Cleotha Abston trial opens with victim testimony: ‘I didn’t want to die’
Cleotha Abston appears in court for his trial in Judge Lee Coffee’s courtroom April 9. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
“It seemed like forever,” Alicia Franklin said of her alleged rape by Cleotha Abston during testimony she gave on the first day of trial in the case.
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Alicia Franklin Cleotha Abston Shelby County Criminal Court Division 7 Judge Lee CoffeeJulia Baker
Julia Baker covers Memphis and Shelby County’s law enforcement agencies and is a member of The Daily Memphian’s public safety reporting team. A lifelong Memphian, Julia graduated from the University of Memphis in 2021. Other publications and organizations she has written for include Chalkbeat, Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent magazine and Memphis magazine.
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