Man Who Sexually Assaulted Coma Patient Gets a Year in Jail

DETROIT  - 49-year-old Coell Lowman faced a judge Thursday, in trouble with the law for groping a helpless coma patient in her room at a Detroit nursing home. A worker caught him in the act and called police.

"He was there visiting his sister, (who) stays in the bed next to my mother," said Dave Thomas, the victim's son. "My mother's curtain was closed all the time, and I guess he went on her side."

Thomas wasn't in court for the sentencing and was glad because he does not believe justice was served for his 66-year-old mom, who suffered a brain aneurysm two years ago.

"My mother deserves a whole lot better than that, and the situation that she's in, she just didn't deserve that," Thomas said.

The prosecutor asked Judge Carole Youngblood to give Lowman one to 15 years in prison because he's a habitual offender, but the judge only sentenced him to one year in jail and three years probation.

"He really loves to sexually abuse, obviously, anybody who can't defend (themselves)," Thomas told FOX 2's Robin Schwartz. "He needs to be locked away for awhile because I do personally feel he'll probably do something again."

Lowman has a previous conviction for third-degree criminal sexual conduct that dates back to 1985. He served eight years in prison, and he also has convictions for larceny.

When he gets out, Lowman will be listed on the Sex Offender Registry and he'll undergo treatment.