Earring found at alleged rape site

A forensic scientist testified in Long Island yesterday that an earring was found at the scene of the alleged rape of an Irish J1 student in August 2013.

Suffolk County Criminal Court Judge Barbara Kahn also heard that the young woman’s dress and underwear were nowhere to be found in the immediate aftermath of police being called to investigate a reported incident at 1 Clover Leaf Lane in East Hampton, New York.

Jennifer Tripoli, of the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory, analysed the summer house rented by Jason Lee, a former Goldman Sachs executive who is accused of rape and sexual assault, and carried out a search during the afternoon of August 20, 2013, hours after the alleged attack.

According to both the prosecution and the defence, the alleged victim, her brother, and two friends met Mr Lee and a friend of his at a nightclub in East Hampton before the six headed back to the luxury summer house to continue socialising with two other local men.

The student was working elsewhere in the US for the summer and was visiting her brother in Montauk, Long Island.

It is alleged that Mr Lee attacked the Irish woman in a downstairs bathroom.

Ms Tripoli testified that a number of “questionable substances” were detected using an alternative light source which were taken away for forensic testing.

The clothes and underwear in question would eventually be mysteriously posted to the the District Attorney’s office seven months later.

“No explanation where they’d been, who had it or what was done with it,” according to Ms Kelly.

The defendant, who has pleaded not guilty, opted for a non-jury trial.

The case continues today.