Attorney for Florida's rape victim who was jailed speaks of her ordeal.

[madfloridian]

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=48703

Venice, Florida - The attorney for the 21-year-old woman who says she was raped, arrested and denied the morning after pill because of religious reasons says the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office is covering up the incident.

But in the meantime, the victim isn't ready to address the issue and says she is very much concerned with her physical condition. She says she hasn't been able to get the results of the testing done at the medical crisis clinic where she was taken after the attack.

The pre-med student at USF says she plans to take a leave of absence because of the stress and she says she hopes the school will hold her scholarships.

The woman's attorney says there is no question the nurse at the jail said she would not administer the morning after pill, because it was against the nurse's religious beliefs. The Sheriff's Office categorically denies that.

[durrrty libby]

1. This is appalling and the nurse should be fired asap

Were the religious loons so emboldened pre-boosh?

I don't recall it being this bad

[Solo_in_MD]

2. Assuming of course that it is true...lawyers are not known for telling the truth

This is some of the backwash from the Duke case amongst others. Everytime a fraudulent rape complaint is filed, future claimints are looked at more skeptically and treated less supportively unless the trauma is real and obvious, and sometimes not even then.

[madfloridian]

4. She had been to the clinic, was arrested in the police car....

while they were looking for the scene of the rape. They handcuffed her put her in the back seat and took her to jail for two days.

I love that you are making the victim the victim. Maybe you should do some reading up.....the only denial being made is the religious part. None of the rest is denied.

You alarm me.

[Solo_in_MD]

8. The call for immediate termination without substaniation was uncalled for

All that is out there is a claim via a lawyer, nothing else. Until anything else is turned up, its a self serving assertion, nothing more. For all we know the nurse volunters at a womens health clinc and escorts patients. Giving truth a chance before pilloring someone is basic.

Rape is a very sensitive area and rightly so. My earlier post pointed out that false claims of any sort make it harder for real victims. Case in point, the next sex worker that get raped will have a harder time of it thanks to what happened at Duke.


A lie gets half way around the world before the truth can get its pants on (winston churchill)

[madfloridian]

9. Yes, rape is sensitive. You are not.

You just called it a lie. You just implied she is lying.

And this is the Democratic Underground. Can you imagine how they are talking about this at CU or FR?

[Solo_in_MD]

15. I do question the validity of the claim that she was denied the 2nd dose

due to a health providers religous objection without some something to support it, and a lawyers claim in the press should not be enough for anything thinking person to reach a conclusion.

[madfloridian]

16. Without something to support it? Like what?

In case you haven't noticed law enforcement and correction officers will never out each other. Never.

I guess they better kick that lying lady out of pre-med school. And give credence to the jail workers.

[Solo_in_MD]

19. My only question on this has been the validity of the religous objection claim

which I think is reasonable due to its rarity. I have said critical things about lawyers though I do understand that badnews 90% are giving the rest of them a bad name. I also think calling for people's jobs and licenses to be pulled is premature before the facts are in.

I never questioned:
- that she was raped
- that she did not get the required meds
- that the situation was outrageous

[madfloridian]

21. Withholding birth control because of religious views is NOT rare.

Not anymore. See my post to you below.

Pharmacists do it. Doctors do it. I have a friend who changed doctors because hers would not give hormonal replacement treatment for change of life.

Yes, it is real, and it is here.

[madfloridian]

17. Do you question why they jailed a rape victime for two days?

Not one day...two days. Do you question why they interrupted their search for the rapist, handcuffed her and put her in the back seat and took her to jail?

I have not seen other posts of yours, but I doubt I will pay attention anymore if that is truly how you feel.

[chchchanges]

12. She just requested a damn morning after pill!

Funny how these religious wackos in the health care business do not know how PlanB works. It is not an abortion, it simply increases the mucous around the egg to avoid its fertilization. It is not an abortion in the same sense than a woman having her period is not a crime.

In any case, it is not the health care professional to make the judgment about the rape. Whether it is fake or not, the Hospital/clinic has to provide the care, and make the appropriate tests. Last I checked it was the judiciary's branch duty to make judgments.

[madfloridian]

13. Are you saying the rape victim should be denied the pill until proof she was victim?

How dare you say that the pill had to wait until everything was confirmed. She did not work for the rape clinic, and apparently she did not care about the victim.

That is scary.

[madfloridian]

5. Then if you think so many lawyers lie....don't call one if you get in trouble.

How about that.

[Solo_in_MD]

6. Its their job to zealously represent their client, truth is optional

The legal system is not interested in truth or justice...

[madfloridian]

11. Especially when private companies are involved.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1014

Yes, in our nation now truth is optional. I notice you assumed the young lady to be lying instead of the system. That is a terrible first assumption.

[madfloridian]

3. The jail is denying it, and saying they just got too busy and got confused.

I have been following what little there is about this now, and it looks like they are going to close ranks....and let her be the victim again.

[durrrty libby]

7. As a nurse who sometimes works in a prison, I understand

the busy part, but don't buy the "confusing" part

All alleged rape cases must follow a strict protocol
The BS here really stinks, but I think the truth will come out.

[madfloridian]

10. No, if the jail personnel stick together, the truth will NOT come out.

It is a private company who runs the jail's medical facilities. I doubt very much any truth will come out.

But I am glad to see the comments in this post. No matter what happens here, this case has already accomplished two things. It will make rape victims fearful of coming forward, and it will make the victim a victim again because no one will believe her.

The truth may never come out. The lawyer's wife said there were witnesses among the inmates. Hell, can you just imagine the jail letting the lawyers have access?

I can't. End of story.

[durrrty libby]

14. It doesn't matter if everyone sticks together.There are

protocols that must be signed and witnessed.

Also, I do not buy the sticking together theory.
I don't know any nurses that would just stick together.

They are worse than Dems. ( a herd of cats)

There are many nursing jobs, but you only get one license

I truly believe the truth will come out and that nurse will be fired.

[Solo_in_MD]

18. Given that, doesn't that discount the religous objection claim?

I know a fair number of health professionals. I don't any that would not dispense under the circumstances. When I asked them about those with religous objections in the past, they discounted it heavily, saying it would be very rare, on the level of man bites dog.
I have routed this story to some of them, concensus seems to be that it could well have been forgotten/dropped/missed since it would be so rare in a jail, but that the religous objection claim is very suspicous. Occams Razor supports that as well. That someone gets fired for this is a no brainer...

[madfloridian]

20. I think you need to read up on the views now of the religious movements.

May I highly recommend this:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1034

And perhaps Jesus Camp, the movie, which is up for some award...the same one Gore is up for.

And perhaps, just look up the writings of Al Mohler, head of the Southern Baptist seminary.

You are every bit as judgemental as they are. I find it shocking.

If it turns out someone lied, then fine. But you are assuming the girl who was raped is lying. Pharmacists and some doctors are definitely refusing some birth control pills. It is real.

[durrrty libby]

22. Looking over Solo’s posts, he is upset over the Duke case,

and now believes every rape accusation is suspect The rape victims and their lawyer’s
are liars.

He has multiple issues to work out, and needs more help than either you or I can offer here.



I hope the young woman gets the help she needs to get through this trauma and that the

nasty ignorant people involved, pay dearly.

[LaBanty]

23. burying the facts, per usual

Doubtful we will even find out the truth. The cops will lie 'til the end of time to cover their asses, regardless of the truth. I'm not buying the sheriff's explanation for a second, especially in that neck of the woods.

Let's see some lie detector tests, and interview some of the inmates. Maybe the facts can be re-assembled to show what really happened.

[madfloridian]

24. Press conference....two very different views on it. Also a picture.

The first article points out she is thanking the Tampa police for changing their policy. It doesn't mention the rest of the interview.

Rape victim thanks police for policy changes

VENICE - The young woman stood before a bank of microphones, her voice steady as she thanked police for changing a policy that required her to be jailed after she reported a rape.

"The Tampa police have made some changes to their policies," she said, reading from a prepared statement. "I am not familiar with all of the changes made, but I appreciate their willingness to try to rectify the situation, so that what happened to me will not happen to anyone else."

This article from the Herald Tribune is not in such pleasant tones.

Rape Victim Fears for Health

VENICE -- In her first public statement Monday, the 21-year-old woman who was arrested after reporting that she had been raped at the Gasparilla festival said she is concerned for her "physical condition," while her attorney and her mother blasted the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the rape crisis center that examined her.

The woman, whose family lives in Sarasota County, read a prepared statement. Even though she stood before television cameras and photographers, her family and attorney asked that her identity be shielded until her alleged assailant is caught.

"Right now, we've got a dangerous rapist loose," said Venice attorney Virlyn "Vic" Moore III, who is representing the victim and who also employs her mother as a paralegal. In a soft, quiet voice, the woman thanked those who have helped her, including employees at the Hillsborough County jail, but said she remains concerned about her health. The crisis center that examined her has not released her medical records, which she said are necessary to determine if she needs further medical treatment.

"Unfortunately, I am still very much concerned with my physical condition and have been unable to obtain the results of medical testing done at the crisis clinic," the victim said.

STAFF PHOTO / JASON MCKIBBEN
A woman who says she was arrested after she reported being raped in Tampa talks to the media in Venice on Monday. Her family lives in Sarasota County.

Edited to caption pic with credit.