Mark Curtis

Mark Stanton Curtis (born 1959) is a former member of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). Curtis was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 1988. Curtis was defended by the SWP's "Mark Curtis Defense Committee", which claimed that Curtis had been framed by the police due to his politics and his trade union activities. Curtis was convicted. Curtis was released from prison in 1995 and later expelled from the SWP.

History

Events of the case After work, Curtis went with his coworkers to a bar, Los Compadres, until 8:30. At 8:45, Curtis made a call from his home. At 8:51, police received a call from an 11-year-old boy that his sister was being sexually assaulted on the porch. Police arrived by 8:52 and arrested Curtis.

Curtis claimed that he was stopped at a traffic light when a woman approached him, said she was being followed, and asked for a ride home. Upon arriving at her house, Curtis claims that he accompanied her to the porch, at which point police came from behind, handcuffed him, and pulled down his trousers.

In 1993, the Morris family was awarded $80,000 in damages after suing Curtis. When Craine was released, the SWP declared victory and claimed "worldwide support" for Curtis. The SWP led a celebration under the banner "Mark, welcome back to the class struggle!"

In the late 1990s, Curtis solicited a prostitute, who was in fact an undercover cop. The SWP covered this up, then expelled Curtis from the party in 1999.