RAPE VERDICT

High School Football Players Convicted in Steubenville Rape Trial

Case attracted national attention after social media posts, video and photos of incident circulated on the internet

Mar 17, 2013 by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

Image: AP

Two Ohio high school football players were found guilty Sunday of raping an intoxicated 16-year-old girl during a night of partying. The case attracted national attention after social media posts, video and photos of the events surrounding the crime circulated on the internet.

The two Steubenville High School students wept as the judge read the verdict. They were sentenced to at least a year in juvenile jail. One was sentenced to an additional year in detention on charges of illegal use of a minor in "nudity-oriented material," according to the Associated Press. The ruling means both teens could be in detention until age 21.

Ohio's Attorney General pledged to look into allegations that more students should have been charged. Controversy rocked the town as some alleged that three other boys, two of them also members of the celebrated local football team, "recorded" the incident rather than try to stop it, the AP said. Critics questioned whether more football players should have been charged. The three teens, who were granted immunity to testify, helped incriminate the defendants, the AP reports.

Prosecutors attempted to show the girl was too drunk to give consent. Defense attorneys tried to prove she knew what she was doing even though she was indisputably intoxicated, the AP said.

Via Associated Press

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Mar '13

bsking

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Good. hopefully they'll get in jail what they gave that girl. but I look for Reverend Al charlatan and Reverend Jesse Jackson ass to try to turn this into a racial incident, not the crime but the trial
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Mar '13

Sonny

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Nobody is suggesting that this had anything to do with race....except YOU. Al and Jesse are not involved....Neither of them were involved in any aspect of this case, trial, or any of the proceedings......
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Mar '13

miketost

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@Sonny They soon will?I would guess by Tuesday watch MSNBC?I probably didnt need to tell you to watch MSNBC You are more than likely a regular viewer.
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Mar '13

bsking

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@Sonny wait for it
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Mar '13

bsking

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@miketost bulls eye
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Mar '13

drpeeper

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@bsking Gee, this JUST opened. http://www.hsconnect.com/page/content.detail/...
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Mar '13

GuyFawkes

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Thank you Anonymous for posting the merits of the case online for the world to see, and forcing action where none would have otherwise been taken!
The police in this town appear corrupt. The FBI and DoJ have investigated law enforcement in this county for years. They should be held accountable for their inaction.
Rape is a serious crime and should be dealt with swiftly and harshly, without regard to age, color, or football team.
More charges may be filed. I hope they are.
I have zero regard or sympathy for rapists.
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Mar '13

bsking

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I couldn't agree more
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Mar '13

bsking

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You know , they film themselves raping a girl, then they posted on their internet sites bragging about it , and there were others involved... you just know these idiots were destined for NFL stardom ;-{]
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Mar '13

GuyFawkes

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@bsking
LOL!
So true- throw a dogfight in there, maybe a drive-by out of an Escalade...big NFL careers in their future...
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Mar '13

GuyFawkes

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@GuyFawkes
*not meant to be anti-NFL or pro-NBA.
actually I'm a thumb wrestling fan myself :)
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Mar '13

wonka45ACP

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If you think there was corruption in stupidvill, just search portsmouth ohio' scioto county.
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Mar '13

JimCO55

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Yet I'm sure if you questioned any of them before the rape ... would you be cool with getting drunk and having someone take advantage of you, guy or girl and then post it on line? They would've had no problem saying, that's wrong!
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Mar '13

Cobra

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Wow. Total wrist-slap.
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Mar '13

Sonny

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I think the ages of the boys are 16 & 17, respectively---and they will be behind bars at least until they are 21 (at least)---I think that amounts to quite a bit more than just a "wrist-slap".
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Mar '13

marine1

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@Sonny they will also carry the stigma of sex abuser the rest of their life.
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Mar '13

Cobra

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@Sonny 1 got "at least 1 year" and the other was given at least two. They could be in jail till they are 21, but pending laws of the state, they might even have the crime expunged from record since they are juvies. I'm just kinda hard nosed about sex crimes.
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Mar '13

bsking

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@marine1 and deservedly so
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Mar '13

frigginhell

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@marine1 Yes, these 2 boys will. Not the son of the DA who declined to initially prosecute the case who as also on video and who's house the party was being held at nor the da herself for letting minors get shit-faced at her house. Nobody who had family who was anybody was charged with anything aside from these two boys. There is no doubt you can charge anyone who sent any pics of this girl being violated or undressed with distributing child pornography at the very least.
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Post @frigginhell
Mar '13

Zazziness

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I thought 18 is the age of consent and therefore it wouldn't matter whether she said yes or no. Maybe that age changes state-to-state. In any case, I will echo Richard Pryor: "If you ever see me being beaten by a crowd of people, put the cameras down and frickin' help me."
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Mar '13

Sonny

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Believe it or not......there is NO "affirmative duty to rescue"....Only in a few very special circumstances does the law require a person to "rescue" another person who is in peril...
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Mar '13

Zazziness

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@Sonny What about Good Samaritan laws? Or are they state by state?
(And I don't care whether the law requires it. Doesn't basic decency require it?)
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Mar '13

Sonny

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@Zazziness No---a "good samaritan law" is a law enacted by statute that seeks to protect a person from being sued by (of all people) the person he rescued ---or his family should the "good samaritan" cause death or further injury as he is "rescuing the person in peril"...Good Samaritan laws are probably not what you think they are......

And as cold and harsh as it may seem-------"basic decency" does not have a thing to do with it....The law just simply can not compel a person to "rescue another"---Again...unless the rescuer was himself responsible for putting that other person at risk, or the rescuer is ---say a fireman or policeman....Other than that......Nope..no such duty exists...
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Mar '13

Zazziness

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@Sonny I don't know how to be clearer -- putting the law aside, common decency should motivate a person to help someone in immediate need.
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Mar '13

Keyjo

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Yes, age of consent laws vary from state to state and have varying stipulations. The average age of consent in the U.S. is 16. When I was a kid in Hawai'i, it was 14! In 2000 it changed to 16 there.
And the law does not compel even a fireman or police officer to step in, especially if it risks their lives. Be aware too, that lifeguards at your favorite beach are NOT under any requirement to save you, should you flounder. Those who risk their lives to save others do so out of a sense of duty and because they ate courageous.
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Mar '13

Sonny

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A very sad tragedy for both the young girl and these young boys.....But a crime is a crime....and they will have to suffer the consequences of their actions.
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Mar '13

vws

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Finally - something we can agree on!
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Mar '13

WMCOL

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Yup, they should have kept their fingers to themselves. Now they are gonna pay the price for fingering.
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Mar '13

DARSB

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Todd Akin isn't an isolated case. The defense attorney argued that sex with an unconscious 16 year old girl was "consensual" - in other words, this wasn't a "legitimate rape".
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Mar '13

GuyFawkes

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I wonder if the defense attorney's daughter was the unfortunate victim if he would feel similarly.
'Legitimate rape' is a ridiculous, insulting term.
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Mar '13
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Mar '13

ErnestPayne

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A truly mind boggling nauseating defense. Those idiots should have listened to someone else and plead guilty at the outset.
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Mar '13

drpeeper

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What on earth does Todd Akin have to do with 2 minors raping an underage girl?

Some people can't get politics off the brain in ANY news story.

It's like the old crazy uncle saying "I remember when I was a kid.........." etc etc ... No one cares.
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Mar '13

DARSB

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@drpeeper "Some people can't get politics off the brain" said a frequent commentator on Politix.:-)
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Mar '13

stepped_in_it

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"No means NO" should be expanded to "No or no answer means NO"!
Sports "stars" often think they are above the law. I know this will sound both Unamerican and unmanly, but, I could live without any and all "organized" sports......and it's "stars"..... forever!
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Mar '13

Waynestew

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Pump you breaks... let's not be rash because of too overly horny asshole teenagers.

I tell my nephews and all the young guys I know. Do not sleep with a girl if she's too gone. If you can articulate to me in both words AND actions that you want to fuck me, then I do not need any pussy that bad. Sorry for the vulgarity.
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Mar '13

wonka45ACP

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Is that because it's not about the game' anymore its about the Benjamins?
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Mar '13

stepped_in_it

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@Waynestew Except.....it's not JUST 2 horny teens....it's happening all over the sports world, pro and amateur, and it's time to put these jock straps in their place. Play for the love of the game, not for money. Let's (all of us) stop worshiping these no brain jock straps and send them packing!
And ya haven't seen rash......LOL
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Mar '13

Waynestew

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@stepped_in_it I am huge sports fan. Sorry dude I cannot relate.
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Mar '13

anc713

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@stepped_in_it ... I also think if they find out that members of the school faculty tried to cover this up, that the football team should be suspended for 2 years. This will make people think twice about covering things in the future.
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Mar '13

RoFroh

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I think all the under age teens in this case, including the victim should be punished by the law for drinking underage, she must accept some responsibility for her actions!!!
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Mar '13

Food4thoughts

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I wonder if they arrested her for underage drinking :-/
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Mar '13

Republican5150

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Hear hear
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Mar '13

Food4thoughts

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@Republican5150
Ridiculous
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Mar '13

Republican5150

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@Food4thoughts or arrest all the parents for child endangerment.
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Mar '13

Food4thoughts

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@Republican5150
And sue the Alcohol Company for liability.
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Mar '13

Republican5150

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@Food4thoughts sue America for peer pressure....
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Mar '13

miketost

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These poor football players(Found guilty of rape) wept.How cool is that?No mention of how much the victim and family have wept thru this ordeal.
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Mar '13

mudpike

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They should have been tried as adults . More proof that America is in the gutter , when this is how the younger people view 'human compassion'. Didn't one person have the guts to speak up or call police ? Put the animals behind bars & give Bubba an extra carton of cigarettes to make sure they get 'x-tra special loving care' in prison . Let them be some body's girlfriend for a few years.
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Mar '13

harold_lloyd

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What's really sad is that the culture supported them, and made this possible.

I'll bet that exactly none of the parents of those kids take any responsibility for them not understanding what I call 'civilized behavior'.
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Mar '13

ErnestPayne

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I don't know if the "punishment fit the crime" but it is a good start. In too many cases schools give "sports hero's" a culture of entitlement that leads them to believe they can do anything and not pay for it.
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Mar '13

mimi57

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This happened about 50 miles from me...There was a young man who did tape what
happened, in it you can hear him telling them to stop and asking how they'd feel if it were their sister. That tape was used against them in court, helping to convict them .
They deserve at least what the judge sentenced them to, if not more...granted they
are young, but they new right from wrong, and a drunken 16 yr. old was violated and
will remember it for life. They went from 'Hero to Zero' in one night. Good.
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Mar '13

wild_turkey6

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I couldn't have said it better.
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Mar '13

jessejaymes

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My reaction to the case is that they should have been tried as adults and sentenced to 20 years to life. This whole thing is typical of the bible belt football madness. In no walk of society would two guys get off this lightly if they were not football stars.
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Mar '13

seedtick

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OHIO....hummmmm
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Mar '13

MongoAPillager

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one boy was black,one was white?guess I was wrong about Obama racially dividing the country,so they put aside racial differences for a common goal?
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Mar '13

johnny_potseed

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If that was my daughter, I would be the one on trial!
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Mar '13

whataGOVwehave

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I think their own friends called them out. Game over.
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