Defense Says Deviant Sex Consensual
Published: Oct 29, 2005
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TAMPA - -- An attorney for Steven Lorenzo tried Friday to portray his client's sexual practices as kinky and deviant but consensual, as he cross-examined a federal investigator about a culture of sadomasochistic dominance and submission.
Lorenzo is standing trial on federal charges of sexually facilitated crimes of violence against nine men, including two Lorenzo is accused of killing, Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz.
Murder is not a federal crime, although state authorities have said they are preparing a case for possible prosecution after the federal trial.
The prosecution says Lorenzo engaged in an escalating practice of drugging and torturing men he met in bars or on the Internet and eventually linked up with a kindred spirit, Scott Schweickert. Schweickert faces trial after Lorenzo on similar federal charges. Both men also are charged with conspiracy.
Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Scott Albrecht spent Thursday and Friday introducing a series of photographs and videos to jurors, and reading with Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Porcelli from transcripts of Internet chats with various men.
In the chats read Friday, Lorenzo said things like, "He is a straight guy, had pictures of his girlfriend in his wallet. ... He is a perfect victim. ... I could have made him disappear and there would have been no trace."
In another conversation, he said, "I love taking a sub [submissive] for a long, extensive weekend of sheer hell. ... I always break the guy ... a blubbering mental case in the end. ... Unsuspecting, arrogant guys I've done it to in the past."
Defense attorney Donald Harrison elicited testimony from Albrecht that many of the instant message transcripts seized from Lorenzo's house involved conversations about consensual behavior that included drugs and bondage.
"People wanted to be submitted and constructionman, and domdude is the master," Harrison said, using two of Lorenzo's online identities.
"You're not familiar with the sexual appetites or other deviant behavior within the homosexual community," Harrison said.
Albrecht said he had "learned a lot" while investigating the case.
Harrison asked whether sadomasochism is more common in the homosexual community than among heterosexuals. In general, Albrecht said, "I couldn't give you an answer. Related to the defendant, yes."
