A 20-year-old woman charged in connection with the alleged rape of an 18-year-old woman in Yellville now has a court-appointed attorney, according to filings in Marion County Circuit Court.
Dezarae Manson, charged with rape, sexual assault in the second degree, and coercion, filed a sworn affidavit of indigency on July 21 seeking representation by a public defender. In the affidavit, Manson reported no income, no assets, and no fixed residence. She also listed two children, noting that neither lives with her. Circuit Judge Andrew S. Bailey approved her request for a public defender on August 3.
Court records indicate that Manson had initially shared legal representation with her co-defendants in the case: Steven M. Manson Jr., her stepfather and allegedly also her boyfriend, and Steven L. Manson Sr., her step-grandfather. In late July, the attorney representing all three, Little Rock lawyer Eugene P. Clifford, filed to withdraw from the cases citing a conflict of interest under Rule 1.7 of the Arkansas Rules of Professional Conduct. The conflict reportedly stems from Manson’s decision to cooperate against her co-defendants.
According to filings, prosecuting attorneys provided their case file to the Public Defender’s Office on July 28, shortly after Clifford’s motion to withdraw. Deputy Public Defender Steven Grady has since filed motions on Manson’s behalf requesting evidence preservation, disclosure of any prior crimes the state plans to present, and other discovery materials.
Manson’s legal situation contrasts sharply with her co-defendants', both of whom have retained private counsel. Steven Manson Jr. and Steven Manson Sr. are represented by attorney Jack Lofton, who has filed extensive discovery requests on behalf of his clients. Manson, meanwhile, faces the charges with the limited resources typical of an overburdened public defense system. A discovery motion filed by Grady includes typographical errors and boilerplate language referencing traffic checkpoints unrelated to the case.
Documents also shed light on the personal cost to Manson of leaving her family. The affidavit states that prior legal fees for Clifford’s services were paid by the Manson family. Without family support, she now faces financial hardship as well as legal challenges. Arkansas law requires indigent defendants to pay a $400 public defender user fee, even for those with no means to pay.
The charges against the defendants stem from a March 7 report filed with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. According to earlier reports, Dezarae Manson is described as having been groomed by Steven Manson Jr. since she was 15 years old. All three defendants face Class Y felony charges, which carry potential sentences of 10 to 40 years or life in prison if convicted.
Court records do not yet list a trial date for Manson, who remains out on bond. Steven Manson Jr. is scheduled for a jury trial on February 10 following preliminary hearings early next year. Steven Manson Sr. has a status hearing set for October 13. Judge Bailey indicated in August that he plans to keep all cases on the same timeline, leaving the order of trials up to the state.