Attack suspect served 12 years for rape

The man charged in the October attack of an evening student had been released from prison nine months earlier, after serving 12 years for rape, and was working at a nearby senior citizens home at the time of his arrest, officials said. Keith Vivett, 28, of West Philadelphia was released from Harrisburg's Camp Hill Penitentiary in January, according to prison employee Gloria Reardon. He was an employee at Ralston House, a senior citizens home at 3615 Chestnut Street, when he was arrested for the car-jacking, robbery, sexual assault and shooting of the 25-year-old student, according to University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich. Ralston House administrator June Griffith said she did not know much about her employee, who served meals at the home. "I'm new to my job here, and he was here when I came," she said. "We try to screen as much as possible. I really can't say anything about him." Working at the Ralston House gave Vivett the opportunity to learn the neighborhood, and the patterns of people in the area, Kuprevich said. It also gave him an excuse to be in the area. The Major Crimes Unit of the Philadelphia Police Department had even considered investigating students as suspects in the case, because they felt the assailant knew the area very well, University Police Sgt. Joe Risoli said last night. In the October incident, Vivett abducted the woman at about 9:50 p.m. while she was walking to her car in a lot at 34th and Chestnut streets. She was robbed of $7, and driven to an abandoned house at 13th Street and Girard Avenue, where she was sexually assaulted and shot in the face. She was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she was treated for injuries, including a bullet graze to the cheek. She was released later that day. Vivett was arrested on November 2 in New Jersey after state troopers chased him for 75 miles. He was driving the woman's 1985 red Honda at the time. Vivett may also be linked to the gunpoint abduction of a 55-year old former University instructor on October 19 at 36th and Ludlow streets, police said. In that incident, the woman was robbed and forced to drive her assailant to 12th Street and Girard Avenue, one block from the sexual assault of the student. In the rape for which Vivett served prison time, he was convicted on charges of "involuntary deviant sexual intercourse and attempted rape," his parole agent Chantal-Lise Mirman said Friday. And, prior to his arrest in the first rape, he had a history of "escalated offenses: arson, purse-snatching [and] auto theft," she said. In January, Vivett was paroled because there was no "outstanding" reason that he should not be, she added. "He was not paroled at his first available date because of misconduct in the prison," Mirman said. "It wasn't that they were really bad misconducts, but there were so many of them, basically not complying with the authority figures there. "There wasn't a reason not to [give him parole]. He was incarcerated young, and he had completed some stress/anger things and sex programs in the prison." Since Vivett's release this year, Mirman said, he had not had run-ins with the law, except for being caught once smoking marijuana. "He was in counseling." Mirman said. "He didn't have any non-compliance problems, but emotional problems – things like depression." Vivett was to be on probation until 2003.