Former ICED EARTH Guitarist Denies Raping Delaware Student

Thundercracker

"Maybe I wasn't thinking clearly,"

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 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.

Motley Crue

Thundercracker wrote: »

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

Personally, I think this guy is in serious trouble regardless of whether it was rape or not, his lifestyle is to be questioned. And I think that attaching the name Iced Earth might be 'officially' correct but will now associate people (like parents) to disapprove the band based on the false belief that one of their guitarists is a rapist.

The man clearly had as little to do with the band as possible and yet this moniker is attached. I mean, the new Sebastian Bach album features two former members of Iced Earth, should we say the album is half Iced Earth?

Thundercracker

Motley Crue wrote: »

The man clearly had as little to do with the band as possible and yet this moniker is attached.

True, Jon Shaffer just likes his session players I guess

Motley Crue wrote: »

I mean, the new Sebastian Bach album features two former members of Iced Earth, should we say the album is half Iced Earth?

Whose the two former Iced Earth players on Sebastian's new album? I heard that Bobby Jarzombek was involved but sure he's been playing drums with Sebastian Bach for years

Motley Crue

Thundercracker wrote: »

Whose the two former Iced Earth players on Sebastian's new album?

On bass you can include Steve DiGiorgio who joined in 2004, its just that he hasnt recorded anything with Bach yet, but this is a tight unit because the band on Angel Down have been playing together for over 3 years

Thundercracker

Motley Crue wrote: »

On bass you can include Steve DiGiorgio who joined in 2004, its just that he hasnt recorded anything with Bach yet, but this is a tight unit because the band on Angel Down have been playing together for over 3 years

I had no idea DiGiorgio was with Bach, thats cool, hes a great player

Motley Crue

Thundercracker wrote: »

I had no idea DiGiorgio was with Bach, thats cool, hes a great player

Yeah I saw him last year with Bach when they supported Guns N Roses in England. You can check a great quality video of the band performing a track from the new album entitled American Metalhead here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GU7SdnXGdM

Back on topic, I think Carletti is a good guitar player but that wont save him in court, it looks very bad being honest. You can check out a guitar solo at the following location;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FfOHyTu-PI

Thundercracker

gwenusian wrote: »

I knew Ernie. I would have to agree that he is arrogant. I remember him propositioning me for sex when I was seriously dating his friend. It was along time ago but I remember how creepy it was that he called me when my boyfriend was at work. I have no doubt that he could have done something like that.

This is a posting taken from YouTube.com by someone who claims to have known him

GhostInTheRuins

I agree with Motley Crue, it's a shame to have him associated with Iced Earth, considering he never did a single thing with the band. If the headline read "Naughty Naughty Guitarist Denies Raping Delaware Student" no-one would care (Naughty Naughty being a band he actually had involvement in)

Motley Crue

D.T. Jesus wrote: »

I agree with Motley Crue, it's a shame to have him associated with Iced Earth, considering he never did a single thing with the band.

True true, if hes convicted, or even if hes not you'll prob hear a rumour for many years to come now that the Guitarist in Iced Earth raped somebody and thats why my Mom disapproves of me listening to the band or something, I think that Schaffer did a good job in getting rid of him when he did but I dont think it was fast enough for the media to cop on

GhostInTheRuins

Motley Crue wrote: »

True true, if hes convicted, or even if hes not you'll prob hear a rumour for many years to come now that the Guitarist in Iced Earth raped somebody and thats why my Mom disapproves of me listening to the band or something, I think that Schaffer did a good job in getting rid of him when he did but I dont think it was fast enough for the media to cop on

Exactly. Sometime last year I was at a gig in town and started talking to some guy about bands and stuff, and eventually Judas Priest came up. The guy said it was one of those bands he never got into but was going to get some of their albums untill he heard one of the guys in the band was arrested for having kiddy porn or something. I never heard about it, so I told the guy he must've been mixing them up with some other band, because if that happened I would have heard about it because JP are one of my favourite bands. So anyway, A few days later I remembered about it and did a quick search online, and it turns out some session drummer they used on one of their albums in the 80's was arrested for something along those lines. That's the type of thing these headlines can produce, it's a shame really.

Otis Driftwood

I always thought Iced Earth were poo anyway.

GhostInTheRuins

nedtheshed wrote: »

I always thought Iced Earth were poo anyway.

That's not exactly the point now is it?

Otis Driftwood

D.T. Jesus wrote: »

That's not exactly the point now is it?

Its called a joke man.
Lighten up!

Motley Crue

nedtheshed wrote: »

Its called a joke man.
Lighten up!

I should hope its a joke because I personally love Iced Earth, I play Glorious Burden in rotation almost every week on my CD player regardless of what else I buy

Thundercracker

D.T. Jesus wrote: »

That's the type of thing these headlines can produce, it's a shame really.

Speaking of which, does anyone know where that story bout Iron Maiden hating Ireland and burning the tricolour on stage ever came from? Cause I cant imagine that ever really happened?

Fallen Seraph

Thundercracker wrote: »

Speaking of which, does anyone know where that story bout Iron Maiden hating Ireland and burning the tricolour on stage ever came from? Cause I cant imagine that ever really happened?

Well I know that they're rather adamant about waving their union jack at Irish shows. But indeed. I'd like to know where that story comes from. They've really never come across as the malicious type.

Thundercracker

True True, I think I've found an answer, but its so shocking it deserves its own thread