‘Haidl three’ aren’t the only ones

It’s no consolation to him, but Allen Crocker can say that at least the “Haidl three” got exactly what they deserved. No more, and fortunately, no less.

In case you missed it, the Haidl three teenagers, now young men, got sentenced to six years in state prison for sexually assaulting an unconscious 16-year-old girl.

Their first trial ended in a hung jury. Between trials, in August of 2004, Crocker sat in Orange County Superior Court wearing the same type of jump suit ? an orange one that screams “I’m in custody!” ? awaiting sentencing in his own rape trial.

According to police, Crocker and a friend, Timothy Marino, drugged a 25-year-old woman and raped her. It was all caught on tape.

Marino is still at large. Crocker was convicted and sentenced to six years in state prison, just like the boys were.

Ironically, it has been pointed out to me more than once that had Marino not fled ? that is, had he stayed and corroborated Crocker’s story ? there is good chance that both would be free men today, even though the tape was made.

The story Crocker told, in a nutshell, was the same as that of the Haidl three, namely that the defendant consented to the sex.

It is no consolation to anyone that Crocker’s victim was an adult at the time of the crime.

By the way, the Newport Beach Police Department is still looking for Marino.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call (949) 644-3717. Marino, 43, is 5-foot-10, about 190 pounds, muscular, with brown hair and hazel eyes.