BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The friend of the alleged victim in the Colonial rape case trial took the stand today.

The woman testified that she was with the alleged victim in the early morning hours of November 27th, 2021, when her friend says she was raped and sexually assaulted by Ron Kweller and Jordan Rindgen.

We are not identifying either woman because they may have been victims of sex crimes.

Kweller and Rindgen were part-owners of the former Colonial Restaurant and Bar in downtown Binghamton that is no longer open.

The friend testified that she first met up with the defendants and a third man as they were drinking together at another downtown bar.
They eventually left and walked to 141 Washington Street which holds the office of Rent Bing, Kweller’s real estate company. On the way, she said that Rindgen stopped into Stone Fox, another bar owned by the men, to get wine for her to drink.

It was in the basement of Rent Bing where the rape and assault allegedly took place. However, the friend could not testify to any of that because she had been drinking so heavily, she doesn’t recall anything after first arriving at Rent Bing.

Prior to testifying, the friend answered questions from the judge about why she had not complied with a subpoena seeking her phone records. The defense has complained bitterly about efforts by both women to hide or delete evidence from their phones.

Some of the recovered texts indicate that the women questioned whether the sex was consensual.

Both men continue to maintain their innocence.

The trial will resume on Monday.