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Would-be rapist gets 13 years By Chris Bristol A Medford man who confessed that he attacked two women last year with intent to rape has been sentenced to 13 years in prison. David Pennisi, 31, was sentenced Friday for grabbing a 20-year-old woman from behind as she walked in the dark on Table Rock Road and then attacking a maid at a local motel a week later. He was captured moments after the motel attack, and police quickly linked to him to the earlier incident. In both cases he told police he meant to rape the victims. In both cases he fled when they fought back. Prosecutor Karen Loomis praised the victims for their courage. "You have to size up what�s happening at that moment and, hopefully, make the right decision," she said. "In both cases, the victims thought they had a fighting chance." "Down here we don�t get too many stranger rapes," she added. "None of them are good, but stranger-to-stranger rapes are really scary." Pennisi pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree burglary for the motel attack. At the conclusion of a short bench trial, he was convicted of second-degree kidnapping and attempted first-degree rape in the attack on the pedestrian. He also pleaded no contest to a charge of second-degree sexual abuse in connection with a third case that occurred shortly before the two attacks. In that case, Pennisi was accused of repeatedly forcing himself on a fellow patient at an adult foster home. The attack on the pedestrian occurred the day he was transferred to a new group home in the Table Rock Road area. Pennisi told police he attacked the women because he had "nothing else in life." A court-ordered psychiatric evaluation concluded he had mental problems but was not delusional or insane. "It appeared he intended to just keep on going until he was arrested," Loomis said. "That was his goal. That and committing rape." Trial judge Patricia Crain handed out a total sentence of 156 months � 70 months mandatory for kidnapping plus 86 months for the other convictions � and 10 years of post-prison supervision, or parole. Under Oregon�s Measure 11 law, Pennisi has to serve the entire 70-month sentence for kidnapping; he can get up to 20 percent off the balance for good behavior. Given his intent, Loomis said she is nervous about what could happen when Pennisi is released. "Let�s just hope he comes out not wanting to go back," she said. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA