LOCK HAVEN -  Joseph Scott Rankinen, formerly of Jersey Shore, has again failed in his most recent attempt to overturn his 2017 convictions for rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, terroristic threats and indecent assault of a 12-year-old girl.

This time, the Pennsylvania Superior Court affirmed the March 2021 decision of Clinton County Court of Common Pleas Judge, Michael F. Salisbury, denying Rankinen a new trial.  Rankinen had filed a Post Conviction Relief petition in 2020 asking to vacate his convictions and order a new trial in the case. On March 5, Judge Salisbury denied Rankinen’s petition and request for new trial.

Among the claims raised in his petition, Rankinen argued that District Attorney Dave Strouse had made comments during his closing statements to the jury that were unfair to him because they referenced parts of a 2016 interview that Rankinen gave Trooper Matthew Sweet after he was arrested. Rankinen claimed the comments by Strouse deprived him of a fair trial and that his trial attorney should have objected and a mistrial should have been granted.

In their Memorandum Opinion, The Superior Court agreed with Judge Salisbury that the comments made by DA Strouse were not improper, and furthermore, that the evidence presented against Rankinen was so overwhelming at trial that the DA’s comments did not have any effect on the outcome of trial.

Rankinen has not yet begun to serve the 30-year sentence imposed following the verdict as he continues to serve a 20-year sentence imposed for a 2011 sexual assault of a 4-year-old boy.