Former ICED EARTH Guitarist Denies Raping Delaware Student

Esteban Parra of The News Journal reports: A 32-year-old heavy metal musician on Friday (November 16) admitted to abducting a University of Delaware student in 2003, shackling her arms and legs then hogtying her at his Maryland home until she began crying.

Ernie Carletti (mug shot, promotional photo),however, testified he did not have a gun and he did not rape the woman.

"Maybe I wasn't thinking clearly," Carletti said about pulling the woman into his car May 22, 2003, then shackling her arms and legs and duct taping her eyes shut. "It was just part of the effect. I didn't say she wanted it, but she did not deny it."

Carletti, who is charged with rape, kidnapping and possession of a deadly weapon during a felony, testified in Superior Court in Wilmington, Delaware. He was calm throughout his 30-minute testimony.

Carletti — who joined ICED EARTH in June 2006 and didn't appear on any of the band's recordings or perform with the group before his September 2006 arrest — said he was driving to his Elkton, Md., home through Newark about 1:30 a.m. when he saw the woman at the South Chapel Street Burger King. Carletti testified the two started talking. When she approached the driver side of his car, Carletti said he pulled her into the vehicle.

The victim has testified that he had a gun, which he denied in court today.

As he drove off, he asked the woman: "Mind if I handcuff you?"

"I'm not saying it was courtship, but it is something we discussed," he said.

After handcuffing her, Carletti said he shackled her legs and put duct tape over her eyes and drove to his home.

When asked why he would blindfold her, Carletti said it was done for "effect."

Carletti said he then escorted the woman into his house and sat her on a couch, where there was a "little bit of talking, a little bit of caressing, a little bit of kissing."

Prosecutor Donald R. Roberts asked if she kissed him back, to which Carletti said he only kissed her on the cheek.

After admiring her in that position, Carletti said he gagged her mouth, placed her on a table and hogtied her. But he said he did not hoist her off the ground as she has testified.

He said he released her from this position after 3 to 4 minutes because she signified she was uncomfortable.

When asked if he thought being hogtied was painful, Carletti said he has previously been in that position and disagreed it hurt.

"No. Actually it is not painful," he said.

Watch Ernie Carletti performing a guitar solo: