I'm reading this site about Steubenville & I"m bothered by something-Those who talked about the rape

[LynneSin]

I was reading an article about the Steubenville Rape crime and it seems that the police or city of Steubenville has put out this website called Steubenville Facts (Click Here ). The About section has this to say about who is running this website:

This website is sponsored by the City of Steubenville and the Steubenville Police Department. The goal of this site is to disseminate the most accurate information about a recent case involving sexual assault charges pending against two juveniles in Steubenville (Jefferson County Juvenile Court Case Numbers 2012-DL138 and 2012-139). City officials will update the site as new information becomes available.

So basically it's a FAQ site by the City & Police for folks like me who want to cut to the chase and find out what is happening. But then I read this paragraph and boy it got me fricking STEAMED as hell

Nothing in Ohio’s criminal statutes makes it a crime for someone to ridicule a rape victim on a video or otherwise say horrible things about another person. Further, nothing in the law allows someone who says repugnant things on Twitter, Facebook, or other Internet sites to be criminally charged for such statements. Steubenville Police investigators are caring humans who recoil and are repulsed by many of the things th

If there is a person out there who filmed a video who talks about the rape, the rape house and the person who was raped, I think that person is a very very important part of that case. I saw parts of the video where some kid was talking about what was done to the girl and I was horrified. And he was someone who knew about what these 2 rapists did; he knew before the police knew about it and he created a video about it.

Personally I think a person like that is JUST AS GUILTY as the rapist themselves.

First and at least with the clips of the video I saw - this person had first hand knowledge about the rape and who was involved. It almost seemed like they watched the rape or at least had some first-hand information. Did the person do something about the crime - perhaps talk to a parent or and adult and tell them about what they had heard and the fact they think a crime may have been committed. No they made a video and mocked the girl.

I still remember the movie called 'The Accused' which was based on a real-life rape where the girl raped (played by Jodie Foster) not had those who raped her arrested (they were found guilty) but then her lawyer went after those who stood by and watched & applauded.

You see a rape, you hear someone bragging about a rape, you see a girl who looks like she's comatose from being drugged and rape - you don't ridicule her - YOU GET HELP!!!

[xmas74]

1. The victim was 16

And a sex act was filmed. Isn't that a form of child pornography?

[Ohio Joe]

2. I agree

I watched as much of the video as I could stomach and I think there are a number of crimes surrounding it that deserve being investigated.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Covering their collective asses.

I would love a law that rules that being witness to a crime without reporting it later or taking action to prevent it makes one an accomplice.

Sadly, most or many of the witnesses are minors. Oh well.

Then maybe the owners of the properties where the crimes occurred need to be held liable, just as a bar or restaurant or an office might be held responsible.

It all seems, as it stands, to be perfect storm of pass the buck.

grrr.

[BainsBane]

8. They are judged participants in the crime

By the law. There is no requirement for a witness, other than a mandated reporter, to report a crime. But actively filming the abduction and rapes can very likely be considered part of the assault. An attorney can speak more authoritatively on this, but I'm sure that is the basis of such prosecutions (like in The Accused).

[arthritisR_US]

13. You drive the get away car to a bank robbery and

you are just as guilty as the guy who held up the bank, why is this any different?

[Downwinder]

19. Who was driving the car while she was being abused

in the back seat?

[arthritisR_US]

21. In this case I would think my analogy literally

fits. But surely these gawking kids have culpability in what was done to her?

[Downwinder]

22. In your analogy, the driver does not have to be aware of

the robbery or enter the premises to be charged and convicted. If the robber scares someone and they suffer a heart attack the driver can be up for murder. Everybody in the vehicle on a drive by shooting can be charged with the shooting and convicted. Let's go a little further, the properties where the parties occurred and the vehicles used can be seized like is done in drug cases.

Back to your analogy everybody at the party, knowing or not can be charged and with terrorism laws, anybody they associate with or who provides them material support can be charged.

[arthritisR_US]

23. Ok, what you say makes perfect sense to me, so

why in this case have only two males been charged? I truly believe that others, both males and females, should have been charged. Thus far, from what I have observed, that will never happen

BUT, Karma is a bitch!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. at the very Least it should be a charge of Neglect.

[PoliticAverse]

5. For those wishing more background on the case that was similar to "The Accused"...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheryl_Araujo
http://theaccusedanalysis.blogspot.com/p/articles.html
http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x665149028/After-26-years-brothers-break-silence?zc_p=0
http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x313662945/Frank-O-Boy-speaks-out-on-Big-Dan-s-rape-case?zc_p=0

[historylovr]

6. Completely agree.

You witness a rape and do nothing, turn your back, laugh and jeer, and make videos about it, take pictures, yes--GUILTY.

[KittyWampus]

7. I only just started paying attention to this… it's so depraved on so many levels it's hard to compre

comprehend.

So many people knew and turned a blind eye over such a long period of time.

[Rex]

9. Rape, robbery, vandalism, arson

murder; do we have to tell folks in society at large that you MUST CALL 911 if you are a witness to any of these things? Are we that far removed? This entire event has left me dumbfounded. Do we not care that much as a society?

Yikes!

[alp227]

10. Which is why the state AG had to take over the prosecution.

I mean, it's PATHETIC that the local prosecutors had to step aside from this case because of their connections with the HS football coaches which is why the state AG's office has to act as prosecutors. And I'm reading the details of the "Steubenville Facts" website and it's more of a CYA for the crooked cops than anything "factual".

Hell, we've gotta call the USDOJ and get them on this case. The public comment line is 202-353-1555. The email is [e-mail].

In fact, why not start by contacting Ohio's 2 senators/whoever represents S-ville in the US House to call on federal action.

CONTACT INFO:
- Sen. Sherrod Brown (D, who won re-election this year against a well funded RW opponent) : [phone]; or an e-mail form is here http://www.brown.senate.gov/contact/
- Sen. Rob Portman (R, yeah I know but still) : [phone], or http://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=contact-form
- Rep. Bill Johnson (R, OH-6, Ted Strickland's former district) : [phone] (but doesn't accept email from outside his district)

[Ohio Joe]

11. ^^^ This ^^^

Would get a rec from me if you posted it as an OP.

[alp227]

15. Thanks, will fork out to its own GD post.

[ReRe]

14. From what I could tell...

...Ohio's AG ain't doing jack shit. Portman is a legitimate rape guy, so don't call him. CALL SHARROD BROWN! And call the hotline at the Dept of Justice in DC. That whole town, county and State is in on this. Thanks so much for these numbers!

[goblue316]

25. Thanks for the link

I just e mailed Mr Brown. I lived in Jefferson County for 27 years and there is no chance this young girl is going to get any justice if this case is not re investigated by the feds, because Fred Abdella will purposely botch this case if he has the chance. You all have no idea how corupt this county is.........I wouldn't live there again if someone gave me a 10million dollar mansion.

[Jenoch]

12. I don't know what the Ohio laws

are about what obligations witnesses to a crime have, or for that matter, the obligations for people who are not witnesses but have information about a crime. The point of that explanation is to tell the public that although the words spoken by Michael Nodianos on that video are repulsive beyond belief, those words alone do not constitute a crime. He may be guilty of something else however.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. That video shows a bunch of guys who never grew up beyond the age of 12...

It was like a bunch of boys in a clubhouse with a sign outside saying "No girlz allowed".

I find it hard to relate to those types since most of my friends are women.

[smirkymonkey]

17. K&R

This whole story is just too depressing.

[alphafemale]

18. When this Sheriff was a deputy...on of the things he was known for

was prowling around looking for kids parked and making out in cars. He'd sneak up to them and shine a light in the car and continue to shine the light, standing outside watching, while they were in various states of returning to modesty.

Remember the character Percey Whetmore from the Green Mile movie? Well imagine if he'd got a little taste of power.

[goblue316]

26. not to mention

One of his brothers is a bookie and the other is a drug dealer. This has been known by everyone in the county for decades and nothing has ever been done.

[radicalliberal]

20. These people are the scum of the earth. Their police coddle criminals . . .

. . . just as long as they happen to play football! They are willing to protect rapists simply because they happen to play a sport! How insane is that? Ever hear of any high-school band members, choir members, debate team members, or drama kids being able to commit rape or extreme physical assault and get away with it with the full support of the community? Of course not. Those groups of high-school students aren't elevated above virtually everyone else.

Hasn't anyone in the football community condemned what has happened, or does cliquishness run deep? Is there no moral outrage there? * crickets *

I have a fantasy: A professional football player or coach declares that he will come to Steubenville and stand with the victim. He will accompany her to the courthouse to give her moral support as she braces herself for the second rape that will surely occur when the conscienceless pond scum defense attorneys seek to destroy her reputation completely -- which, incidentally, has already been destroyed by the punks in the video and all of their supporters at the high school and in the community. Clearly a shining example of the truth that football builds character. The professional football player will use his influence to make others aware of the practice of covering up gang rapes simply because the perps happen to play a high-school ball game. When the victim surely loses the trial, the professional football player will tell her to call him if she can't stand it anymore.

Nah, won't happen.

[warrior1]

24. I think the charges could be

accessory and conspiracy.

[Catherine Vincent]

27. Does anyone know the update on this case?

It just seemed to disappear.