KINGMAN, Ariz. – A Kingman man accused of molesting his 9-year-old step-daughter fared no better at his second trial than he did at his first. A Mohave County jury deliberated less than an hour before finding 31-year-old Joseph Whaley guilty of child molestation on Friday, Jan. 20. Whaley insisted he was innocent when sentenced to 17 years in prison following his conviction at his first trial in the summer of 2009.“I’m not guilty of this. I didn’t do this. I would never do this,” Whaley said. He said his memory of the events in question was clouded because he drank about 20 beers, had several shots of hard alcohol and ingested four Vicodin pills. Finding fault with jury instructions, an Arizona Appellate Court set aside Whaley’s original conviction and sentence. A second four-day trial and swift deliberations produced a second conviction for child molestation.
Whaley faces a 10-24-year prison term when sentenced Feb. 17.
