Max Factor heir convicted
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from January 2003.
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Andrew Luster, who fled in the middle of his trial while under house arrest, was found guilty of 86 counts that included rape, sodomy, drug and weapons possession and poisoning. The jury deadlocked on one count of poisoning one of the victims.
The conviction could put Luster, the 39-year-old greatgrandson of Max Factor, in prison for life if he is captured. Prosecutors said Luster took the three women to his Mussel Shoals home in 1996, 1997 and 2000 and raped them after drugging them with gamma hydroxybutyrate, also known as GHB - or the date-rape drug - and liquid Ecstasy.
Luster was arrested in 2000 after a 21-year-old college student told police he had drugged and assaulted her. During a search of his home, authorities said they found videotapes of Luster apparently having sex with sleeping or unconscious women. Two women in the tapes testified at trial that District Attorney Tony Wold stands in front of a projected image of accused rapist Andrew Luster and points out his absence during closing arguments in Luster's trial. Photo: AP they willingly took drinks laced with GHB from Luster but never consented to sex. "I have never seen a piece of evidence that would equal the power of those videotapes," Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox said. "They are the most shocking and disturbing things that you will ever see."
The defence argued the sex was consensual, and that the women were pretending to be sleep to help Luster film pornographic movies. Luster fled Jan. 3, during a recess in the trial.
Judge Ken Riley commented that Luster's flight was well planned and he expressed regret for allowing the defendant to leave his home at times despite the objections of the prosecutor. "I made a mistake," the judge said. "I probably gave Mr. Luster an eight- or 12-hour head start on us. His disappearance was well-planned, well-financed and helped by some other parties." Outside court, defence attorney Roger Diamond urged his client to turn himself in.
"He has a very good case on appeal, but as a fugitive he has no right to appeal," Diamond said.
