Guy C. Wong reported, Shaoqing Jack He, a former University of Memphis graduate student was acquitted Friday night February 21 of sexual battery involving another student. A Criminal Court jury deliberated nearly eight hours before returning the verdict in favor of Shaoqiang 'Jack' He. Guy C. Wong also reported, He's family's sad story were reported in The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), on July 23, 2001, The Memphis Flyer on October 17-23, 2002, and USA Today, Jan 24, 2003.
Here the story goes. He, 38, was charged after the student said he sexually assaulted her Oct. 11, 1998, in an empty classroom in Patterson Hall, University of Memphis. He did not testify, but defense attorney James Hodges argued there was no physical proof and the female student did not report the incident until a week later. A conviction on the felony charge could have resulted in He being deported to China.
Shaoqiang `Jack' He seeks the return of two things most dear to his heart: his daughter and his reputation. He denies trying to sexually assault a University of Memphis student in a classroom in 1998. The assault charge costed him his degree, his student job, and his 3-year-old daughter. For almost three years, He and his wife, Qin `Casey' Luo, 33, have bounced between Criminal, Juvenile and Chancery courts seeking resolution to a sexual battery charge and an end to what He and his wife call a "deception" that cost them their daughter. The couple voluntarily gave baby Anna Mae to Jerry and Louise Baker of Bartlett when He and his wife had severe financial and legal problems. They want their daughter back, but Juvenile Court left her with the Bakers pending the outcome of He's criminal case. The criminal case stalled after almost three years and three prosecutors.
He arrived in America six years ago with little knowledge of this country's cultural or legal system. Never in his life had he been accused or charged with a crime, He said. In Memphis, He took an apartment near campus on Mynders, and began working toward a master's degree in Management Information Systems. He was on full scholarship, with a stipend and part-time assistant's job in the computer laboratory at the Ned McWherter Library. In May 1998, He returned to China and married. That fall, Luo arrived in Memphis. On Oct. 11, He was working in the library when an older Chinese student who could speak little English asked for help with her studies. When he got off work three hours later, the pair walked across campus to Patterson Hall, where He often studied near his apartment. He said they studied, and talked, and the woman told him about her money woes and a husband who had left her. Her tuition was due, and she asked to borrow $500. He said he was concerned about the comments and told her he had to go home. Six days later, the woman and her husband told police He tried to rape her. The woman had waited for her husband to return from Atlanta before making the report.. But authorities declined to prosecute for lack of medical evidence or witnesses. Several weeks later, He and his wife claimed they were attacked by a man in a Chinese grocery on Summer. Luo, then seven months pregnant, was taken to the hospital for bleeding. The couple filed assault charges against the man, who they learned was the husband of He's accuser. The charges were later dismissed without He's knowledge. Luo gave birth on Jan. 28, 1999. She and the baby were very ill. He said a fellow church member told him her employer, Mid-South Christian Services, could take Anna Mae in foster care for a few months to allow his wife time to recover. The couple agreed to let the agency have their daughter for 90 days. In February, the baby was placed with the Bakers. In April, shortly before Anna was to return home, He was arrested on the sexual assault case he thought had been dismissed. After 90 days, Mid-South returned Anna to her parents, who decided they would send their daughter to China to stay with relatives. But He said Jerry Baker convinced them they could provide Anna Mae with better medical care here. The Bakers had to have legal custody so Anna could be put on their insurance policy, He said. Mid-South had withdrawn from the case at that point. He and his wife - who had never been declared unfit or neglectful of their daughter - signed the documents in Juvenile Court, but said they told the Bakers they wanted their daughter back, and believed she would be returned in a few months. They visited Anna often. But He said the Bakers made excuses when asked to return their daughter. Twice in the past 15 months, the couple petitioned Juvenile Court for Anna's return. But the court let her stay with the Bakers, pending the outcome of the criminal case.
The couple said they continued to visit their daughter throughout the fall and into January, when they said a dispute arose, police were called, and they were told to stay away. In May, He again petitioned Juvenile Court for the return of Anna Mae. Before the motion could be heard, the Bakers filed to adopt, alleging abandonment. In recent weeks, Juvenile Court has appointed an attorney for He and his wife, and Criminal Court has brought in a new defense attorney and an interpreter. (Source: Shirley Downing, The (Memphis, TN) Commercial Appeal)
Now that his criminal case is behind him, Guy C. Wong wrote. Donation is sought to help regain custody of his daughter, Anna Mae. Donations should be sent to Help Anna Mae Foundation , P.O. Box 382656, Germantown, TN 38183-2656.