Steubenville Ohio Rape Case and the Power of Anonymous

[HerRealName]

This is perhaps the most stomach turning story I've seen in quite awhile. Steubenville is a small town on the Ohio River near West Virginia. It has a rich football tradition and is, apparently, at least equally corrupt.

Before the school year started, an unconscious and drunk (possibly drugged) girl was gang raped. These kids didn't just rape her, they bragged about it on nearly every social media outlet possible including pictures on instagram.

The corrupt fuckheads of Steubenville were all set to sweep the incident under the rug by dropping some charges and taking the case through juvenile court for two offenders. Many kids that obviously had firsthand knowledge of the situation and did nothing to help were not going to be charged at all.

This is where a group within Anonymous steps in and starts revealing information to make sure justice is done.

Here is their disclosure website:

http://localleaks.blogs.ru/2013/01/01/steubenvillefiles/

And now the press is starting to pick up the story. The Daily Mail has an article up now.

The behavior of the kids is obviously disgusting. The adults covering this all up is equally startling. The Anon group will be continuing to disclose information so hopefully this continues to pick up media attention. It looks like the entire town needs to be shut down but I'd settle for the stupid, fucking HS football program for now. This appears to be Penn State at the high school level. As if one of those situations wasn't bad enough already...

[RainMaker]

It's an interesting story. Some of the major press picked up on it a little while ago. But it was mostly some local bloggers who I believe kept this story brewing enough for others to catch on.

Rape Case Unfolds Online and Divides Steubenville - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/sports/high-school-football-rape-case-unfolds-online-and-divides-steubenville-ohio.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)

[Neon_Chaos]

Wow.

[Buccaneer]

Sickening. I guess as long as it important to train warrior, it doesn't matter what damage they cause.

[HerRealName]

It's an interesting story. Some of the major press picked up on it a little while ago. But it was mostly some local bloggers who I believe kept this story brewing enough for others to catch on.

Rape Case Unfolds Online and Divides Steubenville - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/sports/high-school-football-rape-case-unfolds-online-and-divides-steubenville-ohio.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)

Thanks, I totally missed that article and there's a lot of interesting background included.

[TroyF]

Beyond sickening. Everyone involved, including those who covered up should be severely punished.

[TroyF]

"He said that online photographs and posts could ultimately be “a gift” for his client’s case because the girl, before that night in August, had posted provocative comments and photographs on her Twitter page over time. He added that those online posts demonstrated that she was sexually active and showed that she was “clearly engaged in at-risk behavior.”

The quote above is from the story linked. Are you kidding me? I mean, seriously, you are going to say the online, naked photographs of a passed out girl are a gift, because she was asking for it?

Holy hell, this world really sucks sometimes.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The quote above is from the story linked. Are you kidding me? I mean, seriously, you are going to say the online, naked photographs of a passed out girl are a gift, because she was asking for it?

I think you misread that. The "gift", as I read it, was her previous posts of pics and stuff ... not any from that night.

[TroyF]

I think you misread that. The "gift", as I read it, was her previous posts of pics and stuff ... not any from that night.

I misrepresented what I wanted to say. I meant that it does not matter what she posted before online. There were pictures of her passed out and the evidence screams rape, yet these guys are saying it is a gift that she posted some r rated material before hand.

I am sorry, she may have made poor decisions, but those in no way absolve those idiots from posting pictures of her passed out, posting pictures of her naked, or bragging about raping and urinating on her. (Notice I id not say they raped her)

If that is their gift and the best they have, the prosecutors are going to have a field day.

[miked]

It's the standard, she was a slut and had it coming defense.

[sterlingice]

It's the standard, she was a slut and had it coming defense.

Which is scarily prevalent in our society

SI

[saldana]

this is reprehensible...i seriously want to repost the video of the kid that goes to Ohio State on their university facebook page.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I guess the first rule of Rape Squad is to talk about Rape Squad all the time?

[Subby]

I was always under the impression that you cannot obtain consent from someone if he or she is under the influence of alcohol. Does that have a basis in law?

[saldana]

I was always under the impression that you cannot obtain consent from someone if he or she is under the influence of alcohol. Does that have a basis in law?

yes, it is the difference between expressed consent and implied consent. rape can still be charged in many states unless there is expressed consent, which cannot be given by someone that is not fully conscious....that is not to say they cannot be intoxicated, but they have to be lucid, which this girl clearly was not.

[John Galt]

I was always under the impression that you cannot obtain consent from someone if he or she is under the influence of alcohol. Does that have a basis in law?

The law varies state to state. The rule in less than half of the states is that a person can only legally consent if he or she understands the nature and consequences of his or her actions despite voluntary intoxication. The majority rule is that a person can consent despite voluntarily intoxication short of unconsciousness. In neither set of states can a person consent if they were impaired through involuntary intoxication (ie date rape drug). Despite the letter of the law, cases with voluntary intoxication as the basis for non-consent are very rarely prosecuted (in part because it is very difficult to retroactively determine if someone was so intoxicated that he or she couldn't understand the "nature and consequences" of his or her actions).

[saldana]

this is on cnn.com now

Social media casts spotlight on Ohio rape case - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/03/justice/ohio-rape-online-video/index.html?hpt=hp_t3)

[britrock88]

Certainly enough to turn my stomach a few times.

[Draft Dodger]

in other news, I really, really hope I never piss off Anonymous

[molson]

This trial's going on.

Prosecutors may get conviction in Steubenville rape trial, but it will come at a cost - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/highschool--prosecutors-may-get-conviction-in-steubenville-rape-trial--but-it-will-come-at-a-cost-050043103.html)

[stevew]

Verdict comes tomorrow.

[HerRealName]

Verdict comes tomorrow.

Guilty

http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-teens-guilty-rape-face-plus-jail-145306028--spt.html

It's too bad they had to give immunity to so many of the other slimeballs that stood around and did nothing to stop this. It's also too bad that this can't extend to the "adults" involved in the attempted cover-up.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

i don't wanna make light, but 'digitally penetrating' would be a great band name.

[chinaski]

a year and two years, what a joke.

[molson]

a year and two years, what a joke.

I think that's the maximum sentence the judge had to work with in a juvi case, they're in until 18, and then juvi probation officers assess their progress, present recommendations to the court, and the court can either keep 'em locked up, let them out on probation, or release them from the program entirely, but no matter what, his jurisdiction over them ends the day they turn 21.

[rowech]

a year and two years, what a joke.

He gave them the most he could.

[chinaski]

I think that's the maximum sentence the judge had to work with in a juvi case, they're in until 18, and then juvi probation officers assess their progress, present recommendations to the court, and the court can either keep 'em locked up, let them out on probation, or release them from the program entirely, but no matter what, his jurisdiction over them ends the day they turn 21.

That makes sense, I keep forgetting they're juveniles. Still way to lenient imo.

[stevew]

Football is the most important thing.

[Matthean]

Football is the most important thing.

Which they won't be playing anymore.

[Solecismic]

a year and two years, what a joke.

It's progress, though. It does send an important message. Even twenty years ago, no prosecutor would have taken the case because the victim was always the one placed on trial in a rape case.

And even though it's not enough time, at least it will have significant impact on their lives.

I'd hesitate to call this a ground-breaking case, but I think it's an important one and it caught the attention of sports programs of privilege across the country.

[Matthean]

It's progress, though. It does send an important message. Even twenty years ago, no prosecutor would have taken the case because the victim was always the one placed on trial in a rape case.

Although, 20 years ago we didn't have the social media which led to the kids being convicted.

[Buccaneer]

A chink in the armor of the sacred cow? I agree that this could be progress but there are still too many willing to justify bad behavior, illegalities and corruption at the altar of sports.

[stevew]

Ok. Is thwpossible their lawyers can appeal this and they can get released pending appeal. If that happens, what if the appeal takes them past their 18th birthday. Can they run out the clock?

[stevew]

Which they won't be playing anymore.

It would be great if the whole school could take a year off to reflect at how douchy they all acted.

[mckerney]

Both boys were allowed to speak and apologize. Mays said, “I would truly like to apologize. No pictures should have been sent around, let alone have been taken.”

Well glad he was able to realize what he did wrong. :mad:

[molson]

Ok. Is thwpossible their lawyers can appeal this and they can get released pending appeal. If that happens, what if the appeal takes them past their 18th birthday. Can they run out the clock?

They can appeal the verdict and do a motion to stay execution of the sentence pending the appeal, but it's a discretionary call for the court, and it's very, very rare for those motions to be granted in criminal cases. And taking a quick glimpse at the Ohio appellate rules, it's an even tougher sell in juvenile cases. There's a provision there that juvenile court orders can't be stayed pending appeal unless there's some specific plan in place to monitor the kid in the meantime. But even that won't happen here - the whole point of the juvi detention is rehabilitation, there's no way the court pulls him out of that (though legally, it could.)

[WVUFAN]

Which they won't be playing anymore.

Are juvenile records sealed? What's to stop them from, upon turning 21, walking on at another school?

[Matthean]

Both boys were allowed to speak and apologize. Mays said, “I would truly like to apologize. No pictures should have been sent around, let alone have been taken.”

Well glad he was able to realize what he did wrong. :mad:

His parents don't believe he raped the girl so I'm sure that's the story he's selling to people.

Are juvenile records sealed? What's to stop them from, upon turning 21, walking on at another school?

I doubt being out of football 3-5 years is really going to help them get on a college team. Their best chance would be to go to a smaller school, but they might not want that.

[Flasch186]

The state attorney says that theyre convening a grand jury to go after all those surrounding the story regarding covering it up, failure to report, etc.

[JPhillips]

Both boys were allowed to speak and apologize. Mays said, “I would truly like to apologize. No pictures should have been sent around, let alone have been taken.”

Well glad he was able to realize what he did wrong. :mad:

The reporter on NBC said this case is a good lesson because none of this would have been public if they didn't tweet pictures and comments.

[bob]

Not to make light of the situation, but did "digital penetration" confuse others when reading that article?

It took me the longest time to figure out that by digital they meant digits as in fingers, not something with their phone.

[mckerney]

The reporter on NBC said this case is a good lesson because none of this would have been public if they didn't tweet pictures and comments.

Sure, it's stupid to take pictures of yourself doing something illegal, but to have that be what you apologize for to the victim instead of the whole rape thing is fairly) rage inducing. Like someone just convicted of murder during an armed robbery telling the victims families he's sorry he didn't kill all the witnesses. It's not apologizing, it's telling the victim you wish you'd never been caught.

[stevew]

Not to make light of the situation, but did "digital penetration" confuse others when reading that article?

It took me the longest time to figure out that by digital they meant digits as in fingers, not something with their phone.

They should just rewrite the law to call it finger-banging.

[bob]

They should just rewrite the law to call it finger-banging.

I think my mind was just on phones and the internet since so much of this case was about the posting of pictures and social media....

[JPhillips]

Sure, it's stupid to take pictures of yourself doing something illegal, but to have that be what you apologize for to the victim instead of the whole rape thing is fairly) rage inducing. Like someone just convicted of murder during an armed robbery telling the victims families he's sorry he didn't kill all the witnesses. It's not apologizing, it's telling the victim you wish you'd never been caught.

I yelled at the television. The lesson is don't rape people. Posting pictures of rape isn't the real problem.

[cuervo72]

Both boys were allowed to speak and apologize. Mays said, “I would truly like to apologize. No pictures should have been sent around, let alone have been taken.”

Well glad he was able to realize what he did wrong. :mad:

Yeah, NBC (think it was NBC) news was talking about this and how there are lessons to be learned for kids in today's internet society. Yeah like uh, DON'T RAPE??

[cuervo72]

Oh yeah, catching up and what JPhillips said. I was rather snide with my TV as well.

[britrock88]

Oh yeah, catching up and what JPhillips said. I was rather snide with my TV as well.

:lol:

I couldn't agree more with the collective reaction to that "apology."

[LloydLungs]

Yeah, I think we can definitely count on future teenage rapists not filming it next time. Lesson learned!

CNN ran some footage where some of its on air personalities (Candy Crowley for one) basically expressed sadness over the two convictions ruining two promising lives. Um...

[Suicane75]

Listen, these kids were good rapists. They could have gone to any college in America and done good things in the rape community. They both have a high affinity for running trains and object insertion. I think they could have accomplished big things if given the opportunity. I'm not saying either one of them could have gone pro at raping, maybe if they were able to mature and cut down on their mistakes, not spend so much time with the picture taking and what not. Now we'll never know. :(

I hope that grand jury deal brings the hammer down on that whole backwards fucking town.

[BYU 14]

CNN ran some footage where some of its on air personalities (Candy Crowley for one) basically expressed sadness over the two convictions ruining two promising lives. Um...

You know if Poppy Harlow and Crowley were male Gloria Allred would have already paraded the victims family out for a news conference calling for their heads.

[mckerney]

Yeah, I think we can definitely count on future teenage rapists not filming it next time. Lesson learned!

CNN ran some footage where some of its on air personalities (Candy Crowley for one) basically expressed sadness over the two convictions ruining two promising lives. Um...

The Onion's take would be funny if it weren't so depressing instead.

<iframe name="embedded" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen frameborder="no" width="480" height="270" scrolling="no" src="http://www.theonion.com/video_embed/?id=1519"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.theonion.com/video/college-basketball-star-heroically-overcomes-tragi,19097/" target="_blank" title="College Basketball Star Heroically Overcomes Tragic Rape He Committed">College Basketball Star Heroically Overcomes Tragic Rape He Committed</a>

[Izulde]

Wasn't there an article in Sports Illustrated about 15 years ago about a town that had a similar culture? I remember it pretty well, because besides the usual things that come with such situations, I was like WTF when I read a line about a dude who would jack off in the middle of science class.

[Shkspr]

Yeah, I think we can definitely count on future teenage rapists not filming it next time. Lesson learned!


Even if the lesson to be learned was "Don't broadcast your crime over social media", the two girls who were arrested today for Twittering assault and death threats against the victim apparently didn't learn it. :banghead:

[Galaxy]

You know if Poppy Harlow and Crowley were male Gloria Allred would have already paraded the victims family out for a news conference calling for their heads.


CNN Reports On The 'Promising Future' of the Steubenville Rapists, Who Are 'Very Good Students' (http://gawker.com/5991003/cnn-reports-on-the-promising-future-of-the-steubenville-rapists-who-are-very-good-students)

[tucking fypo]

Wow. CNN is taking a beating over the way they covered this.

Here's a lovely article from Buzzfeed (http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/23-people-who-think-the-steubenville-rape-victim-is-to-blame). I'm sure you could find the real names of these people somewhere.

[molson]

What's really worse though, sympathizing with the plight of rapists, or employing a news correspondent named "Poppy"?

[Shkspr]

Wow. CNN is taking a beating over the way they covered this.

Here's a lovely article from Buzzfeed (http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/23-people-who-think-the-steubenville-rape-victim-is-to-blame). I'm sure you could find the real names of these people somewhere.

Here you go. (http://www.whitepages.com/white-pages/steubenville-oh)

[EagleFan]

They should be thankful that they weren't tried as adults.

That first kid should have gotten his ass kicked for actually saying... "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken pictures."

[Izulde]

I Am The Blogger Who Allegedly “Complicated� The Steubenville Gang Rape Case -- And I Wouldn't Change a Thing | xoJane (http://www.xojane.com/issues/steubenville-rape-verdict-alexandria-goddard)

Article by one of the bloggers who helped break this case open.

[RainMaker]

Was this trial by judge because it was for juveniles, or did the kids choose that? Because I can't fathom why an attorney would want this in front of a judge when the evidence was so strong and not a jury.

[Scoobz0202]

I am pretty certain I read it was because they were tried as juveniles and that is how juvenile court is.

[britrock88]

That's typically the case, yes.

[RainMaker]

More quality human beings coming out.

Death Threat Made Against Steubenville Rape Victim Jane Doe Ohio - WTRF 7 News Sports Weather - Wheeling Steubenville (http://www.wtrf.com/story/21670956/death-threat-made-against-steubenville-rape-victim-ohio-trial-verdict-jane-doe)

[molson]

http://images.elephantjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screen-Shot-2013-03-18-at-10.23.51-AM.png

[Subby]

They should be thankful that they weren't tried as adults.

That first kid should have gotten his ass kicked for actually saying... "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken pictures."
And here I thought that you and I would never agree on anything.

[EagleFan]

And here I thought that you and I would never agree on anything.

Crap, where did I go wrong?

:D

[Ben E Lou]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn//.element/img/3.0/main/breaking-120x70.png
School superintendent and three others indicted in connection with 2012 Steubenville, Ohio, rape case. .

[Ben E Lou]

Superintendent Michael McVey was the only one of the four to be charged Monday with felonies: a count of tampering with evidence and two counts of obstructing justice. He also is charged with two misdemeanors: making a false statement and obstructing official business..

[JonInMiddleGA]

From a local version of the story, an interesting detail ...

In March, Steubenville High School football players Ma’lik Richmond and Trenton Mays were convicted of the rape, which authorities said took place at a party in August 2012. Photos and videos of the incident made their way onto social media and attracted national attention.

A grand jury then began probing whether others should be charged. In October, it indicted William Rhinaman, 53, the director of technology for Steubenville City Schools, on charges of tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, obstructing official business and perjury.

Richmond was sentenced to a minimum of one year in a juvenile correctional facility. Mays got two years.

If convicted, Rhinaman could be sentenced to four years in prison, which is longer than the two teens convicted of rape will serve.

It's actually longer than the two rapists combined.

[ISiddiqui]

I am of two minds on that (the bolded part). One one hand, the rape is the worse crime, but on the other hand, subverting the justice system may be more of a problem in terms of future impact.

[molson]

That doesn't look right. I doubt each of those four felonies all have a maximum sentence of only one year in prison each, and if they do, it's very unlikely that he'd get the maximum on all 4 sentences, and have them imposed consecutively.

Edit: wait, that guy only got misdemeanors.....so they do probably all have a maximum sentence of one year in county jail, but ya, he's not getting the maximum on each, imposed consecutively.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I am of two minds on that (the bolded part). One one hand, the rape is the worse crime, but on the other hand, subverting the justice system may be more of a problem in terms of future impact.

I can completely understand that ... it just seemed so stark to see it worded that way & do the math of it, enough so that it felt notable to me.

[RainMaker]

What exactly did they do? The article I read on it was pretty vague.

[JonInMiddleGA]

What exactly did they do? The article I read on it was pretty vague.

Here's a story that has the laundry list on all four indicted today.

Superintendent Indicted On Felony Charges In Steubenville Rape C - WCMH: News, Weather, and Sports for Columbus, Ohio (http://www.nbc4i.com/story/24062572/superintendent-indicted-on-felony-charges-in-steubenville-rape-case)

2 of the 4 indicted today are simple "failure to report" charges, while the 3rd has that plus a "contributing to the delinquency" & a providing underage alcohol charge.

To avoid a dola, this story notes that the sum total of the charges against the superintendent could lead to 7 years if maxxed out (the four years previously mentioned seem likely to have only covered the felonies).

[cuervo72]

If convicted, Rhinaman could be sentenced to four years in prison, which is longer than the two teens convicted of rape will serve.

Reading this, the first thing that popped into my head was the sound of Scooby Doo using a racially insensitive term. This probably makes me a bad person.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Reading this, the first thing that popped into my head was the sound of Scooby Doo using a racially insensitive term. This probably makes me a bad person.

Nah, you're just a product of the evils of television :D

[Matthean]

Brad Pitt to Produce Movie About Steubenville Rape Case, Anonymous Hacker - TheWrap (http://www.thewrap.com/brad-pitt-produce-movie-steubenville-rape-case-anonymous-hacker/)

[JPhillips]

Great. The rapists will now all run like cheetahs.

[sterlingice]

Great. The rapists will now all run like cheetahs.

And bear only a passing resemblance to the original material?

SI

[stevew]

Great. The rapists will now all run like cheetahs.

And, does the Cheetah come..........




Quickly?


http://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/c/cd/htf_imgcache_28060.jpeg

[stevew]

Judge shot today by a player's dad who was then gunned down by a highly trained good guy professional with a gun.

Player has been practicing with YSU(school i attended) but is not eligible to play in gamss