Pennsylvania groom found guilty of assaulting bridesmaid 2 days before his wedding

STROUDSBURG, Pa. (TCD) -- A groom was recently found guilty of sexually assaulting a bridesmaid just two days before his wedding in 2019.

According to the Morning Call, the 29-year-old female victim told authorities that Daniel Carney forced himself on top of her in a locker room on Aug. 30, 2019.

Upon further investigation, the Morning Call reports state troopers were able to watch video surveillance showing Carney pulling the woman into the locker room. Text messages were reportedly recovered along with a phone call in which Carney apologized to the female victim.

In an interview, the victim reportedly told authorities the wedding party was rafting on the Delaware River, and most of the group had been drinking. The victim allegedly drank three beers and consumed one or two shots of vodka and remembers being heavily intoxicated.

Carney was allegedly asked to help the victim out of the raft into the parking lot, and she remembers being led away and walking toward the locker room. According to the Morning Call, the victim told authorities she remembers Carney biting her and grabbing her forcefully before she blacked out and woke up to Carney on top of her with her bikini bottoms off.

According to WNEP-TV, an emergency medicine doctor and a nurse who saw the victim spoke to the jurors and reported observing bruises along the victim’s body. As evidence, prosecutors reportedly provided photos and emergency room records.

The defense said the bruises could have been a result of the rafting trip, WNEP reports.

The bride’s maid of honor also testified and said the mood changed halfway through the rafting trip when Carney and his friends told the bridesmaid to flash other boaters for alcohol.

According to WNEP, the maid of honor said when they were all back from the rafting trip, the victim and Carney weren’t around. The bride had reportedly walked into the men’s locker room and witnessed Carney with the victim in the shower. The maid of honor saw Carney and his bride arguing after the incident, WNEP reports.

According to WFMZ-TV, on Thursday, May 12, after nine hours of deliberation, Carney was found guilty of attempted sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault without consent, simple assault, and indecent assault without the consent of others. However, Carney was found not guilty of attempt to rape an unconscious victim.

Prior to the trial, Carney was out on $100,000 bond, but the judge changed his bond to $75,000, WFMZ reports.

Carney’s sentencing is scheduled for July.

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