GUILTY OH - Steubenville Rape Case, 11 Aug 2012 #1

[movielover]

I am sure that there are many honorable citizens in the Ohio Valley, but this case is so, so troubling. I know that men specifically can be so football crazy, but where are the honorable mothers, sisters, grandparents, friends and pastors?

And why won't her female classmates stand up for her?!?! There had to be young women at these parties.

From all of the accounts I have read, there were at least 20-30 individuals who were involved in this tragic night, and I pray to God that as many as possible are held accountable for their actions. If you count eyewitnesses, there were up to 69 or more?

I understand that there is no "Good Samaritan" law. I'm not a lawyer. But there are multiple criminal charges for the fellow conspirators and facilitators that might apply. These include:

- contributing to the del. of a minor
- furnishing alchohol to minors
- urinating on her - assault
- urinating on her - intentional infliction of emotional distress
- forced oral copulation?
- sodomy
- receipt of child
- assessory
- Mann Act - Amended in 1986 to apply to transport for the purpose of prostitution or illegal sexual acts; also used for "immoral behavior".
- failure to report a felony (Fed. U.S. Code, title 4), which includes obstruction / destroying evidence

Am I wrong?

To those asking about deleting information from computers - it is tougher than you think, and I think there is hope there. But I fear that most of the images / information was on iPhones and iPads.

I think if justice is done to the larger criminal activity here, Steubenville will look much better and may heal. If not, it will smell of cover up.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I am sure that there are many honorable citizens in the Ohio Valley, but this case is so, so troubling. I know that men specifically can be so football crazy, but where are the honorable mothers, sisters, grandparents, friends and pastors?

And why won't her female classmates stand up for her?!?! There had to be young women at these parties.

From all of the accounts I have read, there were at least 20-30 individuals who were involved in this tragic night, and I pray to God that as many as possible are held accountable for their actions. If you count eyewitnesses, there were up to 69 or more?

I understand that there is no "Good Samaritan" law. I'm not a lawyer. But there are multiple criminal charges for the fellow conspirators and facilitators that might apply. These include:

- contributing to the del. of a minor
- furnishing alchohol to minors
- urinating on her - assault
- urinating on her - intentional infliction of emotional distress
- forced oral copulation?
- sodomy
- receipt of child
- assessory
- Mann Act - Amended in 1986 to apply to transport for the purpose of prostitution or illegal sexual acts; also used for "immoral behavior".
- failure to report a felony (Fed. U.S. Code, title 4), which includes obstruction / destroying evidence

Am I wrong?

To those asking about deleting information from computers - it is tougher than you think, and I think there is hope there. But I fear that most of the images / information was on iPhones and iPads.

I think if justice is done to the larger criminal activity here, Steubenville will look much better and may heal. If not, it will smell of cover up.

I don't understand not charging them with kidnapping, conspiring to commit a felony....

 

[LisaB]

HEADLINE:
'Ashamed' teen who was taped laughing at horrific ordeal of Ohio teen 'raped by high school football team' apologises as he describes how his life has been ruined

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ate-16-year-old-apologises.html#ixzz2HhXOCPP3

Yeah, and we all just feel so sorry for him. WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIM?
To MN:
Your college scholarship is so gone, it's more gone than Pepsi Clear. It's so gone, it's as gone as my New Years Eve champagne. It's more gone than the Aztecs. It's soooo gone. It's as gone as contraceptive sponges. It's as gone as segregated schools. Yeah, bud, your college career is as over as disco.

 

[time]

I am sure that there are many honorable citizens in the Ohio Valley, but this case is so, so troubling. I know that men specifically can be so football crazy, but where are the honorable mothers, sisters, grandparents, friends and pastors?

And why won't her female classmates stand up for her?!?! There had to be young women at these parties.

From all of the accounts I have read, there were at least 20-30 individuals who were involved in this tragic night, and I pray to God that as many as possible are held accountable for their actions. If you count eyewitnesses, there were up to 69 or more?

I understand that there is no "Good Samaritan" law. I'm not a lawyer. But there are multiple criminal charges for the fellow conspirators and facilitators that might apply. These include:

- contributing to the del. of a minor
- furnishing alchohol to minors
- urinating on her - assault
- urinating on her - intentional infliction of emotional distress
- forced oral copulation?
- sodomy
- receipt of child
- assessory
- Mann Act - Amended in 1986 to apply to transport for the purpose of prostitution or illegal sexual acts; also used for "immoral behavior".
- failure to report a felony (Fed. U.S. Code, title 4), which includes obstruction / destroying evidence

Am I wrong?

To those asking about deleting information from computers - it is tougher than you think, and I think there is hope there. But I fear that most of the images / information was on iPhones and iPads.

I think if justice is done to the larger criminal activity here, Steubenville will look much better and may heal. If not, it will smell of cover up.

Great post - WELCOME!

Evidently localleaks/anon has received so many tips and such they are having a difficult time even organizing them.
Inside the Search for the Truth About Steubenville — 1,000 Tips at a Time

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/01/local-leaks-steubenville-files/60720/

But in a case where even the tight-knit city's police chief has "begged" witnesses to come forward, the group's anonymity has led to a flood of leaks — "well over 1,000" so far from in and around the city of 18,000, and between 50-100 more coming in each day. So far information on the case that was first published by LocaLeaks includes a detailed account of the alleged rape itself, as well as character profiles and damaging videos. The editor described the LocalLeaks workflow as "a bit chaotic and a work in progress at this point," and admitted that "we are actually having a difficult time even storing the leaks electronically." If storing the information is a problem, what about trying to confirm the tips? ...

....The editor added that his team was handling documents and photographs with "a sort of forensic analysis that we as hackers are pretty comfortable performing," but that so-called "testimonial leaks" were verified with multiple sources — and LocalLeaks has more sources every day. LocalLeaks's editor said that "For a particular fact to be determined to be true, it requires that enough material be leaked on it for us to be able to say with relative assurance that it is true."

I read another article on 'bystanders' that talks about that phenomenen. I think there's hope that many will learn from this experience and that the school (and other schools) will do a much better job of bringing these topics to the forefront so 'bystanders WILL step in and will immediately come forward should an incident like this happen.

Obviously, from the above, there are many who want to talk! I agree with you about possible charges and am not really buying some folks getting off the hook - if they do.

 

[LisaB]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/07/justice/ohio-steubenville-alleged-rape-case/index.html

Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla has confirmed that the video was shot at a different location from where the incidents occurred, and McNamara said the young man didn't know the alleged victim. Because he wasn't present and was acting on second- or third-hand information, the young man isn't involved in the investigation and hasn't been called as a witness, McNamara said.

I'm not going to call either MNs attorney OR Sheriff Abdala a liar, so I am guessing that it's just "coincidence" that the room in which MNs "rant" was recorded and the room in which the photo of the boys (one of whom has been positively identified as being one of the defendants; by his own attorney) carrying the girl by her hands and feet have a VERY similar shade of green paint. I mean, since MN was never in the "rape house" and the video was recorded elsewhere, that is.

First, let me apologize for quoting myself. However, in an article published on January 6th,

Mr McNamara insisted that his client had not been in the house at the time of the alleged attack but had arrived as the girl was being taken out of the house.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ate-16-year-old-apologises.html#ixzz2HhZi9x22
So now it appears that he WAS in the home where she was molested when he was videotaped cracking jokes... but not until she was leaving. How convenient. I guess they could not run the risk of having someone say they saw him at that house, or that party.

 

[believe09]

First, let me apologize for quoting myself. However, in an article published on January 6th,
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ate-16-year-old-apologises.html#ixzz2HhZi9x22
So now it appears that he WAS in the home where she was molested when he was videotaped cracking jokes... but not until she was leaving. How convenient. I guess they could not run the risk of having someone say they saw him at that house, or that party.

Or someone already did in the hearing. Perhaps it is in the complete record.

ETA: Step, by Step, by Step....first the defense atty positively id's the victim in the photo, now Mr N was in fact in the home, but was conveniently entering the premises as the victim was being carried out. Rethinking his taped rant in that context, thanks to his atty clearing up that item, makes me curious as to how he knew what he knew about the victim being sodomized. Clearly he had received a photo if he didnt see it himself. At least two members of his audience were disgusted by the details he was relating.

In any case, LE must know by some kind of digital timestamp when the video was recorded, right?

 

[LisaB]

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is now denying that the three witnesses, all of whom may have photographed or videotaped the alleged victim on the night in question, had been granted any such leniency by the court: "We've made no deals with anyone," he said. "We have offered nothing, made no promises to any witness in this case," DeWine went on to tell local WTOV. "No deals have been cut with anybody." The three boys were identified by the local Ohio press following the hearing on October 12 of last year as M*** C***, E*** W*******, and A****** C****, but their involvement with the alleged incident has been largely overshadowed by the presumption of an immunity deal.

In a letter to the three players just days before they testified against their friends and teammates, DeWine wrote that each player "may not have conducted himself in a responsible or appropriate manner, his behavior did not rise to the level of any criminal conduct.... Therefore, we will not prosecute your client for his actions on August 11-12, 2012."

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/01/steubenville-case-immunity-deal/60855/
Did DeWine contradict himself or am I reading this wrong?
Later in the SAME article:

the discrepancy over an immunity deal raises new questions: Who are the three witnesses, and what do they know about that night?

All three were named in the preceding paragraph. WTH?
Later, it again names the witnesses, and states that they "signed" an immunity deal":

He (C****) was an eye witness to at least some of the brutal attacks on Jane Doe. C**** decided it was in his best interests to sign an immunity deal with the prosecution, and as part of that deal he gave the following sworn testimony regarding the night of the attack.

W******* is a well known member of the “Rape Crew”, and the person who recorded the N******* video below. W******* has also turned states evidence, signing an immunity agreement with the prosecution and giving the following testimony under oath in this case.

 

[believe09]

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/01/steubenville-case-immunity-deal/60855/
Did DeWine contradict himself or am I reading this wrong?
Later in the SAME article:
All three were named in the preceding paragraph. WTH?

I have consistently been seeing the media updating the same story with new details-I get the feeling that no one is reading the whole thing for consistency or to clarify new info within the context of the story. JMO.

 

[time]

“This is not a crime” is how these acts are excused. That’s actually far from clear; Ohio does have a cyberharassment statute that might have applied in this case, subject to the First Amendment. But consequences needn’t be defined by the powers of law enforcement. On the level of expressing disapproval, there is no reason to simply shrug.

...It was, after all, these young men themselves who were so intent on making their cruelty public. That is what makes this so disturbing. Whatever else they did or didn’t do that night last August, these young men in Steubenville were performing for each other. Everything they did, they did together, in a group. It is no accident that they photographed it and they tweeted it. It was their choice to make it public.

...Every time a case like this comes out, it’s treated as a singular event. Yet there is at least one 16-year-old in Louisville, Kentucky, who can tell you it is not the first time it has happened, and she is hardly alone. The Internet ephemera engendered in these cases will not be recognized by the law as proof of sexual assault, perhaps, but these tweets and photos, as far as public discussion should be concerned, are proof of the flippancy and indifference with which some part of America greets the report of sexual assault. If you want to know why sexual assault is so difficult to prosecute, you needn’t look much further than that.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/01/the-lessons-of-steubenville.html

 

[Steely Dan]

Now I can see where this case has probably mortally wounded any dedicated LE who was involved in investigating it.

Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens all the time in big high school football towns. If you live in a town where high school football is taken very, very seriously, I'm pretty sure there's been some rape coverups. JMO

HEADLINE:
'Ashamed' teen who was taped laughing at horrific ordeal of Ohio teen 'raped by high school football team' apologises as he describes how his life has been ruined

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ate-16-year-old-apologises.html#ixzz2HhXOCPP3

Yeah, and we all just feel so sorry for him. WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIM?
To MN:
Your college scholarship is so gone, it's more gone than Pepsi Clear. It's so gone, it's as gone as my New Years Eve champagne. It's more gone than the Aztecs. It's soooo gone. It's as gone as contraceptive sponges. It's as gone as segregated schools. Yeah, bud, your college career is as over as disco.

:censored: I hate people like this! Where was the apology when the video was first put on the internet? He doesn't give a crap. His apology is as empty as Pamela Anderson's head. The only reason this :censored: is apologizing now is because it's "ruined" HIS life. I haven't even read the article yet, but the headline is probably a pretty good summation. I'll have to read the article to know for sure.

If he tells the FBI everything he knows, including any local police coverups and testifies against his friends, then I might believe his apology has a grain of guilt.

 

[LisaB]

OK... I have been wanting to post this "fact" for some time, but needed to find a link to support it. Last week, I read that the photo of the blue-shorts girl being carried was not taken on the night in question, and the subject is not the current victim. I am still not 100% sure, but I believe this indicates that.

Turns out it was the LocalLeaks site, which said: "Examine these two photo’s, one posted by S******* to his Instagram account and the other posted to Twitter by another member of the “Rape Crew” closely. These images are of another unknown victim of the “Rape Crew” published by S******* in 2011."

One of the photos referenced it the one which shows two boys carrying the unconscious girl. The second photo is of a girl wearing EXACTLY the same shorts and top as the girl being carried.

 

[hollyjokers]

I'm not familiar with The Atlantic Wire other than staff writer, Richard Lawson, who writes recaps about Homeland & other tv shows. With regards to this story, it seems to parrot everything from the local leaks blog without sources, IMO. Even another writer who linked to it questioned the unverified information.

 

[movielover]

In 2009, there was a similar rape in Richmond, California. A young girl (15) was near a school dance at night, was offered booze, and was then attacked by a pack of young boys and men. I think about 6 are in various legal proceedings, and it is estimated that 20-30 were witnessed / participated in the crimes. There were supposedly cell phone recordings made, but never recovered. She was raped and beaten fo 2 1/2 hours.

A local 18-year-old young lady heard about the attack from her boyfriend, and immediately called the police.

They are both gruesome events, but I think the parallels are relevant.

1) They charged the two teens in this event as adults. Morales was just sentenced one hour ago; 16 at the time, he got 27 years in prison.

"I think you're aware that what happened that night, and what you did and what you failed to do in getting help for the victim...is almost inconceivable...she was so dehumanized," the judge told the defendant.

2) The rapist (Ortega) who initiated the attack got 32 years.

3) Criminal charges in this case:
- rape in concert
- penetration with a foreign object
- forced oral copulation in concert

4) Even in the super-liberal area of Northern California, this sparked outrage.

One quote from Wikipedia, from local San Francisco writer Chip Johnson: "The attack shocked the community and the nation. Local media said that the act "crossed the boundary of civilized behavior."

"Any group of young men who could carry out such an attack on a defenseless, intoxicated student are nothing more than a roving pack of vicious animals, and in a civilized society, vicious animals are put down."

5) Richmond High School inspired the movie "Coach Carter", about a coach who took a higher moral stand, and canceled his basketball's teams games when student-athletes grades slipped. (Football coaches in Ohio might want to watch that DVD.)

Questions I have:

i) I've read a few tidbits where race may be a factor here. I thought only one of the two charged was African American. Or are both AA?

ii) Were these 2 thrown under the bus for racial and economic reasons?

iii) I thought she was transported to 3 parties, but then I recently read 6!? Is that true?

iv) How many FBI are in Steubenville? A handful, or a lot?

I hope websleuth's will accept these 2 links.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/teen-sentenced-2009-richmonf-high-homecomng-gang-r/nTs75/

2009 Richmond High School gang rape - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Steely Dan]

One more thing I've been meaning to add. How does anyone know she was drunk vs. GHB'd?

 

[time]

I'm not familiar with The Atlantic Wire other than staff writer, Richard Lawson, who writes recaps about Homeland & other tv shows. With regards to this story, it seems to parrot everything from the local leaks blog without sources, IMO. Even another writer who linked to it questioned the unverified information.

Aren't the articles always referring to this is what localleaks says when it has to do with something they said, etc. How is that any different than saying this is what Abdalla says? I think The Atlantic is a fairly well respected news source. I've read various articles on there for years

"The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in 1857 in Boston...The magazine's founders were a group of prominent writers of national reputation, who included Harriet Beecher Stowe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Ralph Waldo Emerson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., John Greenleaf Whittier and James Russell Lowell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (wiki)"

 

[believe09]

One more thing I've been meaning to add. How does anyone know she was drunk vs. GHB'd?

It is clear that LE thinks she was, and so do most of us I suspect. Some element of this attack would come back to her. If she drank just alcohol and was in that kind of shape, she would have had a minimum alcohol poisoning, and quite possibly seizures or death.

jmvho.

 

[hollyjokers]

I honestly didn't know what the background was. They seem to come out with a newer version of the story several times a day compared to the Herald Star, Weirton Times, Wheeling Intelligencer, or Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Are Boston readers that much more riveted to the story than local folks, or is someone using a high profile case to try to catch Anderson Cooper's eye?

 

[hollyjokers]

Case in point: Lee Stranahan of Breitbart is in Steubenville now, tweeting about how inaccurately the story has been reported. Finally! A voice of reason! After two days of hearing how he's cleared up a lot of misconceptions, he links his story on Breitbart: "How the left hates Steubenville: because Franciscan University is pushing back on Obamacare." Seriously?!? Seriously?

I'm sure Fox News has already invited him on to talk about it.

 

[movielover]

On the Prinniefield website, there is a new blog called "Did They Pinkie Swear?" that covers whether the 3 "witnesses" were given immunity, or not.

In this blog, there is a new revelation, at least to me, that I have seen nowhere. Well, revelation and possible proof? (I've only been reading up on this story for a week, FYI.)

On this blog, they have 2 screenshots from 8-28-2012 that claims that teachers are, apparently, both bad mouthing the victim, and possibly telling students not to cooperate with authorities? These are the "ALLEGATIONS".

Two quotes supposedly from 8-28-2012 at 10:02 PM:

"My kid and your kids are being instructed during the school day on what they must say and do to help get the football team out of trouble for the kidnapping. torturing and rape of that young girl. Get your kids out of that building TODAY!"

Previous: "I just talked to my daughter when she got home from school. She said her teachers are saying terrible things about the victim (the little who was raped). Those b****es are just worried about their jobs. Get rid of these no good trash!"

Some things do strike me a bit odd about this:

Can one really have a handle called "Unregistered"? Where is the second handle (name)? Where are the other time stamps? And why does the phone only have 1% power? (I guess it is possible that whoever posted this blocked their friend's handle.

Has anyone seen this before? Does it look real?

http://prinniefied.com/wp/did-they-pinkie-swear/#more-1409

 

[movielover]

From the UK Mail, ugh:

"One boy had ‘cheered and offered money’ to people to urinate on her as she lay in the street"

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-raped-Ohio-football-stars.html#ixzz2Hi9BMcU4
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