17-Year-Old Sexual Assault Victim, Ruined Attacker's Life Says His Lawyer

This is an update to a previous story from back in July. She previously faced charges for outing him on Twitter.

This is most certainly one of those stories that makes you go hmm...

Savannah Dietrich, a Kentucky teenager who was sexually assaulted and then threatened with jail for naming her attackers, has reportedly destroyed the life of at least one of the perpetrators.

"He's had to move," David Mejia, the attorney for one of the attackers, told The Huffington Post.

"He has lost all the potential that was there. He was attending high school and was kicked out. He was on course to a scholarship to an Ivy League school to play sports and that may be jeopardized. He's in therapy. He's just overwhelmed and devastated by what started from the conduct of this young girl saying false things as she did."

Mejia filed a contempt motion against Dietrich in July. She had tweeted the names of two teenage boys who assaulted her back in August 2011. After naming the boys, Dietrich, then 16, tweeted, "I'm not protecting anyone that made my life a living H

Okay, so the lawyer is making the case that the VICTIM has ruined his life.

No, it couldn't be the fact that the kid broke the law and broke a young girls spirit all in the same. Instead, let's concentrate on the fact that she was mad as hell and had every right to out her attacker, especially in a public forum. Every girl has a right to know that he is a sexual predator.



What say you, ATS?

Article Source

I say the only one who did something wrong, beyond the crimes themselves, is the JUDGE for ever ordering this be kept all secret and hush hush.

If they don't want bad publicity, they shouldn't go around sexually assaulting 17yr old girls, now should they?

S/F and thanks for the update! I've wondered from time to time just what happened on this but never got around to searching.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Did you miss the part in the article that says :

"The victim, in a fit of anger, tweets my clients name, calls him a rapist -- something he was never accused of -- and said the court system was corrupt and he got away with what he did," Mejia said. "She also said he videotaped her and put it on Internet. There never was a rape, there was no video and there was nothing on the Internet. But he did admit to the conduct as charged which was criminal sexual abuse or touching.The two boys charged were juveniles, and the court therefore kept the details of the case confidential.

It's the last sentence there that's important...so the judge did the right thing.

I never bought this story from the begining. She was drunk,admittedly...and probably has NO memory of what happened that night.There was never any proof that she was raped.Sorry,even though it is wrong,touching someone is NOT rape.

BTW OP,I don't know if it's you or not,but the link you just gave was signed into a FB account,and something popped up asking me if I wanted to stay logged in. It WASNT my account..I didn't catch the name though and clicked no. Odd

removed in light of new evidence

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
I say the only one who did something wrong, beyond the crimes themselves, is the JUDGE for ever ordering this be kept all secret and hush hush.

If they don't want bad publicity, they shouldn't go around sexually assaulting 17yr old girls, now should they?

S/F and thanks for the update! I've wondered from time to time just what happened on this but never got around to searching.

Then they might as well get rid of the gag order for minors completely. Treat all criminals equally.

If the girl is lying, or even exaggerating, she should be forced to pay serious money to this guy.
Unfortunate drunk behavior generally takes 2 to tango.
If a slut regrets being a slut, its not the guy's fault.
The twisted culture of no personal responsibility and celebration of victimhood strikes again.

I do not feel too bad for the guy. These guys raped this girl, took pictures and showed it to their friends. SO clearly they were not too worried about being "outed" when they were the ones bragging.

That being said, the lawyer has a point. For all intents and purposes, they "paid" for their crimes so to speak. Granted the sentence was a joke, and they got nothing more than a slap on the wrist. If anything, this shows the problem with our legal system. When a guy smoking weed in his own home can get more time than a teenager who rapes.... something is really really wrong.

However, I don't have a problem with this girl making his life a nightmare so that he had to move. Had he not raped her to begin with, he wouldn't have this problem. It's called "consequences for your actions". Live with it.

Originally posted by pierregustavetoutant
If the girl is lying, or even exaggerating, she should be forced to pay serious money to this guy.
Unfortunate drunk behavior generally takes 2 to tango.
If a slut regrets being a slut, its not the guy's fault.
The twisted culture of no personal responsibility and celebration of victimhood strikes again.

A slut, huh?

"But he did admit to the conduct as charged which was criminal sexual abuse or touching."

Juvenile or not... a crime is a crime and one of this magnitude should be treated as such...

I think my decision would depend on whether or not they were found guilty.

If they were found guilty, the gag order IS a violation of freedom of speech. The judge IS punishing the girl for being 'assaulted'.

If they were found not guilty; then, she couldn't say those things because it would be liable for the girl to say those things (even if they were actually guilty.)

The judge seems to think it's okay to rape passed-out-drunks. He's about four decades out-of-date in his thinking.

in the link of the OP
bolding mine

Dietrich's anger stemmed from a June hearing in which the teenagers confessed to felony sexual abuse and misdemeanor voyeurism. She and her family were reportedly frustrated by the plea bargain the boys made with the state.

If the judge had done his job correctly, the perps would have already had their lives "ruined" in jail as a correct punishment for ruining the sanctity of the girls life and future.
As one molested as a child; I can tell you with a fact the damage is permanent.

I believe the past year has shown me pragmatic justice is gone with the wind.
Its now subservient to idiocy.

b

reply to post by freakjive


If the creep did all that then he had it coming. If he'd kept his hands to himself he wouldn't be in that mess. There's more important things in highschool than getting your powertool wet. Like making sure you get into that good college by making those good grades.

Shortly into the video the OP posted. Seems some of you didn't watch it.

They pleaded guilty to first degree sexual assault and misdemeanor voyeurism.

She broke the agreement, and revealed their names on Twitter. She claims she didn't know about the plea agreement. She was going to be charged and face prison time but that has been withdrawn.

Apparently it's 180 days since they were minors. Personally I think they deserved much more repercussion so I'm glad she broke the plea agreement.

Wow.. I'm stunned anyone would ever defend the boys who did this to her. Confidentiality is fine in the child rape/sex assault cases...and understandable. At least, for those OUTSIDE the circle of victim/attackers. If the *VICTIM* of a convicted rape or sexual assault wants to share the fact she was assaulted or raped, NO ONE should have the right to tell her she can't.

She as MORE than earned that right....and then some. In this case, we don't even know if the punks got more than a slap on the wrist. That's still sealed and I guess..always will be for official records and beyond statements made outside a record or court room.. I'd note the deal also would have kept the boys from being known to future potential victims. Lets' refresh what this was actually about though.... She wasn't a slut and she didn't ask for it. HARDLY.

She said she was drinking with friends when she passed out. When she later awoke, she discovered her clothes were disheveled and felt like "something wasn't right."

"I had my dress back on but my bra was shifted all weird and then my underwear was off," Dietrich told "Nightline" host Juju Chang.

After the party, Dietrich said she was told the two boys had taken photos of her.

"They told me that it was me on the kitchen floor, passed out, my eyes are closed," she said. "My clothes are -- I'm exposed. Someone said one boy had his arm broken at the time and said his cast was in the picture."

(OP Link Source)

Now, I'd say she'll never be sure quite WHAT all did or didn't happen to her except to know for certain she was violated in a horrible public way and sexually without question. If that hadn't been a party they were stripping her unconscious form out to abuse? I wouldn't be surprised if full blown rape had followed. This obviously wasn't the place...but they DID do everything just short of it and with an audience to gawk.

They forfeited any right to privacy when they stripped a passed out girl to display and photograph like some object of humor. Folks.... I got no sympathy WHATEVER for those punks and she had EVERY RIGHT as the one who was victimized to say anything she pleased about it. The law was originally passed with HER in mind, after all.

How is a gag order constitutional?

Maybe she went too far calling these spoiled kids rapist, she should have stuck with molesters, but putting this out on the net is fair play.

Daddy's money can't protect them from everything.

Originally posted by pierregustavetoutant
If the girl is lying, or even exaggerating, she should be forced to pay serious money to this guy.
Unfortunate drunk behavior generally takes 2 to tango.
If a slut regrets being a slut, its not the guy's fault.
The twisted culture of no personal responsibility and celebration of victimhood strikes again.

She was laid out, unconscious on a kitchen floor with a party of kids to witness.....hence, she was told by OTHERS the two convicted of this had photographed her. I'm wondering why they weren't busted on felony child pornography as well....but plea deals and all... Criminals aren't criminals anymore. Just a problem to plead out..

Anyway.. How does sexually assaulting an unconscious 16yr old in public constitute '2 to tango'? Does anyone even read OP linked articles anymore??

Originally posted by Lucid Lunacy
Shortly into the video the OP posted. Seems some of you didn't watch it.

They pleaded guilty to first degree sexual assault and misdemeanor voyeurism.

She broke the agreement, and revealed their names on Twitter. She claims she didn't know about the plea agreement. She was going to be charged and face prison time but that has been withdrawn.

Apparently it's 180 days since they were minors. Personally I think they deserved much more repercussion so I'm glad she broke the plea agreement.

No need to watch the video,everything you just said is in the article.

I don't think anyone is really defending these kids..what they did was wrong.But so was she for calling them rapists..when clearly..she wasn't raped. It's a fine line I suppose.To me,there's just something that doesn't fit with this story. I'm not quite sure what it is.

Unfortunately,this kind of thing happens way to often. This folks,is exactly why teenagers should not drink.

And before anyone gets on me,NO I'm not saying she deserved it because she was drunk.So don't even go there.There is such a thing as PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY though!

reply to post by poet1b

Maybe she went too far calling these spoiled kids rapist, she should have stuck with molesters, but putting this out on the net is fair play.

Totally agree with that sentiment.

They said it took place after she was passed out. They weren't clear as to what they actually did. It's sexual and non-consensual and they took photos. Very serious either way.

Originally posted by nightstalker78
I don't think anyone is really defending these kids..what they did was wrong.

Very wrong.

But so was she for calling them rapists..when clearly..she wasn't raped. It's a fine line I suppose.

They were not clear as to what actually happened. We know it was sexual, and she was passed out.

Her level of 'wrongness' is hardly on the same level though. Even though technically she broke the agreement, I think it was the right thing to do. Could prevent other girls from drinking around these guys.

To me,there's just something that doesn't fit with this story. I'm not quite sure what it is.

Other than not having all the information I am not sure how you figure that.

Originally posted by Lucid Lunacy
reply to post by poet1b

 

Maybe she went too far calling these spoiled kids rapist, she should have stuck with molesters, but putting this out on the net is fair play.

Totally agree with that sentiment.

They said it took place after she was passed out. They weren't clear as to what they actually did. It's sexual and non-consensual and they took photos. Very serious either way.

"Sexual and non-consensual"..... Yeah that is rape.

Originally posted by nightstalker78
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

Did you miss the part in the article that says :

"The victim, in a fit of anger, tweets my clients name, calls him a rapist -- something he was never accused of -- and said the court system was corrupt and he got away with what he did," Mejia said. "She also said he videotaped her and put it on Internet. There never was a rape, there was no video and there was nothing on the Internet. But he did admit to the conduct as charged which was criminal sexual abuse or touching.The two boys charged were juveniles, and the court therefore kept the details of the case confidential.

It's the last sentence there that's important...so the judge did the right thing.

I never bought this story from the begining. She was drunk,admittedly...and probably has NO memory of what happened that night.There was never any proof that she was raped.Sorry,even though it is wrong,touching someone is NOT rape.

BTW OP,I don't know if it's you or not,but the link you just gave was signed into a FB account,and something popped up asking me if I wanted to stay logged in. It WASNT my account..I didn't catch the name though and clicked no. Odd

edit on 21-8-2012 by nightstalker78 because: (no reason given)

That is complete hogwash. Not only did they rape her when she was drunk out of her head. That would be bad enough... Then the posted a video of their act online.
So who ruined whose life? Those boys deserve whatever they get.....