NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After nearly 15 years behind bars, a man convicted of raping 15 women in several Middle Tennessee counties is asking a judge to grant him a new trial.
Wearing shackles, Jason Burdick flipped through pages of notes as he testified in court. That name may not be familiar, but his description probably is — the wooded rapist.
"This selfish, heartless, inhumane criminal caused too much pain in our community," said then-Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas in 2008, when they finally captured Burdick.
Burdick was then convicted of stalking and sexually assaulting women dating back to 1994. He got the nickname for lurking in the tree lines of neighborhoods as he hunted down his victims. Burdick now argues he didn't get a fair shake during his multitude of trials in different jurisdictions.
"He was more concerned, it seemed like, to getting to trial, and that was it," said Burdick.
For a majority of his trials, Burdick was represented by attorneys Fletcher Long and John Herbison. Long and Herbison represented defendants in high profile murder trials of Janet March and Holly Bobo. Later, both attorneys would be disbarred by the Tennessee Supreme Court for matters unrelated to the Wooded Rapist case, but Burdick argues Long took the job for the wrong reasons.
"He specifically wanted to get on TV, on trial," Long said.
Burdick also contends Long persuaded him against testifying in his own defense.
"I was told I wouldn't be a good witness because I had witnessed before on a TV interview with a gentleman and he said I did a terrible job," said Burdick.
That gentleman was NewsChannel 5 Reporter Nick Beres. In an exclusive jailhouse interview, Beres asked Burdick if he committed the crimes.
"Absolutely not," said Burdick.
"When you hear them say you are, how do you feel?" asked Beres.
"Devastated...angry...mad...upset," replied Burdick.
Fletcher Long later testified that NewsChannel 5's interview had nothing to do with his former client not testifying.
"I don’t know if Mr. Burdick’s testifying would have helped him," said Long.
Ultimately, Judge Angelita Dalton didn't make a final decision on this case because she needed to hear from two more witnesses who weren't able to testify on Tuesday. Last year, NewsChannel 5 Legal Analyst Nick Leonardo said Burdick will likely remain in shackles for the rest of his life, given the abundance of DNA evidence in the case.
However, Judge Dalton could determine otherwise when the hearing reconvenes July 13.
