Thanks To Anonymous: GUILTY VERDICT in Steubenville Rape Case

If it wasn't for members of the leaderless group, or as I like to call them , "collective" , we would not have seen the Steubenville Rape Boys held accountable for their crimes.

GUILTY

Judge Thomas Lipps ruled Sunday in juvenile court that Steubenville High School students Trent Mays and Ma'Lik Richmond are guilty of attacking the girl after an alcohol-fueled party last August. The 17-year-old Mays and 16-year-old Richmond were charged with digitally penetrating the West Virginia girl, first in a car and then in a house. They could be held in a juvenile jail until they turn 21.

While I am still disgusted that three others who played a role in ruining this young girls life, got immunity in exchange for their testimony against the two charged in this case, I am still happy that something was done. I am also not very happy with the fact that they are only receiving one year each in Juvenile Hall with rehabilitation for young sex offenders for the rape with Mays receiving an additional one year for taping the attack. I really think it should have been the maximum. But, I'll take whatever I can get at this point.

Some may say that this is fair because it wasn't as bad as other rapes or what we think of when we think of rape. But those of us who are women or have daughters know better. No person has the right to take sexual advantage of a person when they are unconscious. I don't care of it's slapping your privates against her face or fondling her with your fingers, as was done in this case, or , if it's having sexual intercourse. Rape is rape and I hope this judgment today brings that home for those who don't seem to have any clue to the fact that you can't touch ANYONE who is unconscious in a sexual manner .

PERIOD

And if it wasn't for the collective Anonymous, this case would have never seen the light of day. Members of this collective are the ones who brought this crime to the attention of the whole world and demanded that justice be done for the victim. It is time for the culture of drinking underage and protecting high school sports players when they commit crimes to come to an end. This case is just the beginning. Those who think rape is cool and think you will be protected because you play a sport in high school or college, consider yourselves warned. Whether you play a role or just sit there and watch, you will be held accountable.

I thought the sentences were a bit short.

I feel for the girl; all of this has to have been traumatic. The court proceedings, the media coverage, and the nasty comments from the public saying that she 'had it coming'.. I just can't imagine going through all of that.

reply to post by daryllyn


I'm glad the family doesn't live there, and I hope it's not as bad where she lives. I think they should have received the maximum.

Good, sentences are to short imo, 1 year for what they've done? Those boys are sick

At least they got two of them, i hope this serves as a lesson and a reality check for the citizens protecting those boys.

Well, someone send a case of beer to the Anonymous guys for this one. My feelings on their activities are as mixed as the description of the people who 'borrow' the name to use at times. However, sometimes, the people using the Anonymous name on a thing do REAL GOOD WORK.

In this case, I honestly believe they did make the difference between these rapists being left to slide on the obscene violation of the victim in such a terrible way ...or made to PAY for it like any mere mortal would have to ...like any of US for instance.

It's a pathetic time when we NEED people like Anonymous just to see that a rapist is called a rapist and punishment actually DOES come for the sexual vicitmization of another person ....but there it is. Thankfully, they stepped in this time.

After learning all I ever wanted about this case when Anony first broke it..I have only one hope. Whatever these two animals do in their life...at some point...THEY LEARN what Rape is all about by DIRECT experience. Perhaps that will take the childish humor out of the crime for them, next time.

reply to post by skepticconwatcher


Yes, it is a little justice. The sentences are minimums. They could be held longer because it is up to the juvenile correction's department to determine if they have been rehabilitated by the end of their terms.

What is even more exciting is the the fact that the attorney general of the state is calling for a grand jury to convene in April so that they can compel the other 16 witnesses that refused to testify. Hopefully others that were involved will be brought to justice as well.

On edit: What is more punishment for these two is that their football days are over. Any chance they had of playing in college is history. That is probably more painful for them than the incarceration.

Yeah, the rape crew gonna get raped in their arses now.

Anon is my new hero now.

reply to post by GrantedBail


Yes, I heard about that. But the rehabilitation will be taking place in Ohio so i don't know if I trust that system. They will probably say they are cured and let them go.

reply to post by skepticconwatcher


They'll probably try to avoid having everyone in their ring of authority hung from street lamps.
Plus the Media would eat them alive if they did...

I think the sentence was rather light, particularly in the juvenile justice system, but I'm glad someone is being held accountable. I'm very happy to hear they're convening a grand jury.

Personally, I feel unsatistified with this puny outcome. All the people involved with this horrendous event have not yet been held accountable for their actions. The sentencing is a complete joke! On the other hand, what waits for them upon their release is far from a joke, I would imagine. Maybe their parents will get to see vigilante justice on you tube? Just like the victim's parents were forced to witness their child being abused! And for the boy who claimed he wouldn't care if his own daughter was a victim of rape...Hmmm...If he weren't a psychopath, I'd wish two gorgeous, free-spirited daughters on him! Then he'd know the true fear of rape.

reply to post by B1rd1nFL1ghT

I agree with you. I'm happy with the outcome because it ALMOST resulted in far less than this. Ultimately? You're right though..this stops well short. There is a whole party of scumbag kids who watched this go down and didn't do a damn thing to stop it. Guilt is theirs as well, in my mind.

Earlier I came across some still images off the original video of the raping/molesting of this girl. All heavily blurred where needed..of course. They were media shots, of course. However..sitting there watching without ANY need for more detail...I was steamed. I'd be in prison if that had been my daughter and I saw those pictures of what happened. (No links on this..everyone can find them. They're more objectionable than I'm comfortable linking)

I'd be in prison because I'd have killed them both ...or injured them in a way to insure they suffered every single day of their lives, for the rest of their lives. .....but that's speaking in terms of seeing MY kid in the victim's place.

Yes, Anon did a great thing posting the video. I fear what might've happened had it not gone viral.

Regarding the monsters who did this, the ones who supplied info should've gotten reduced sentences and not immunity. The ones on trial should've been tried as adults. It seems as though every passing day, I'm losing more and more faith in the justice system.

It's times like these that make people wish we had an (Official) Totalitarian and Authoritarian government to dish out the harsh and unusually cruel punishment.

Or Batman. Always Batman.

reply to post by Szarekh

I'll tell ya what it comes to for me.... These are among those very rare times where I wouldn't mind seeing Sharia Law in the United States, after all. I mean, we'd have our own little modifications and adjustments...like not punishing the victim. So think about how it would probably play?

Thieves get their hands cut off.

Liars get their tongues cut out.

Murderers get their whole head taken off....

What do rapists get cut off? (I'd love for these two to find out, wouldn't you? )

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I would have gone to prison too had it been my daughter. Especially hearing all of the horrible things people were saying in defense of those boys. There was (and probably still is, now that they have been found guilty) a lot of 'she had it coming' talk, which is just disgusting, and justifies nothing.

And I completely agree about the ones who stayed silent being just as guilty.

Reminded me of this quote:

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." -Albert Einstein

reply to post by mypan


yeah because raping rapists solves the problem of rape,that comment makes you about as bad of a human as they were,i love society's double standards rape outside prison is horrible bad but oh those inmates well they deserve to get raped.....do you not see the stupidity of your statement? all rape is bad and NO ONE deserves to be raped regardless of what they have done..

i too thought the sentences were a bit short my self as these kids seem like the text book example of "high school foot ball jocks" sad part is if this had happened in Texas the football players would have gotten off most likely

but by all means keep rooting for the kids to get raped that will stop our rape problem in this country more rape.....

reply to post by RalagaNarHallas

yeah because raping rapists solves the problem of rape,that comment makes you about as bad of a human as they were,i love society's double standards rape outside prison is horrible bad but oh those inmates well they deserve to get raped

I wanted to drop a thought here, since I've been among those saying this very same thing.

Solving the problem would have come when it was time for these kids to learn something of values, decency and basic right from wrong. I don't know who failed...parents?...teachers?...Grand Theft Auto IV?.. I really don't care.

It's not about solving the problem and I detest rape in..well.. *ALMOST* all forms. I make one tiny exception.

Sometimes, and it's a rare thing indeed, but just once in a great while ...seeing that someone GETS what they have been so quick and eager to GIVE carries a justice all it's own. It really does. I hope they don't get lonely while serving their sentences.

reply to post by RalagaNarHallas


I think it's a normal reaction to a despicable crime. Deep down on the animal level we all want revenge for ourselves or others who have been violated.

It is the veneer of civilization that holds us to a higher standard of conduct.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


kinda makes it hard to rehabilitate people(the alleged purpose of jail) and teach them not to rape if they are taught in jail that by raping some one you can get power over them and it will have no consequences and then low and behold all these convicts who are living in an institutional process where rape is often encouraged if not just tolerated as a way of getting revenge and we wonder why we have free people out and about raping people and not seeing the wrong in it....perhaps its society teaching people that some times rape is acceptable instead of something abhorrent that's the problem here