STD at issue in Kane County predator case

A North Aurora man convicted of raping two young girls is citing his lack of genital warts in his bid for a new trial.

An attorney for Charles E. Granter, 63, says in recent a court filing that one of his client's accusers had the "extremely contagious" sexually transmitted disease and would have passed it to him if he raped her. He also argues the judge who convicted Granter failed to consider conflicting testimony given by the other girl's supporting witness.

Granter, who faces a mandatory life sentence, is asking Kane County Judge Allen M. Anderson to reverse his conviction or give him a new trial. He was scheduled for sentencing Tuesday, but it was delayed for a Dec. 4 hearing on the defense motion.

Granter was found guilty July 29 of two counts each of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child for raping two girls he knew who were both younger than 13. The abuse occurred over a period of nearly two years, from 2005 to 2007, according to court records.

In Granter's latest motion, the defense claims "evidence is sufficient, though not conclusive," that one of the girls had genital warts, while it's clear Granter "does not have any type of genital disease," nor does his wife.

The motion also argues that the other victim testified Granter picked her up at home before assaulting her, while a supporting adult witness testified the girl told her she was picked up at school.

In any case, the motion says, the "time frame ... was such that whether she was picked up at school or at home, the offense simply could not have happened."

Granter, who is being held in the county jail, faces a mandatory life sentence because the abuse involved two victims attacked on separate occasions.

Neither defense attorney Fred Morelli nor prosecutor Sam Partida could be reached for comment Wednesday.