A man who admitted beating his wife while their three minor children hid in a closet was sentenced to a decade in prison for his actions in Caddo District Court Monday, October 11, 2021.
Christopher Michael Rapp of Shreveport, 30, allocuted before District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr., admitting to his actions of February 24, 2020. Rapp admitted he went to his estranged wife’s home in south-central Shreveport and attacked her after locking her in the master bedroom. Their children, aged 10, 8 and 4 at the time, hid in a closet while their mother was beaten. The 10-year-old called 911 and in a 14-minute call said his father was hurting his mother and had done so on prior occasions. Police arrived as the beating continued, kicked in the bedroom door and arrested Rapp.
Rapp pleaded guilty to one count of Domestic Abuse Battery With Serious Bodily injury, for which he received the maximum sentence of eight years imprisonment at hard labor. He also pleaded guilty to one count of Domestic Abuse With Child Endangerment, for which he was sentenced to two years imprisonment at hard labor. The sentences will run consecutively, for a total of 10 years. The state also secured permanent protective orders for the victim and the 10-year-old boy, meaning Rapp can never have contact with either of them again.
The victim did not want to prosecute because she feared retaliation from Rapp. The state proceeded, despite the victim’s lack of cooperation.
“These cases are important because domestic violence threatens our ability to keep families and communities safe,” Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. said. “We will continue to do all that we can to protect our victims and hold these abusers accountable.”
Rapp was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Britney A. Green and Ron Christopher Stamps of the Caddo District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit. He was defended by Shante Wells.
