Master Lockett is accused of victimizing 14 women

SEEKING JUSTICE IN COURT THIS WEEK. MASTER LOCKETT ON TRIAL FOR SEVERAL SEX CRIMES IN RECENT YEARS. THE WVTM 13, JON PAEPCKE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE FOR SOME TIME. HE’S LIVE FROM THE COURTHOUSE THIS EVENING. JOHN, HOW MANY CHARGES DOES LOCKETT FACE? 35 ALTOGETHER, IN FACT, TWO THIRDS OF THOSE ARE SEX CRIMES WHICH PROSECUTORS CLAIM HE CARRIED OUT AGAINST 14 DIFFERENT WOMEN. JONATHAN, ALSO KNOWN AS MASTER LOCKETT, IS ACCUSED OF RAPE, SEXUAL TORTURE, SODOMY, ATTEMPTED RAPE AND SEXUAL ABUSE. WE FIRST STARTED HEARING HIS NAME A FEW YEARS AGO FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY’S SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT, OR SACKEY TEAM. THEY’VE BEEN WEEDING THROUGH A MASSIVE RAPE KIT BACKLOG THAT DATES BACK DECADES WHILE GOING OVER MOUNTAINS OF SEX CRIME FILES. THEY CLAIM THEY WERE ABLE TO LINK LOCKETT TO A NUMBER OF VICTIMS. THEY SAY HE’S ONE OF 120 PLUS SERIAL OFFENDERS. THEY’RE RESEARCH HAS UNCOVERED. AND ONE OF THE WORST. TODAY, THE JUDGE AND ATTORNEY SPENT ALL AFTERNOON PICKING THE JURY FOR LOCKETT’S TRIAL. OPENING STATEMENTS ARE SET TO BEGIN TOMORROW MORNING AND THE TRIAL SHOULD LAST ALL WEEK, WE’RE TOLD. LOCKETT HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY. IN ADDITION TO THOSE 21 SEX CRIMES, LOCKETT IS ALSO FACING A HANDFUL OF OTHER FELONIES, INCLUDING KIDNAPING, ROBBERY AND THEFT. IN BIRMINGHA