Greenwood Man on Trial for Sexually Assaulting Girls

A Caddo Parish man accused of sexually assaulting two sisters under age 13 in on trial  in Caddo District Court.

34-year-old Paul Lee Bedgood of Greenwood, is charged with aggravated rape of a juvenile under age 13 and sexual battery of a juvenile under age 13. The alleged crimes happened between 2006 and 2016.

Jury selection has wrapped up in District Judge Brady D. O'Callaghan's courtroom. The final panel consists of four men and eight women.

Things got started quickly with opening statements. The state presented seven witnesses by the close of court. Testimony continues today.

Bedgood, who is distantly related to the victims, faces life imprisonment if convicted as charged of the rape, that term to be served at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. The punishment for a sexual battery on a victim under the age of 13 years, when the offender is 17 or older, is imprisonment at hard labor for not less than 25 years nor more than 99 years, with at least 25 years of the sentence to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.