Buie convicted of sex assault

By BRANDON LACIC

Sentinel-Standard editor

IONIA - Following closing arguments in the 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct case of James Buie, a jury required less than 20 minutes to return a guilty verdict against the 42-year-old Ionia resident Thursday morning.

Buie will now face a sentence of up to life in prison when he appears before 8th Circuit Court Judge Charles Miel for sentencing in six to eight weeks.

On Wednesday, the first day of Buie's trial, the jury was presented with evidence by a Michigan State Police forensic scientist that linked Buie genetically to the rape victim. The MSP technician described how a DNA sample from Buie matched the DNA found internally in the victim and on her underwear.

The jury also listened to emotional testimony from the victim, as well as a nurse and two investigators with the Ionia Department of Public Safety.

Buie now stands convicted of raping a then-13-year-old Ionia girl in the wellfields north of Ionia in November 2004. Buie forced the teenager into the back of his wife's van, where he held a screwdriver to her throat while sexually assaulting her. He later returned the victim to her home with instructions not to tell anyone. Within 24 hours, however, police had been notified and began an investigation.

Buie's defense attorney, Jeffrey Winters, tried to amplify to the jury discrepancies in the victim's testimony and in the collection of evidence. Buie himself took the stand Wednesday in his own defense, at one point turning to the jury and telling them, “Remember this face. Remember James Buie.”

In his closing arguments Thursday, Ionia County Prosecutor Ronald Schafer told the jury that they should remember James Buie.

“This is the face of a child rapist,” Schafer said.

Schafer also credited the IDPS for its work in the case.

“The department of public safety did a top-notch job on this case, in particular Officer Mike Cronk did an absolutely stellar job on this,” Schafer said.

Buie will also face several counts of criminal sexual conduct in Kent County, where he stands accused of a 2001 incident in which it is alleged he held several women hostage in their Grand Rapids home over a 12-hour period and sexually assaulted them repeatedly.

In an unrelated twist in the trial, a juror in the Buie case was arrested and taken to Ionia County Jail Thursday after he didn't show up for the remainder of the trial. The court attempted to contact the juror by telephone, and when he didn't respond an Ionia County Sheriff deputy traveled to his home. The deputy reportedly knocked on the juror's door for several minutes before he finally answered. When he was brought before the judge, he told Miel that he was annoyed that a deputy came to his house.