CAPE MAN SENTENCED TO TWO LIFE TERMS

NEW MADRID -- A Cape Girardeau man got two life sentences plus an additional 22 years in prison after being found guilty of raping a woman and beating her boyfriend with a hammer at their Cape Girardeau apartment.

Demarcus Wright, 19, was sentenced Tuesday by New Madrid County Judge Fred Copeland, who ordered the sentences run consecutively.

Wright and Shondale K. Tipler, 20, were convicted of breaking into an apartment west of Kingshighway near Independence Street in July with the intent of raping a woman whom they had seen once before on the street, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor's office said.

After Wright and Tipler broke into the apartment, the woman was taken to the bathroom. The two men raped and sodomized her, police said.

Tipler and Wright were charged with one count each of forcible rape, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, first-degree robbery and armed criminal action. Tipler also was charged with one count of forcible sodomy.

Tipler had pleaded guilty to forcible rape and agreed to testify against Wright, so prosecutors dismissed the other charges. He was sentenced in April to 20 years in prison.

Wright received life in prison for forcible rape and armed criminal action, 15 years for burglary and seven years for the assault charge.

In sentencing Wright, Copeland had followed the jury's recommendation following the trial on April 13. The decision to have the sentences be carried out consecutively was Copeland's.