Charleston man gets 37 years in rape

Reprinted with the permission of The Post and Courier

By Schuyler Kropf

The 71-year-old woman fought off her attacker as best she could, tearing her fingernails into his face and chest. Under her nails was just enough DNA to identify him and, ultimately, send him to jail.

A 27-year-old Charleston man was sentenced Thursday to 37 years in prison for the rape and attack last year in the woman’s West Ashley apartment.

Lorenzo Cornelius Nesbitt pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, first-degree burglary and failure to stop for police. Prosecutors wanted a life sentence but Circuit Judge Lee Casey Manning said giving Nesbitt 37 years would both punish him and leave the door open for redemption.

Nesbitt said he pleaded guilty in hope of sparing the woman the pain of the trial.

“It was the worst experience of my life,” the woman said at sentencing. “I think this man needs to be put away for as long as possible.”

Nesbitt, who has a lengthy criminal record dating to 1996, broke into the victim’s Carriage Lane apartment in September of 2004, Charleston police said. He beat and robbed her. She survived by crawling out of the apartment after the attack. She was discovered by a neighbor.

Nesbitt was arrested a week later on an unrelated charge. When he was booked into the county jail, authorities noted his scratch marks and ran a DNA test.