Court to rule in appeal of ex-Oklahoma cop convicted of rape

FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2016 file photo, former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw, is seen at a sentencing hearing in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals says it will issue an opinion this week in an appeal filed by Holtzclaw, who is appealing his 18 convictions and 263-year prison sentence. Holtzclaw was accused of preying on black women he encountered while on duty. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, Pool, File)

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma court is set to decide an appeal from an ex-Oklahoma City police officer convicted of rape and other sexual assaults in a case that became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement and a mobilizing cause for some conservatives.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals says it will issue an opinion Thursday in the appeal from 32-year-old Daniel Holtzclaw. He is serving 263 years in prison on 18 convictions. Prosecutors accused Holtzclaw of preying on black women he encountered on duty.

An AP investigation highlighting Holtzclaw’s case found about 1,000 officers in the U.S. lost their licenses for sexual misconduct over a six-year period.

Holtzclaw has maintained his innocence and is challenging evidence used against him, plus a “circus atmosphere” during his 2015 trial.

The Associated Press