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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; After jurors deliberated for about two hours, a Nanticoke man accused of rape was acquitted on all but two lesser counts.</p><p>Christopher Bates, 44, was released from prison on unsecured bail ahead of his sentencing.</p><p>Bates had been on trial this week for allegedly raping a woman three times at knifepoint on one night in November 2016 in Nanticoke. Her was facing 19 total charges.</p><p>But the jury found him not guilty on everything except a single misdemeanor count of simple assault.</p><p>Bates was also found guilty by the court on a 20th charge, a summary count of harassment by physical contact.</p><p>After the verdict was returned, Bates&#8217; attorney, Nanda Palissery, asked Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough to release Bates on bail.</p><p>Bates, who had been in prison since his arrest in November 2016, had already served more than the minimum sentence on the conviction, and he was about 10 months shy of the maximum possible term.</p><p>Assistant District Attorney Cara Lunell Solimine asked Vough to consider Bates&#8217; violent past &#8212; which includes a guilty plea to attempted murder charges in 1993 &#8212; and said there was significant concern for the victim&#8217;s safety.</p><p>Vough modified Bates&#8217; bail to $10,000 unsecured, much lower than his previous $100,000 bail. Unsecured bail means a person doesn&#8217;t have to post any money to go free.</p><p>Vough also ordered Bates, of Nanticoke, to have no contact with the woman.</p><p>&#8220;That means none,&#8221; Vough said.</p><p><strong>Inconsistencies</strong></p><p>In his closing arguments Friday, Palissery asked jurors to consider what he called numerous inconsistencies in the prosecution&#8217;s case.</p><p>Palissery focused on the woman&#8217;s story, which he said changed significantly between her initial statements and her testimony in court. Meanwhile, he said Bates&#8217; story remained consistent throughout.</p><p>&#8220;He had no untruths to remember,&#8221; Palissery said.</p><p>Palissery also asked jurors to be critical of elements of her story that he called nonsensical, such as Bates reportedly giving the woman the knife at the end of the alleged attack so she might &#8220;feel safe.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s really difficult to make up stories on the fly,&#8221; Palissery said. &#8220;And that one makes no sense.&#8221;</p><p>Meanwhile, Solimine reminded jurors of evidence that had been presented against Bates, who maintained it was consensual sex.</p><p>&#8220;The testimony by (the woman) is enough to prove it,&#8221; Solimine said.</p><p>&#8220;The law cannot be more clear: if you believe (her), the defendant is guilty on every single charge.&#8221;</p><p>After the verdict, Palissery was pleased.</p><p>&#8220;The defendant absolutely feels justice was done,&#8221; Palissery said. &#8220;He&#8217;s looking forward to getting on with the rest of his life.&#8221;</p><p>Bates will be sentenced on the two lesser counts March 9.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Rape suspect Christopher Bates, 44, Nanticoke, was acquitted of the most serious counts against him Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_bates.jpg</photo0><caption0>Rape suspect Christopher Bates, 44, Nanticoke, was acquitted of the most serious counts against him Friday. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Alleged rapist cleared on most serious charges, guilty of two lesser counts