VAN NUYS : Trial to Begin in Shooting-Rape Case

A jury was sworn in Wednesday and opening statements are expected this morning in the trial of a city traffic enforcement officer accused of shooting two people and raping his estranged girlfriend before holding police at bay during a three-hour standoff.

A Superior Court jury will begin hearing testimony against Troyal (Troy) Lee Sims, a 30-year-old North Hollywood man who is charged with three counts of attempted murder, forcible rape, kidnap for sexual purposes, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and making terrorist threats.

Prosecutors say Sims began a daylong crime spree on Aug. 30, 1992, when he entered a house in the 11000 block of Hesby Street in search of his estranged girlfriend.

She was not there, but Sims used a 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol to shoot two people at the residence, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Linda Acaldo. A third person escaped injury.

Sims is also accused of abducting his former girlfriend at a nearby house, taking her to the beach near the Santa Monica Pier and raping her.

Sims was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department SWAT team nearly 20 hours after the incident.

Defense attorney John E. Sweeney said Wednesday that “self-defense is going to be a big issue” during the trial. He also disputed the rape charge, saying the sexual encounter between Sims and the alleged victim was consensual.