Former Pasco Cop Sets Defense in Rape Trial, Blames Accuser

As the jury is being chosen in the upcoming trial for a former Pasco Police officer, details about his defense strategy have come to light.

52-year-old Richard Aguirre is facing trial for a November 2014 alleged sexual assault at his West Pasco home. This is NOT related to the Spokane prostitute murder case to which he is reportedly linked by DNA.

Aguirre's attorney hopes to persuade the jury that his accuser is claiming he raped her because she was having an affair, and she didn't want it discovered. John Henry Browne says the woman was having an affair with another man, and is trying to use Aguirre as a scapegoat. He says she fabricated the story to cover up her extramarital activities.

Browne says the home she went to after she left Aguirre's house was that of her lover. She had spent a night at Aguirre's house, and claimed he sexually assaulted her.  Browne has also tried to argue that due to publicity, Aguirre cannot get a fair trial in Franklin County.

An attempt to move it to King County was rejected. So far, nearly half of the potential jurors questioned have been excused, some of them because of their beliefs about sexually related crimes, and having heard about the case. Once the jury is seated the trial will begin.