MI - Two couples robbed, stripped, sexually assaulted, Detroit, 16 July 2015

[BetteDavisEyes]

I sure hope witness intimidation did not come into play.

Surely the victims were informed of the proper date and time to show up by LE ?

This is upsetting if the victims did not show due to lack of being informed or by some form of intimidation.

Uggggg. If they are guilty now they will be back on the street more empowered to do this again to someone else. This is upsetting to hear.

Local news reports seem to indicate that the "victims" have decided not to press charges. Witness intimidation is a possibility but unknown at this time. The case was dismissed without prejudice which means that charges could be brought again in the future.

 

[dotr]

Does that mean they had to collectively come up with $250k or each had to pay up?


http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...s-dropped-accused-detroit-gang-rape/31462093/

"The men had been arraigned on 13 counts of first-degree sexual assault as well as armed robbery and kidnapping charges. They were held on $250,000 cash bonds."

 

[bwt42]

Stay away from structures where someone could hide & carry a gun & be prepared to use it.

 

[~greeneyedgirl~]

I don't know or pretend to know the laws in the U.S., but why can't the state prosecute? The victims gave their report after the incident and there obviously was enough to arrest and charge these men in the first place, and that should be enough I would think. I'm so soRry for this couple and the other victims out there, I do think intimidation is the reason behind charges being dropped. Let's say that one party (the gentleman) didn't want to continue due to what occurred, the rape and maybe he feels ashamed or whatever (my opinion only NOT FACT), couldn't charges still continue with only 1 party (the female) ???
I don't know what occurred and why charges were dropped there could be many reasons they didn't show up. It really just saddens me, I'm sure the perps are laughing it up that they got away with it and will continue I'm sure as now they feel untouchable. Yes I know charges could be brought again at a later date but they don't care about that, their behavior shows they don't look to the future it's now and only now that they care about. Ugh this is so frustrating!!!


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[jjenny]

Alleged perps have a right to confront their accusers in court.
So how could the case possibly proceed if accusers don't show up in court?

 

[bluesneakers]

Alleged perps have a right to confront their accusers in court.
So how could the case possibly proceed if accusers don't show up in court?

The State should be the accuser, and the perps face the State in court.

It works in domestic violence cases, why not all cases of violence?

 

[sonjay]

The State should be the accuser, and the perps face the State in court. It works in domestic violence cases, why not all cases of violence?

Due process includes the right to cross-examine witnesses against you. Without testimony from the victims, there's almost zero chance of getting a conviction. It's possible to subpoena the victims and force them to testify, but that typically isn't seen as a winning strategy.

 

[bluesneakers]

Due process includes the right to cross-examine witnesses against you. Without testimony from the victims, there's almost zero chance of getting a conviction. It's possible to subpoena the victims and force them to testify, but that typically isn't seen as a winning strategy.

And then we get cases like this where someone rapes a woman and walks away without a trial. Who wins?

 

[jjenny]

The State should be the accuser, and the perps face the State in court.

It works in domestic violence cases, why not all cases of violence?

The right to confront accuser is a constitutional right.

 

[jjenny]

Due process includes the right to cross-examine witnesses against you. Without testimony from the victims, there's almost zero chance of getting a conviction. It's possible to subpoena the victims and force them to testify, but that typically isn't seen as a winning strategy.

And if any claims from the victim are presented at trail, without victim appearing, that would be unconstitutional. Even if there was a conviction, it would be overturned on appeal.

 

[bluesneakers]

The right to confront accuser is a constitutional right.

Then what can we do?

 

[Hatfield]

Then what can we do?

Unfortunately unless victims testify I suppose there is nothing that can be done.

It takes brave people to testify and in this particular case I am really thinking that they were threatened by perps or friends of the perps because GANGS I think were mentioned.

Gangs are notorious for threatening people if they are going to court. They are known to intimidate and threaten witnesses.

Its sad and terrifying and its easy to understand why victims would not want to testify if they get threatened that their house would be burned down or their families hurt.

I wish courts could protect the identity of the victims from the accusers. I think more could be done in that avenue. THe defense gets to learn their identities so it is very easy for the perps to find out who the victims are and where they live.

That is the part where improvements could be made IMO. Courts need to protect them better IMO.

 

[dotr]

The particularly weird behavior, imo, is that beyond the alleged assaults ect. the male victims were apparently forced to watch the s. assaults.
Usually when you hear about that sort of thing, it is a war tactic used to humiliate the victims and destabilize societies in third world countries, imo.

 

[katydid23]

The particularly weird behavior, imo, is that beyond the alleged assaults ect. the male victims were apparently forced to watch the s. assaults.
Usually when you hear about that sort of thing, it is a war tactic used to humiliate the victims and destabilize societies in third world countries, imo.

Some of our urban areas have become '3rd world countries.' IMO

 

[sonjay]

Then what can we do?

Well, for starters, we could stop making excuses for violent criminals.

We could stop vilifying the police, and start encouraging communities to help the police -- or at least refrain from interfering with them.

We could stop honoring and celebrating violent criminals.

We could stop pretending that lawlessness and mayhem are normal aspects of life in the city.

We could start encouraging people to obey the law, support their families, and live civilized lives.

We could stop inviting violent illegal aliens into our country and letting them run around loose even after they've committed multiple violent crimes.

We could stop turning people loose after they serve a small fraction of their sentence for violent crimes.

These violent criminals... the ones who attacked those couples ... I can almost guarantee this wasn't their first brush with the law. I can also almost guarantee they were allowed to plea to lesser charges and they weren't made to serve their entire sentence (if they even got sentenced to jail or prison), and they had plenty of people making excuses for what they did.

 

[PrairieWind]

There hasn't been very good reporting on this case in the media. The reports don't seem to indicate what the hearing was where the accusers didn't appear. I am assuming it must have been a preliminary hearing. By just dismissing the charges without prejudice, the prosecutor can sort of regroup and start over. However, they can't let it go on too long. We don't have many details, but this does hint strongly at witness intimidation.