Man pleads not guilty to 1997 rape

A man suspected in a rape that occurred 11 years ago entered a formal plea of not guilty during an arraignment hearing Tuesday in Douglas County District Court.

The 34-year-old man was charged last year for the rape of a female Kansas University student. He was being held in the Johnson County jail at the time on an unrelated case.

On May 11, 1997, a 21-year-old woman reported she was raped by a man after he forced her into a car in the 1800 block of Naismith Drive. Lawrence police and prosecutors said DNA evidence helped them link the man to the case.

The victim, now 31 and living in another state, testified during a January preliminary hearing. She has never been able to identify her attacker.

A trial date has not been set, but a motions hearing will be April 18. The suspect remains in Douglas County Jail on $500,000 bond.

The Journal-World generally does not print the names of sex crime suspects until they have been convicted.