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