Wednesday, June 19, 2013

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Ohio high school football players found guilty of rape
Posted: 03.17.2013 at 3:54 PM
Amulya Raghuveer

Amulya is the Director of Digital Content and Community Relations at WNWO.

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Trent Mays and Ma'lik Richmond face at least one year in juvenile jail for the rape of a 16-year-old girl.  / AP
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STEUBENVILLE, OHIO -- Two standout football players from a small, southwestern Ohio high school, have been found guilty of raping a drunken 16-year-old girl.

Trent Mays, 17, and Ma'lik Richmond, 16, were found deliquent on all charges against them in juvenile court Sunday.

Both teens were standout football players for the Steubenville Big Red. They were arrested after the girl's parents went to authorities alleging their daughter had been raped at an August 2012 party. The teens kidnapped the drunk girl by taking her to several parties while she was in an almost unconscious state. They carried her around for most of the night as their "personal rape toy," repeatedly sexually assaulting her.

Mays and Richmond made emotional apologies to the victim and to the community after the verdict was read. Richmond struggled at times to talk through his sobs. In addition to a sentence of at least one year in juvenile jail, the boys have been ordered to avoid contact with the victim until they turn 21.

Mays was sentenced to an additional year in juvenile jail for taking pictures or video of the victim during the incident. He will serve the additional year after serving his rape sentence.

Both teens will also have to register as sex offenders.

The verdict came down after 4 days of graphic testimony which included photographs of the victim and lewd text messages. 

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine says he will convene a grand jury to investigate whether other party-goers should be charged in the case. Activist groups have argued others should be charged under state law requiring people to report crimes.

"This community desperately needs to have this behind them but this community also desperately needs to know justice was done and that no stone was left unturned," said DeWine.

 (The Associated Press contributed to this article) 

 

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