Houston Rapper Takes The Stand

Prosecutors To Cross-Examine Coy

HOUSTON -- Convicted Carlos Coy took the stand in his own defense Tuesday, addressing the jury that found him guilty of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl.

The same jury that convicted Coy, who is known as "South Park Mexican," on May 18 of sexually assaulting the girl at his southeast Houston home back in September, must now decide his punishment.

Coy testified that he never sexually assaulted the girl.

Defense attorneys urged Coy to not take the stand, but he insisted, according to officials.

Coy said on the stand that the eight women who testified last week lied to the jury when they all claimed that they had sex with him.

On cross-examination, prosecutors asked Coy about one of his alleged 14-year-old victims.

"When you dropped her off at junior high you didn't think she wasn't of age?" prosecutors asked Coy.

Coy testified, "No, I couldn't see the sign."

Prosecutors then asked, "You mean to tell me these girls are coming into court and committing perjury and lying about going to motels with you and having sexual relationships with you?"

Coy testified, "These girls are luring me. One of them and their mother were known as 'Lady and the Tramp.'"

"As he's told the jury several times, he's not a saint and he's not a perfect person and he's made some decisions in his life that he's learned from. Like you said, it may be bad judgment, but he explained exactly the situation from a truthful standpoint and I think the jury saw that," said Chip Lewis, Coy's attorney.

"South Park Mexican is not guilty of the crime that he's accused of. They've drug him through the dirt. They've drug everything they can possibly bring in on him. We believe the motive is money," said Sylvia Coy, the rapper's sister. "These people lie, cheat and steal for a living. They live off the welfare system and they make money off the workingman. I guess that's what they're teaching their children as well."

Coy faces a sentence from five years of probation to life in prison.

Prosecutors are hoping to send Coy to prison for life and have so far brought in eight women who testified that they had sex with him when they were 12, 13 and 14 years old.

Last week, some family, friends and fans of the rapper rallied with signs of support for him outside the courthouse.