Rape victim recants earlier testimony

An Antioch Township woman allegedly beaten and raped by the man she was living with recanted her earlier testimony Tuesday saying the sex was consensual.

Testimony continues at 9:30 a.m. today in the trial of Christopher Schneider, 37, who is charged with attempted murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault and aggravated domestic battery in the June 30, 2007 attack.

The 26-year-old victim's testimony Tuesday was a reversal of what she told police while being treated for a broken arm, a dislocated elbow and numerous cuts and bruises at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville a day after the attack, as well as in a sworn statement.

In her written statement, the victim said Schneider had threatened her life, put a saw blade to her neck and that the sex was non-consensual.

"I felt very pressured to write it," she said Tuesday claiming her statement was not voluntary.

"Because I was told that I was going to be in trouble for perjury and a couple of other charges that they can press against me."

The woman testified Tuesday she and Schneider drank two half-gallon bottles of Tequilla Rose that night before getting into an argument. She said she grabbed a kitchen knife and ended up in the couple's bedroom where she barricaded the door with her back up against it. The fight got heated to the point where Schneider beat the door down with a baseball bat, hitting her in the process, she said.

"We were both intoxicated that day," she said. "We were both hitting each other."

The victim said Schneider had duct-taped her arms together and taped her mouth, but eventually he untied her and the two made up and had consensual sex. She said Schneider dropped her off outside Condell's emergency room the next day where she underwent numerous surgeries to her arm.

Schneider later corroborated that story in his testimony during which he broke down several times.

The two tussled in the kitchen before the victim, whom he called his fiancee, ran into the bedroom, he said.

"I grabbed my son's bat that was lying on the floor ... started hitting the door," he said. "I was ignorant. I was mad."

Prosecutors say the victim was coached by Schneider over numerous telephone conversations the two had while Schneider was being held at the Lake County jail.

They allege the woman violated a court-ordered subpoena fleeing the state to avoid testifying against Schneider, who is the father of her four children and with whom she had lived for roughly 10 years.

She was arrested by Lake County Sheriff's police at her mother's home in North Vernon, Ind., and was being held at the Lake County jail pending completion of her testimony.

Jurors heard tape recordings of three of those conversations between the victim and Schneider.

In an April 2 phone conversation, Schneider could be heard saying, "If you don't come. If you don't show up, they got no case."

Prosecutors said there were more than 500 calls between the two and more than 80 hours of conversation in which they discussed how much money she should take, where she should go and how long she should remain out of town.

The victim had also visited Schneider in jail on several occasions.

Lake County Circuit Judge George Bridges admonished the victim for violating the court order.

"I sure hope you have learned your lesson from this," said Bridges releasing the victim from jail.

Bridges strongly encouraged the victim get counseling for her recent trauma and not to have any communication with Schneider.

If convicted of all the charges, Schneider could face 60 years in prison.