NORFOLK, VA — A Norfolk jury has convicted 30-year-old Eddie Lee Simon of rape, finding that he sexually assaulted a former coworker after a night of drinking at a house party in late October 2023.
The verdict came Thursday after a three-day trial in Norfolk Circuit Court.
According to prosecutors, the victim and Simon were coworkers at a local bar and had known each other for about two months. On the night of October 27, they met up at a party after the victim’s shift. She’d had multiple drinks on an empty stomach and said she blacked out during the night.
Her next memory, she told the court, was waking up in Simon’s bedroom — a place she recognized from previous social visits. She said she told him she wanted to nap, set an alarm, and was told he would sleep elsewhere. Instead, she woke up to him raping her.
She left Simon’s home around 8 a.m. on October 28 and went to the hospital later that day for a sexual assault exam. Forensic testing confirmed the presence of semen in her vaginal canal.
Simon later texted the victim to apologize and shared surveillance videos showing her stumbling as he helped her into his home. When interviewed by police, Simon claimed the sex had been consensual. He was ultimately charged with raping an incapacitated person.
The jury convicted Simon after deliberating on Thursday afternoon. Judge David W. Lannetti scheduled sentencing for 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 after the conviction. “I am grateful to the survivor… for coming forward, telling the truth, and helping the police and us hold Mr. Simon accountable.”