<p>I strongly believe that anyone who drugs and then inappropriately touches someone, against their will (even if fondling is ‘only’ as far as it went) very much deserves to have their lives ruined. I hope it follows them around for a long, long time.</p>
<p>I have not seen anything to indicate the boys drugged her - that would be a different matter entirely. My understanding is that they were all drinking heavily.</p>
<p>@rockvillemom, drunkenness is not an excuse for criminal behavior. “Innocent until proven guilty” applies in the court of law. It makes a big difference when there is video in the court of public opinion. That’s the reality. They will have their day in court and eyes will be on the court and the town.</p>
<p>btw, there was a story that a witness claimed she was drugged. Will come out if truth to it.</p>
<p>My comment still stands - drunk or not, I am not for giving people who commit sexual assault, which it is, even IF rape wasn’t involved, second chances. I am glad they won’t just be able to move on with their lives.</p>
<p>Of course drunkenness is not an excuse - but it does make it harder to ascertain the actual facts of the case. My point is that people with no direct knowledge of the case are drawing conclusions based on dramatic media reports and I find that unfortunate. I am keeping an open mind. The video shows her drunk and being carried around - very heinous behavior - I am not in any way excusing it - but the video does not show a “gang rape”.</p>
<p>It’s amazing to me how long this case has been in the news and how long they have been “sifting thru evidence”, seems like everyone involved is dragging their feet. Wonder if there is some history of these horrible events in this town?</p>
<p>@rockvillemom – the boys themselves used the word rape. How can you “question the usage of the word rape” when it appears in their own twitter feeds, videos, and other social media, not to mention the testimony of some of them? I think it is only right that the media DOES stay on this because of the reprehensible behavior of many of the adults in this situation trying to cover up and excuse what happened.</p>
<p>@rockville: I haven’t watched any of it because I don’t care to see it. However, there are apparently “graphic cellphone photos” which indicate “two Steubenville High School football stars used their hands to violate” the 16 year old girl reported in the news. People are going to form their own opinions about the case when there are photos and videos out there and it’s not going to be “innocent until proven guilty” by many! Too late for that (for the public) when evidence provided by defendants.</p>
<p>Definitely! Media and people protesting in the town are the only reason this hasn’t been buried!</p>
<p>^ That’s right. “It took 11 days for prosecutors to charge anyone in the case, and victims’ and women’s groups have questioned why none of the teens who are said to have witnessed Mays and Richmond allegedly attack the girl have been arrested.”, from the article I linked. Have to keep an eye on these good ol boys!</p>
<p>Agree with artemis. The behavior of everyone involved, including the kids’ parents, is reprehensible.</p>
<p>It’s stories like this that make me glad that I didn’t go to a high school with a football culture. My high school was too big to have “cliques” or really protected classes. I don’t know anyone who played football and couldn’t tell you the names of anyone who did. My K-8 school though was an entirely different matter. </p>
<p>It’s all just so sad, but very unsurprising.</p>
<p>The only amazing thing about this case so far is the defense attorney’s assertion - if it was accurately reported - that lack of denial constitutes consent. That’s a new one. Or rather an idea that was tossed from the law decades ago. Lack of consciousness, incapacity to consent, etc. don’t count as consent in the US. </p>
<p>Otherwise, I try not to get carried away with the latest miscarriage of justice. This country is full of them. The world is essentially one large miscarriage of justice.</p>
<p>WOW!</p>
<p>[Y</a>! SPORTS](<a href=“Prosecutors may get conviction in Steubenville rape trial, but it will come at a cost”>Prosecutors may get conviction in Steubenville rape trial, but it will come at a cost)</p>
<p>What an embarrassment. I am dumbfounded.</p>
<p>It’s difficult to find words to express the horror that this girl suffered at the hands of these boys. The behavior of all of them, not just the two who are on trial, was appalling. Shameful.</p>
<p>^ me too. I can’t find the words, yet there is so much to say. Outrageous that this behavior was seemingly accepted by so many who observed, and whose silence condoned the assault. I am wondering how common this type of behavior was, for so many to have barely noticed they were witnessing a crime.</p>
<p>And the thing is…if they hadn’t bragged about it, nobody would ever have known.</p>
<p>their stupidity was a silver lining</p>
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<p>In many jurisdictions, vaginal or anal penetration of an individual incapable of giving consent is considered rape. The fact of which body part is violating the victim is not considered relevant in these cases. There has been testimony that the girl was vaginally penetrated while incapacitated in several locations (a basement, a car). If these allegations are true, it’s rape.</p>