Robert E. Grey

Nearly 17 years after the crime, a 41-year-old man charged with raping a Kansas University student in 1997 was found guilty Friday in the second trial in his case.

Robert E. Grey stood silently as the unanimous guilty verdict was read Friday afternoon following the second day of deliberation in the case of a May 11, 1997, rape that had once gone cold for a decade.

Speaking shortly after the verdict, Assistant District Attorney Eve Kemple said that while “a lot of people tried to make this case about a lot of things,” the case was always about the victim, who returned from Florida to testify a second time.

“She thought it was done once,” Kemple said. “She thought it was closed and she thought she could move on with her life. And all of it was reopened. I just hope this time it is closed, nailed shut. She deserves that.”

District Judge Michael Malone set Grey’s sentencing for June 20, and Grey’s attorney indicated that she would file motions before then. Depending on his criminal history, Grey faces between 12 and 54 years in prison.

Three members of Grey’s family were in the courtroom at the time of the verdict. As it was read, an older woman said, “No!” and put her face in her hands. Grey was silent throughout the hearing and tears streamed down his face as he was led out of the courtroom.

Grey’s 2009 conviction was overturned last year when a Kansas Court of Appeals panel awarded him a new trial after finding that prosecutorial misconduct had deprived him of a fair trial. After his first trial, Grey was sentenced to 26 years in prison for driving a Kansas University student from the parking lot of Naismith Hall and raping her in a secluded area near Lawrence High School.

The case went cold for 10 years until a fingerprint match was made in 2007 by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation between a small print found on the victim’s car and Grey’s fingerprint. Lawrence police arrested Grey after DNA testing of Grey matched a sample found on the victim during a sexual assault examination.

The second trial began on May 1 and closing arguments spanned late Thursday morning until about 1:30 p.m., when the case was turned over to the jury. The jury reached its verdict about 12:30 p.m., according to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office.

Grey’s attorney, Angela Keck, did not respond to messages left for comment after Friday’s verdict.