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

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)

So often we are seeing young adult teenagers being charged with violent crimes and are being tried as an adult. Why not in this case? I would certainly point out that this is one case where the young men should be charged as adults but take their age into consideration.

I agree that they should face the wrath of social media and ti is the only course that victims have to fight back against injustice.

I guess we would have to ask State Rep Akin if this was one "legitimate illegitimate rapes?

reply to post by captaintyinknots


Technically no, they aren't rapist. Semantics can cause a lot more harm than none, which is the case here.

Some people call big women beautiful, I call them something else, get what I'm saying? I'll agree to disagree, so we don't sidetrack the thread.

Originally posted by kimish
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

Technically no, they aren't rapist. Semantics can cause a lot more harm than none, which is the case here.

Some people call big women beautiful, I call them something else, get what I'm saying? I'll agree to disagree, so we don't sidetrack the thread.

I gotcha, and honestly, i do get your point. My point is that the term "sexual assault" tends to be looked upon as a lesser event, and to the victim, there is very rarely a difference whether or not penetration occured. The damage is mental, and it happens whether or not there is penetration.

So, it may not be accurate, but I will continue to call them rapists.

Originally posted by Amanda5
reply to post by kimish

 

While I respect your comment I still feel that the bombardment of sexualised images that pervade society - and to which Children are drawn - particularly as they enter the adolescent stage, are in fact teaching them certain behaviours. Looking at pornography teaches Children that it's okay to have sex in a variety of ways. The mere fact that sooooo much sexual imagery is prevalent - teaches Children that adults have created this sexualised society and that is why they gravitate towards such behaviour.

I agree with you that hormones are strong in adolescents but encouraging them with sexualised advertisements and access to pornography is giving them tools without proper guidance - they will do whatever ...

Hormones are only a part of the problem - we have so much work to do as a society. I imagine we can both agree that this horrific story is a no win situation for anyone.

Much Peace...

I can agree with you and respect your position. Thanks for the reply

Originally posted by captaintyinknots

Originally posted by kimish
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

Technically no, they aren't rapist. Semantics can cause a lot more harm than none, which is the case here.

Some people call big women beautiful, I call them something else, get what I'm saying? I'll agree to disagree, so we don't sidetrack the thread.

I gotcha, and honestly, i do get your point. My point is that the term "sexual assault" tends to be looked upon as a lesser event, and to the victim, there is very rarely a difference whether or not penetration occured. The damage is mental, and it happens whether or not there is penetration.

So, it may not be accurate, but I will continue to call them rapists.

Ahh, civility on ATS, something we've been lacking for some time here

Back on topic, I don't feel like the girl should be punished severely, at the most maybe community service because after all, she is distraught about this ordeal and if she broke some laws by naming names she should be punished but leniently IMHO.

reply to post by kimish

They admitted penetration, ie. intercourse? If not then it's not rape, she had no right to call it that, sexual assault yes, rape no.

ETA: maybe she needs a lesson in semantics, that's all.

Some have suggested different criteria for the term among the States?

Yeah maybe she used the word improperly not knowingly. Or maybe she knew, and said it out of anger. I will repeat something I said earlier:

Let's try and be really objective here. She was unconscious. She later finds out they took photo/video of her being molested with clothing removed. She doesn't know if she was or was not penetrated at that point. She assumed she was. I would imagine most girls would of assumed it from that evidence.

As far as her having no right to call them rapists. Meh. Fine. She should have told the world they were sexual predators and potentially saved other girls from a similar encounter with said guys.

Originally posted by mikeyb1313

"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"

Ivy League schools don't give out scholarships for sports... gonna need a better argument than that.

cite your source which says this please. Otherwise that is here-say. Thanks.

Originally posted by kimish
reply to post by Golf66

 

True words spoken through emotion. Try to be logical.

Are you a father?

If my daughter came to me and said someone raped or touched her in a sexual manner against her will or while she was drunk or sleeping...

The man or boy would be dead before the police ever became involved - just a fact.

I would care little for the possible consequences or future charges against me. In fact it would be to one's advantage for a defense to act swiftly so as to be able to have the crime of passion defense.

In fact - I am fairly certain depending on the location (I doubt I'd walk in CA or NY but I'll take my chances in rural Missouri) of the jury a crime of that nature could be walked away from entirely. I'd say chances where I live would be 60/40 depending on what evidince existed - tapes or whatever showing the "boys" in action. With the chances decreaseing as you go from real evidence to he said she said. Though the "boy" won't have a say - he'll long have been a corpse by the time any trial would begin.

Logic doesn't compute when it comes to protecting family in my world...

reply to post by Golf66


Yes, I am a father and I'm also not naive to the world around me and how people can manipulate. Just saying. Read my other posts, I don't condone these boys behaviors so please, don't take me the wrong way.

Originally posted by kimish
I don't condone these boys behaviors so please, don't take me the wrong way.

If I made you feel that is the case, I apologize that was not my intent. It's clear to me that you don't condone their actions.

I just know what my actions would be in response I'm not saying they are the actions others should/would take or the correct or legal actions.

I have such distaste for any sexual abuse (for my own personal reasons) I don't think I'd be able to have any other reaction. It ruins lives... Even a molestation event is a life changer.

I'd hope my daughter wouldn’t make something like that up – she knows me well enough to know that would be all but a death sentence for the accused. Unless she recanted within the time it took to get a gun (usually on my hip) and leave the point would be moot. I think her conscience is true enough to know she'd passed a death sentence she'd be completely honest.

I have a daughter but if a son told me the same thing I'd have the same reaction.

If the cops came to get a son of mine for such a charge I don’t know what I'd do.

I think in some ways that would be harder to deal with as a parent.

reply to post by Golf66


Agreed, our children, as we look at them as parents, are our mirror image. Because we raise them and instill morals and ethics into them. If any one of my children were to be accused of such a crime I don't know what I'd do either, I'd probably get into trouble myself to be honest.

Regardless, It's a shame on all fronts and now that I rehash, I may have played devils advocate a little too much, so I apologize if I've touched anyones nerves or hurt anybodies feelings for this is a very touchy subject.

reply to post by Golf66


It's funny you should mention this. Missouri's Deadly Force statutes FIRST said it had to be rape in the traditional sense...but was amended (some would say corrected) to include ALL forms of sexual assault.

So..... If one were to walk into a room and found those two boys over the naked body of an unconscious girl, underage or not...The way the law reads...they'd only walk out of that room alive if you CHOSE for them to. Now...that is assuming the assault is in progress, but warnings aren't required. Simply sexual assault in progress. So....You wouldn't have much chance to take in Missouri. The mindset is already there. You'd just have to show the passion in the crime if you went after them, after the fact. (and sooner would be better for that emotional distress making your thinking all fuzzy and such.)
[

ATTENTION!

I just want to interject a thanks and acknowledgement. For the past several pages you have all turned this thread around and are doing an amazing job of debating the subject matter.

Kudos to everyone involved!

Hefficide
ATS Moderator

Originally posted by Skywatcher2011

Originally posted by mikeyb1313

"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"

Ivy League schools don't give out scholarships for sports... gonna need a better argument than that.

cite your source which says this please. Otherwise that is here-say. Thanks.

It is a false assertion. Ivy league schools certainly DO give athletic scholarships, but the athletes must also meet the academic criteria to get them. They arent labelled as "athletic scholarships", but they most certainly are.

Originally posted by kimish

Originally posted by captaintyinknots

Originally posted by kimish
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

Technically no, they aren't rapist. Semantics can cause a lot more harm than none, which is the case here.

Some people call big women beautiful, I call them something else, get what I'm saying? I'll agree to disagree, so we don't sidetrack the thread.

I gotcha, and honestly, i do get your point. My point is that the term "sexual assault" tends to be looked upon as a lesser event, and to the victim, there is very rarely a difference whether or not penetration occured. The damage is mental, and it happens whether or not there is penetration.

So, it may not be accurate, but I will continue to call them rapists.

Ahh, civility on ATS, something we've been lacking for some time here

Back on topic, I don't feel like the girl should be punished severely, at the most maybe community service because after all, she is distraught about this ordeal and if she broke some laws by naming names she should be punished but leniently IMHO.

Truthfully, I believe she should be able to defend her actions as a crime of passion/temporary insanity. The anguish she is dealing with certainly lends itself to this defense.

So once a crime has been committed there should be no forgiveness and no second chance to become a productive member of society.

Got it.

Originally posted by EvilSadamClone
So once a crime has been committed there should be no forgiveness and no second chance to become a productive member of society.

Got it.

when it is a sexual assault, not so much. Sexual predators are highly likely to commit the act again, far moreso than other crimes. And the victim has to live with it their whole life-should the perpetrator?

So,this happened here,were I live.
Good for her to stand up and name her assaulters.
That kind of stuff has been going on forever,but now,with our technology today,it is easier to share photos and communicate.
How would those boys feel if someone took pictures of them passed out with they're little penis's hanging out?

Originally posted by Rockpuck

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by Rockpuck

 

No situatiion ever calls for any guy to be allowed to sexually assualt a girl, even taking her clothes off to take pictures is a violation.



Way to go for supporting sexual offenders.

I look at it in context. If I and a female got drunk together at a party, and at some point she took her shirt off (which, at least the parties I went to was not uncommon!) and ended up in photographs completely plastered with different guys (and girls) posing with her in her various stages of undress..... would I be a "sexual predator?" No.

We apply this double standard because we have some sick antiquated notion that women are these pure, non sexual innocent little creatures of perfection. When one gets drunk and does something stupid that, in this case, ends up with some guys posing with her topless, we blame everyone ........ but her? It's equality for all, stupidity should not be gender exclusive. Had there been violence in the act, a premeditated aim for this to happen, or a forced sexual encounter then I would say yes, lock the boys up. For getting drunk and passing out and ending up embarassed is not cause for accusing anyone of sexual assault.

We have this idiotic stigma in society that as long as a woman screams rape, we automatically have to defend her, regardless of her story. Then men are automatically accused by everyone whether they did it or not. In this case 2 drunk KIDS ended up in a picture with a drunk girl passed out on the floor. Everyone clearly made poor choices, but the boys are the ones with their lives ruined. And if you don't want embarrassing pictures taken .. I suggest not getting so drunk you pass out. I've witnessed some very, very embarrassing situations done to people passed out at parties.

I would have never gotten drunken enough to allow this to happen...
Maybe I am old fashioned.
I would have never allowed her to take off her shirt in order for this to happen...

And if she did get drunk enough to take of her clothing I would have placed a cover over her to protect her, and also made sure she was in a safe place to sleep it off.....Call me old fashioned.

And if I wasn't there to help...woes to the man that assaulted her, he would be found dead
with shotgun burns to his head.

reply to post by EvilSadamClone

So once a crime has been committed there should be no forgiveness and no second chance to become a productive member of society.

Got it.

Surely that depends on the crime.

In this particular case I would want them to be sentenced with the 1-5 years. Meaning no special treatment because they were 16 and not 18. I don't believe half a year is justice for sexually assaulting an unconscious person and taking footage. I don't think they should be locked away forever or killed. I do think they should be flagged for their crime and it should be public record.