OTTAWA — A man convicted of kidnapping and trying to rape a Williamsburg teenager nearly 18 years ago will get his day in court – again. Ralph Corey, who has some formidable jail-house lawyering skills, is appealing his conviction again. A hearing on his appeal has been scheduled for Jan. 10 in Franklin County District Court. In his appeal, Corey quoted a defense expert who challenged the DNA evidence used to convict him. The expert testified that lab work by Kansas Bureau of Investigation technicians was sloppy and the results were inconsistent. Corey, who was serving time in Arizona, was brought to Kansas after a KBI cold case team matched his DNA to the Ottawa kidnapping. Corey was found guilty of kidnapping the 16-year-old girl from the Wal-Mart Super-Center parking lot and trying to rape her in the then-Country NMart parking lot in February 2000. Corey’s case has been marked by a mistrial and appeals. Following his retrial, Corey was sentenced to 35 years.
Thursday, Oct. 26, 5 p.m.
