What started as a crime in a small Ohio city has exploded into an international controversy, with outrage spreading through social media.
It all centres on the case of a 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, who was allegedly raped repeatedly and dragged unconscious to a series of a parties. The prime suspects in the case are two star players on the local high school football team, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, who are also 16.
The crime is said to have occurred in August 2012, but the details of the case are now spreading rapidly through the internet as hacker group ‘Anonymous’ posted a picture, apparently showing two young men carrying the alleged victim by the ankles and wrists, and two videos of young men joking and happily describing the girl’s degradation.
The girl, however, says she has no recollection of what had happened.
Walter Madison, who is Richmond’s lawyer, argues the photo was taken “out of context.” He told CNN, “That young lady is not unconscious. That young lady was capable of walking, and her friends are individuals who indicated that information to the police. And they weren’t selected (by prosecutors) for this hearing that we’ve had thus far because that didn’t serve the purpose of the hearing.”
‘Anonymous’ says the football-focused community has covered up the investigation, and as a result, the hacking group is threatening to release even more information. In its own video, ‘Anonymous’ says, “We will not sit idly by and watch a group of young men who turn to rape as a game or sport get the pass because of athletic ability and small town luck.”
Prosecutors say they were aware of the videos, and have been aggressively pursuing the case. “We are not going to leave this case until we are satisfied that everyone who is guilty of a crime, or believe the evidence shows is guilty of a crime, has actually been charged,” says Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
“We fully understand the importance to the community in making sure that the truth comes out and that we know exactly what’s going on.”
Despite that, protesters have descended on the city, demanding answers from officials. Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said he has been receiving phone calls at home about the case. He told WTRF-TV, “When (protesters) came into the county last Saturday, I had respect for them. I thought their cause was right. They thought there was some injustice going on. You have a right to stand up for that, but when you cross the line and start character assassination, they’ve lost their mission.”
He believes the “hacktivists” are now trying to just gain attention, rather than focus on their original cause.
“When you’re under character assassination, how do you defend yourself? It’s difficult to do that but when these people come into this county and tell me it’s a dirty county and they wouldn’t live here and it’s corrupt and they wouldn’t live here, then don’t live here. But I do live here and so do about 70,000 other people live in this county, but I happen to be proud of this county, this city, the big red football program, and the people in this town,” adds Abdalla.
Abdalla also says some media outlets should focus on the facts, not on the information ‘Anonymous’ has been releasing. “How can you do a story when someone is giving you information that’s not even factual?” he said.
“This case is still under investigation. It’ll be under investigation until the trial starts and more information will be presented.”
DeWine believes the actions of ‘Anonymous’ have proved to be detrimental for the victim. “Every time something goes up on the internet, the victim is victimized again,” he said. CNN reports that according to a lawyer of the girl’s family, she is undergoing counselling and is “doing as well as one can expect.”
Madison says digital vigilantes and social media have taken over his client’s case. “It’s taken the city under siege, it’s hijacked the case and it’s cemented a public opinion based upon false innuendo, fact, and misconception.”
DeWine is concerned about the ramifications resulting from the public condemnation, telling CNN, “This case needs to be tried not in the media, not in social media.”
Mays and Richmond are set to be tried in juvenile court on February 13. Legal experts say it will be a difficult case. CBS News legal analyst Jack Ford says, “You can still convict somebody of a crime with a victim not knowing how it happened, as long as there is enough circumstantial evidence or direct evidence by somebody else.”
State prosecutors are handling the case because local authorities knew people involved with the football team in the small city.
With a file from The Associated Press
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