After two days two days of jury selection and testimony, the state was still presenting evidence Friday afternoon against Floyd "Butch" Webb, who is charged with raping his adopted daughter.

Assistant District Attorney Will Dunn read off 12 counts of, "unlawful and intentional" sexual offenses against Webb's adopted daughter-four counts of aggravated sexual battery, two counts of rape of a child, two counts of rape and four counts of incest.

Dunn began opening arguments by telling the jury what they were going to hear throughout the trial.

"[The victim] will testify that what was happening scared her ... then confused her," Dunn said.

Dunn said Pam Webb married Floyd Webb when the victim was about eight years old.

"She was proud that Webb was going to be her father. It was going smooth until she was nine-then it changed," Dunn said. "One day Webb came home and Pam was asleep. But he didn't go to his wife's bed, he came to her bed," Dunn said.

Dunn continued to inform the jury how Webb molested his daughter from the time she was eight years old and how she pretended to sleep while he did it.

"It happened several more times that month, but [Webb] told her not to tell anyone-to keep it secret," Dunn said.

He said that Webb homeschooled his daughter and kept her away from friends and even her mother.

He said a nurse would testify that a pelvic exam would reveal sexual activity.

Public Defender Jeff Harmon then addressed the jury.

"What are the three scariest words a man could hear? He touched me," Harmon said.

"When you point a finger, accusations must mean guilt, but we need proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Proof at this trial simply is not there," Harmon said.

Harmon said Webb's wife encouraged him to homeschool their daughter. He said that the child was thrilled about the adoption and couldn't wait for her last name to be Webb.

"Those are not words of someone being molested," Harmon said.

Harmon said Webb and his wife were having money problems, and while refinancing their home, Pam was moving checking accounts out of Webb's name and after closing on their home, the allegations came up.

Harmon said after the allegations Webb moved to Mobile, Ala., with his sister and brother-in-law, who is a pastor. After three or four months, Webb got home sick and came back home. While Webb was in Alabama, Dayton Police Investigator Chris Sneed requested an interview, and Webb agreed. He went to the interview, was cooperative and told Sneed and a Department of Children's Services investigator that he would never molest the child, because she is his daughter.

"I did not do this, she's my daughter," Webb said.

Harmon said Webb didn't understand why his daughter was claming this. Harmon also said that police gathered bed sheets, a bathrobe and a bed spread and sent it to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Nashville.

"Every piece came back negative," he said.
The prosecution continued to call witnesses Friday until about 4 p.m. County Clerk Fine said the jury may hear closing arguments Friday night, but said the judge would probably allow the jurors to eat dinner before deliberating.

Sarah B. Hodge can be reached at shodge@xtn.net.