Trigger Warning: Rape

Jury Convicts Man of Raping Coworker After 2023 House Party

NORFOLK, Va. — A jury convicted Eddie Lee Simon, 30, on Thursday of rape after he sexually assaulted a former coworker after a house party in 2023.

The victim and Mr. Simon had been friends and coworkers at a Norfolk bar for about two months prior to the incident. On the night of Oct. 27, 2023, the victim worked her shift at the bar and had plans to meet Mr. Simon and other friends at a house party. After midnight on Oct. 28, the victim arrived at the house party. Everyone was drinking alcoholic beverages at the party, and the victim had multiple drinks and nothing to eat before arriving. At some point during the party, Mr. Simon and his girlfriend got into an argument, the girlfriend left the party, and Mr. Simon proceeded to complain about their fight to the victim and other attendees. That was the last thing the victim remembered before she blacked out from the amount of alcohol she had consumed.

The next memory the victim had was of finding herself not at the house party but in Mr. Simon’s bedroom, which she recognized from brief visits with friends on two prior occasions. She told Mr. Simon she wanted to nap, and she set an alarm on her phone. Mr. Simon agreed for her to sleep on his bed, and he told her he would sleep on his couch. After the victim went to sleep, Mr. Simon raped the victim without a condom. The victim awoke to the rape, pulled away from Mr. Simon, gathered her belongings to leave Mr. Simon’s residence, and went home around 8 a.m. the morning of Oct. 28.

The victim went to a hospital later that day to undergo a sexual assault nurse examination (SANE). Mr. Simon contacted the victim that day to apologize and sent the victim videos from his home surveillance system showing him driving the victim to his residence and the victim stumbling while getting out of his car. Two days later, the victim reported the rape to police, and Mr. Simon told investigators that they had consensual sex. Based on their investigation, police charged Mr. Simon with the rape of an incapacitated person. Forensic testing of fluids collected during the victim’s SANE later confirmed that seminal fluid was present in the victim’s vaginal canal.

On Tuesday, Mr. Simon pleaded not guilty and opted to be tried by a jury. After hearing the evidence on Tuesday and Wednesday and deliberating on Thursday, the jury convicted Mr. Simon of rape as charged. Judge David W. Lannetti, who presided over Mr. Simon’s trial, set his sentencing hearing on July 25.

“Sex without consent, whether through threats or intimidation or by taking advantage of another person’s helplessness or unconsciousness, is rape, period,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “I am grateful to the survivor of Mr. Simon’s assault for coming forward, telling the truth, and helping the police and us hold Mr. Simon accountable. We will seek a fitting sentence for this crime, and we will continue to focus our resources on the individuals who hurt other members of our community.”

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Emily A. Woodley is prosecuting Mr. Simon’s case, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Phil Y. Bailey assisted Ms. Woodley at trial, and Norfolk Police Detective Richard J. Wampler led the investigation.

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