Man accused of serial rapes enters plea

Gretchen Hoffman

PASADENA -- An Altadena man authorities say raped women in La

Crescenta and Pasadena pleaded not guilty Thursday morning in Pasadena

Superior Court.

Clifton Hutchins, 34, is charged with four counts of forcible rape,

five counts of burglary and one count each of possession of cocaine and

prowling.

Hutchins, who is being held at North County Correctional Facility on

$4.4 million bail, is set to return to court April 23.

He was initially arrested by Glendale Police on Nov. 7 onsuspicion of

a prowling in La Crescenta, but was freed on bail.

The next day, police officials sent word to Hutchins that they had

evidence linking him to an Oct. 16 rape in La Crescenta and that he

should turn himself in, officials said.

In November, L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca announced in a press

conference that officials had DNA evidence linking Hutchins to the rapes.

That evidence wasn’t delivered to defense attorney Michael Zimbert

until Thursday, Zimbert said. Prosecutors received the evidence about a

week ago, he added.

Prosecutors could not be reached for comment.

“These results were talked about a long time ago, but no one’s seen

anything until [now],” Zimbert said. “It’s very, very suspect. This

entire case is suspect.”

Zimbert said his client’s surrender spoke volumes and was the “action

of an innocent person.”