Key Witness Agrees to Testify in Sex Trial of Rep. Reynolds

CHICAGO —  Beverly Heard, the key witness in the sexual assault trial of Rep. Mel Reynolds (D-Ill.), has finally agreed to testify in the case, her lawyer said Friday, and she will be called to the witness stand Monday.

Heard, 19, was poised to testify Friday. But after cross-examination of another witness dragged on into the late afternoon, prosecutors decided to delay calling her rather than have her testimony begin Friday and then be interrupted by the court’s weekend break. She will remain in the Cook County jail on a charge of civil contempt of court until she testifies.

Last year, Heard accused Reynolds, 43, a former Rhodes scholar who is married and the father of three children, of initiating a sexual affair with her in 1992 when she was 16. But in January, Heard recanted that story and has refused to cooperate with prosecutors since then.

Heard has been in jail since July 26 because of her refusal to testify. Her resolve appeared to have been broken by a warning issued Thursday by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Fred Suria Jr. He ordered her held on the civil contempt charge until Aug. 16 and said he would decide then whether to charge her with criminal contempt.

Reynolds, a two-term Chicago Democrat, is charged with criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and obstruction of justice. He faces up to 86 years in prison if convicted.