Hackers leak video of Steubenville, Ohio Rape case.

The judge who's going to be presiding over the case is

Tom Lipps, a retired Hamilton County Juvenile Court judge

Lipps retired in 2010 after 12 years as a Hamilton County Juvenile Court judge and 25 more in that court as an administrator and magistrate. After his retirement, Lipps was named a visiting judge by the Ohio Supreme Court, allowing him to be appointed in any Ohio county. His strong background in juvenile court made him a good candidate to preside over the case. The teens are charged as juveniles.

Anyone else think it strange to be bringing a judge out of retirement to handle this trial?
Is this a common practice?

The trial will most likely be held in Cinncinnati because they felt a change of venue was best and this is also where the judge lives.

Steubenville is more than 250 miles and four hours east of Cincinnati, located almost equidistant between Pittsburgh and Wheeling, W. Va.

Gosh. WIth it being that far away from Stuebenville, do you think the residents have heard about the rape, seen the video tape, and heard about the official corruption noted thus far?

"I'm pleased to hear that he's in the middle of that firestorm. He'll make sure justice is done," said Alex Triantafilou, an attorney and president of the Hamilton County Republican Party. Lipps wouldn't comment Tuesday.

This remains to be seen, but I sure hope this doesn't end up being a hollow promise.

www.usatoday.com... d%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+(News+-+Top+Stories)

Originally posted by Xcathdra




Vigilante justice is just as bad as raping a person... If people are so hell bent on holding people accountible how about you let the system do its job instead of trying to pull a 100 meter rush to judgement based solely on video that was leaked.

The system is broken that you represent. Those with the most money and access to expensive attorneys don't receive justice. What would you do if it was your daughter that was drugged and passed around to be raped. Watch the video! If the system won't or can't work due to corruption or just plain ineptness, then the
people have a right to seek justice on their own. Maybe then the system will get the message and not play favorites based on peoples income and social influence.

In America "Justice isn't Blind" it's dispensed just like anyother product. The best justice money can buy!

Originally posted by Afterthought
The judge who's going to be presiding over the case is

Tom Lipps, a retired Hamilton County Juvenile Court judge

Lipps retired in 2010 after 12 years as a Hamilton County Juvenile Court judge and 25 more in that court as an administrator and magistrate. After his retirement, Lipps was named a visiting judge by the Ohio Supreme Court, allowing him to be appointed in any Ohio county. His strong background in juvenile court made him a good candidate to preside over the case. The teens are charged as juveniles.

Anyone else think it strange to be bringing a judge out of retirement to handle this trial?
Is this a common practice?

The trial will most likely be held in Cinncinnati because they felt a change of venue was best and this is also where the judge lives.

Steubenville is more than 250 miles and four hours east of Cincinnati, located almost equidistant between Pittsburgh and Wheeling, W. Va.

Gosh. WIth it being that far away from Stuebenville, do you think the residents have heard about the rape, seen the video tape, and heard about the official corruption noted thus far?

"I'm pleased to hear that he's in the middle of that firestorm. He'll make sure justice is done," said Alex Triantafilou, an attorney and president of the Hamilton County Republican Party. Lipps wouldn't comment Tuesday.

This remains to be seen, but I sure hope this doesn't end up being a hollow promise.

www.usatoday.com... d%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+(News+-+Top+Stories)

edit on 8-1-2013 by Afterthought because: (no reason given)

I've never heard about a judge being brought out of retirement to sit on the bench before myself.

I don't get the whole moving to a different part of Ohio for a change of venue either. What's the point in that? Like the protesters would be unable to protest in Cincinnati if they choose? Just don't see the logic myself....

the biggest crime is this guys haircut.how else would he get laid .
he has a very obvious look about him and this is viral he has a very big problem now and thats street justice .
i know if i caught this guy on the street with no witnesses i might scalp the little turd .


notice anything?

reply to post by Afterthought

Originally posted by roadgravel
Doubt the mindset of the past was been fully removed. They take care of their own..

Apparently you guys missed this part of the article in the OP.

Steubenville High School Students Joke About Rape In Video Leaked By Anonymous

Steubenville Police Chief Bill McCafferty released the following statement Wednesday (via WTRF):


The Steubenville police department has been aware of this recent video that was released. Since late August 2012 the subject who made the video was interviewed. This has all been turned over to the prosecutors which are the Ohio Attorney Generals Office, who is prosecuting this case. It's always been the policy of the Steubenville Police Department not to make comments on details of a case prior to it going to trial. I know this is frustrating for some. I can't change that now, as you know this is a high profile case and for the parties interested I believe I should not make a comment on it because I can't make a comment on it. It's being handled by an outside agency.

While people are bashing the police they seemed to have ignored the fact that the police did nothing wrong. They investigated the claims the moment they were made aware of it. They requested the Attorney Generals office conduct the investigation and prosecution of the case.

The threat Anonymous made was not geared at the Police. Its geared towards everyone who has information and who are refusing to come forward with that information.

Anonymous has released information about the town and the football team and is threatening to release more unless everyone comes clean about what happened that August night.

"The town of Steubenville has been good at keeping this quiet and their star football team protected," an Anonymous member wearing the group's trademark Guy Fawkes mask says in a video posted to the group's LocalLeaks website.

The organization, he says, will not allow "a group of young men who turn to rape as a game or sport get the pass because of athletic ability or small-town luck."

also

On August 27, the same day authorities charged the two defendants, Jefferson County authorities asked for help from the attorney general's office in investigating and prosecuting the case. Interviews and witness statements led to the arrests, McCafferty said.

The Police were made aware of the crime and got involved on August 14th. As you can see above charges were filed on the 27th.

So no, the Police are not protecting their own. They arent even involved since the AG is doing the investigation and prosecution. Until people come forward with info, the PA's office can only do so much in charging people.

The issue lies with the citizns and students who have information and have refused to cooperate with the investigation. The next step to fix that would be for the AG's office to take action. In this instance, and based on the OP article links, they could issue Material Witness Warrants.

The link gives an overview of it. In this case it would be at the State level which will ahve differing criteria however the premis is pretty much the same.

Originally posted by Darkphoenix77
I've never heard about a judge being brought out of retirement to sit on the bench before myself.

It occurs from time to time.. The same has been done for the US Supreme Court as well. Usually when steps like this are taken its done to prevent conflicts of interest or perceived bias from the bench towards the victim. As an example the first judge in the Treyvan Martin case in FL was removed from the case when he suggested the prosecution charge him with more crimes. He also expressed his opinion on his guilt. Judges are suppose to be unbiased.

Originally posted by Darkphoenix77
I don't get the whole moving to a different part of Ohio for a change of venue either. What's the point in that? Like the protesters would be unable to protest in Cincinnati if they choose? Just don't see the logic myself....

Actually it has nothing to do with protesters. When a change of venue is requested, its done by the defense attorney. They make the motion to change venue and present an argument to the court as to why the request is made. Generally the most common request is based on the argument that the people in the area have been over exposed / holding biased view points towards the defendent / to involved for the defendent to receive a fair trial.

If granted its moved to the requested location, at which point a judge from that area is assigned and if the defendents choose a jury trial, they use the citizens of that area. The origional PA remains on the case though.

One of the reasons this is granted is to avoid any guilty verdict from being thrown out on appeal for civil rights / constituion violations (due process, speedy trial, etc etc etc). The courts will generally side with the defense in this type of request. Reason being, and as I said before, if it goes to trial and violations occur, resulting in not guilty or mistrial / aquittal, jeopardy is attached, meaning the person cannot be charged a second time for the same crime.

There are 2 basic remedies (there are more but these are usually the ones that pop up) to the above dilema -
* - Charges can be refiled should new evidence surface that the prosecution did not have during the first go around.

* - The Federal Government (Department of Justice) can initiate an action against the defendants based on federal law violations (violating the victims rights). We saw this in the Trayvan Martin case in FL.. When it looked like charges were not going to be filed, the DOJ initiated their own action against Zimmerman (which if I remeber right they have since dropped it).

Originally posted by HumAnnunaki
All apologies for miss~spelling your name Xcathdra.
It was not my intention to insult you.

Fair enough...

Originally posted by HumAnnunaki
Before you retort again please aswer the question you so eloquently have time and time again evaded -

I thought I did...

Originally posted by HumAnnunaki
Have you viewed the video in question..?
..for it seems evident in your answers to me (as well as to others engaged in this conversation)
that you have NO IDEA of what evidence there really is!

No I have not viewed the video.. I dont need to view the video.. Again you and others apparently cannot move beyond the point that I have made time and again. I am not debating the evidence or that a crime was committed... What I have been doing is explaining the procedures people are not understanding. You and others are, no offense, not understanding how evidence works.

Eveidence can be collected during the investigation, including the video.... However, prior to the start of an official trial you will have whats called discovery. This is where the Defense files a motion to the court to request all information / documents / witeness lists / evidence lists etc.. The defense will review the material, and will go back before the judge to argue why certain pieces of evidence should not be allowed. The prosecution argues their position on why it should, and in the end the judge will decide if the evidence challeneged will be admitted in whole, admitted in part, not admitted at all.

Example - The video itself that documented the crime could be challenged based on whether or not its the origional, or a copy of an origional. In that case one could argue that since the origional video cannot be found, the copy of the video could have been altered, edited etc...

I am NOT saying it is.. I am simply demostrating how smoking gun evidence could never see the inside of a court room.

Originally posted by HumAnnunaki
There is MORE than just the one picture..there is MORE than just the one video.
There is ACTUAL statements released (or hacked) that implicate a large abundance of information
as to what actually transpired.

Leaked / hacked information, again, would be challenged. There are very few instances where an exception to the hearsay rule applies. Its not enough for a person to go to the police and say I was told by a friend who saw....

Originally posted by HumAnnunaki
None of this you seem to know or care to acknowledge - you only seem to care about how the law works even though it is clear to everyone that the law is broken!

Actually I do care and have acknowledged the issue.. What you seem to be ignoring is the points im trying to make.. I am explaining the side of the fence to people in this thread who often bash the police for no other reason than they are the police.

As for the law being broken... I dont see how that charge can be made when its coming from people who dont understand the laws / court procedures, rules of evidence etc etc etc.

That issue goes to the heart of my argument... You took the time to watch the video yet failed to take the time to properly research Ohio law. Because of that you fixiate on the video and tend to ignore any and all information that does not support your position.

Originally posted by HumAnnunaki
Maybe..just maybe - justice will prevail now that the DOJ is involved.

Unless they find a civil rights violation they wont be charging the defendents.

Originally posted by HumAnnunaki
Agian - please VIEW THE VIDEO and I scincerely apologize for the miss spelling of your name.

Again no worries on the name.. Just annoyed me..

As for the video, again, Im not intrested in viewing it. I am not hear to debate what happened, as I believe she was raped and I beleive witnesses are refusing to come forwward with what they know.

My purpose in this thread is to fill in the gaps people have when, again, it comes to the legal system. Im not sure if im explaining my position clearely enough...

You and others have issues with the system, as do I. The position I see from you guys is that of dismissing / ignoring the parts of the legal system you dont understand or dont agree with.

Let me try this - If you buy a new car, and you drive that car around, and a few months down the road the engine explodes... You come into the forum and complain about the car and company. I then post why the engine blew up and explain the issues the company has in its production lines...

I am not defending the company or the reputation of the car brand or the engine. I am merely pointing out why the engine blew up. I am merely pointing out the quality control issues the company has. In the end, you have a choice with that information.

You can either read the info and get a little bit more educated on the problem you are having, or you an ignore it and change nothing. Just because you have new information as to what the issue is, does not mean you have to all of a sudden like the company or the car.

However, you can take the information you learned and use that knowledge to better go about resolving the problem.

Only when the problem is isolated can the discussions about change be made.

You reply to me, but use a quote by Road Gravel to explain more of your BS?
What's wrong with you? At this point, I hope you're not even a legal assistant. You seem completely incompetent when it comes to being the least bit detail oriented. If you can't even reply to me using my own words, I really don't trust anything else you have to say because it appears that you have an agenda.
Please go find another thread where you think you can help those who aren't as intelligent as you.

Originally posted by Xcathdra
reply to post by Afterthought

 

Originally posted by roadgravel
Doubt the mindset of the past was been fully removed. They take care of their own..

Apparently you guys missed this part of the article in the OP.

Steubenville High School Students Joke About Rape In Video Leaked By Anonymous

Steubenville Police Chief Bill McCafferty released the following statement Wednesday (via WTRF):


The Steubenville police department has been aware of this recent video that was released. Since late August 2012 the subject who made the video was interviewed. This has all been turned over to the prosecutors which are the Ohio Attorney Generals Office, who is prosecuting this case. It's always been the policy of the Steubenville Police Department not to make comments on details of a case prior to it going to trial. I know this is frustrating for some. I can't change that now, as you know this is a high profile case and for the parties interested I believe I should not make a comment on it because I can't make a comment on it. It's being handled by an outside agency.

While people are bashing the police they seemed to have ignored the fact that the police did nothing wrong. They investigated the claims the moment they were made aware of it. They requested the Attorney Generals office conduct the investigation and prosecution of the case.

The threat Anonymous made was not geared at the Police. Its geared towards everyone who has information and who are refusing to come forward with that information.

Anonymous has released information about the town and the football team and is threatening to release more unless everyone comes clean about what happened that August night.

"The town of Steubenville has been good at keeping this quiet and their star football team protected," an Anonymous member wearing the group's trademark Guy Fawkes mask says in a video posted to the group's LocalLeaks website.

The organization, he says, will not allow "a group of young men who turn to rape as a game or sport get the pass because of athletic ability or small-town luck."

also

On August 27, the same day authorities charged the two defendants, Jefferson County authorities asked for help from the attorney general's office in investigating and prosecuting the case. Interviews and witness statements led to the arrests, McCafferty said.

The Police were made aware of the crime and got involved on August 14th. As you can see above charges were filed on the 27th.

So no, the Police are not protecting their own. They arent even involved since the AG is doing the investigation and prosecution. Until people come forward with info, the PA's office can only do so much in charging people.

The issue lies with the citizns and students who have information and have refused to cooperate with the investigation. The next step to fix that would be for the AG's office to take action. In this instance, and based on the OP article links, they could issue Material Witness Warrants.

The link gives an overview of it. In this case it would be at the State level which will ahve differing criteria however the premis is pretty much the same.

reply to post by Xcathdra

No I have not viewed the video.. I dont need to view the video..

I hope one day to have even one ounce of the brain power you do.


ALSO

That issue goes to the heart of my argument... You took the time to watch the video yet failed to take the time to properly research Ohio law. Because of that you fixiate on the video and tend to ignore any and all information that does not support your position.

YOU'RE the one who has no idea about Ohio law. If you did, you'd see that I posted a couple pages back PROOF that not reporting a crime or the knowledge of a dead body within 72 hours is a crime in Ohio.

Now, get off your high horse and stop telling everyone here that they don't know what they're talking about.

From one of the original links (now removed)

Sheriff Abdalla also states in this interview that he has nothing to do with the investigation, yet states that he assisted the local police department in hunting down people who attended these parties at which the girl was attacked and confiscating their cell phones and other electronics

And finally he states, again incorrectly – that he CAN’T investigate the gang rape attack or whether or not this has happened to other victims because it is not his jurisdiction. As almost everyone knows, the Sheriff is the highest law enforcement officer in a county and has jurisdiction over ANYTHING in that county.

Recall that per Sheriff Abdalla’s own admission in the video interview above, it was he who was tasked with retrieving the cell phones and other electronic gear from the football players and other students involved in the gang rape of the young girl. In the process of this operation to retrieve the cell phones, several KEY pieces of video and photographic evidence were “inadvertently” deleted by the Sheriff and his deputies.

Yep, this sounds like it is all above board. All he can do is help lose evidence and give news conferences about an investigation in which he is not participating.

For those who missed my post regarding the laws on reporting knowledge of a crime:

Originally posted by Afterthought
According to this, there should've been more arrests considering the evidence provided in the video.
psychology.ohio.gov...

OHIO REVISED CODE
TITLE XXIX CRIMES - PROCEDURE
CHAPTER 2921 OFFENSES AGAINST JUSTICE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
§ 2921.22.
Failure to report a crime or knowledge of a death or burn injury.
(A) No person, knowing that a felony has been or is being committed, shall knowingly fail to report such information to law enforcement authorities.

(C) No person who discovers the body or acquires the first knowledge of the death of a person shall fail to report the death immediately to a physician whom the person knows to be treating the deceased for a condition from which death at such time would not be unexpected, or to a law enforcement officer, an ambulance service, an emergency squad, or the coroner in a political subdivision in which the body is discovered, the death is believed to have occurred, or knowledge concerning the death is obtained.

(I) Whoever violates division (A) or (B) of this section is guilty of failure to report a crime. Violation of division (A) of this section is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Violation of division (B) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree.

(J) Whoever violates division (C) or (D) of this section is guilty of failure to report knowledge of a death, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(K) (1) Whoever negligently violates division (E) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

(2) Whoever knowingly violates division (E) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.

Again, why aren't the guys in the video being charged?

Those of us who watched the video (and have some level of common sense and reading comprehension skills) know that there should've been more arrests considering the above information. The sheriff and the prosecutors are NOT doing their jobs. They are allowing criminals to go free.

reply to post by Afterthought


It was to both of you.. Had you read your own posts one page back you would understand the response.

As for the BS comment - If thats all you can come back at me with then maybe you should be the one who needs to move on. I have offered examples and explanations. Just because you do not understand them doesnt mean its BS.

how about you go research and come counter my posts with you know, facts and stuff.

Originally posted by Xcathdra
reply to post by Afterthought

 

As for the BS comment - If thats all you can come back at me with then maybe you should be the one who needs to move on. I have offered examples and explanations. Just because you do not understand them doesnt mean its BS.

how about you go research and come counter my posts with you know, facts and stuff.

Is your webpage loading all the posts or are you just that blind?
Did you even read the FACTS I presented in the post above the one I just quoted?
If you haven't watched the video, you have forfeited your right to comment.
Those in the video clearly state details that they have knowledge of a crime. NOWHERE in the video is there a comment that the crime has been reported to the proper authorities.
The main subject of the video even states that the victim is dead and gives reasons why he believes she is dead. This is concrete proof that he has knowledge of a crime as well as the location of a dead body. So, according to the laws I posted above, he should be sitting in jail awaiting court.
How can you not comprehend this? Why is this so difficult for you to understand?

reply to post by Afterthought


Yup.. and if you read a few posts prior to yours you would have seen my posts with the links to Ohio law. Simply reading a statute and assuming it applies when in fact it does not is one of the other reasons people get upset.

A person can pick up a gun, go to their neighbors house, kill them and return home only to be arrested by the police with the end result being the Prosecuting Attorney not taking any action. The PA is the only authority on whether or not cases submitted will be prosecuted.

One more example on why people have issues understanding how the law works. Anytime a person is shot and killed, whether its done by a civilian or law enforcement officer, the same cause of death goes on the death certificate - Homicide.

Killing a person breaks that law.. All requirements of that law are present. So why would charges not be filed? because of mitigating circumstances, like self defense. Does the prosecution of an individual for a law violation serve the publics interest?



I am not on a soapbox of any sort... You are the one who is arguing without knowing and understand ALL apsects of how this works.

As for the brain power comment - These are forums.. As I told the other poster how about you refute my posts with facts you have instead of resorting to making it personal?

reply to post by Xcathdra

Simply reading a statute and assuming it applies when in fact it does not is one of the other reasons people get upset.

How is it that the laws I posted don't apply to what's in the video?
Oh, wait. You didn't watch the video.

reply to post by roadgravel

I don't know how much more stupidity and ignorance I can take.
I've offered concrete examples of what the law states, yet it's falling on deaf ears.
If we're living in a world where people who haven't looked at all the evidence believe that the law is being followed AND our officials are this sloppy and feel as though they don't have to follow the statutes put in place to charge any and all criminal activity, all hope is lost.
This isn't the world I signed up for. I want my money back.

This isn't the world I signed up for. I want my money back.

reply to post by Afterthought


The advertising materials are often a bit misleading, aren't they. I am starting to doubt that power will ever be uncorrupted on this planet. And that power makes work around by the average person difficult.

reply to post by Afterthought

Sounds like the good ole boy system is still alive and kicking.
I believe they should move the trial to Appalachia where the
news still travels by horse.Have one of their judges preside
over the trial...Then again is there anywhere justice will be served?

If these boys aren't punished sufficiently or according to
public outcry what's going to happen?what will the public do?

I don't think this is going to work out well no matter how it's done or who does it,
and imo this will follow them for the rest of their lives... as it should.

reply to post by TWILITE22


Sounds like it couldn't happen to a nicer town, too - what a shame!

Originally posted by Afterthought
How can you not comprehend this? Why is this so difficult for you to understand?

Actually its simple to understand... The PA is the end of the line when it comes to charges. As I stated a few times before, and you apparently missed it, thats it.

Under Ohio law they have 2 years to prosecute misd and up to 6 for felonies (higher felonies go longer).