Steubenville High School Court Case

MickeyFinns · 18 Mar 2013 at 10:33

I've done a search and couldn't find any thread discussing this so I thought I'd post a new one.

A brief summary for anyone who hasn't followed the case is that at a house party a couple of players from the schools start football team raped a passed out girl and sent pictures around of it, the team coach attempted to cover it up but it received national pressure after the story went viral and various people dug up more evidence online.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steubenville_High_School#2012_rape_case

Now the trial has just wrapped up with the two main offenders receiving juvenile sentences, but what is more concerning is the level of sympathy for the offenders shown by various media outlets, the main example being the video below.

I'm hoping to start a discussion to see whether people think coverage of this sort is appropriate (I don't believe it is).

eddiemcgarrigle · 18 Mar 2013 at 10:38

They committed rape and attempted to ridicule the girl with the photos. It is laughable for them to complain their life is ruined but ignore what they did to the girl. Let them rot.

elmarko · 18 Mar 2013 at 10:41

Both of the below have a few good bits of info on why this kind of thing happens, nothing quite as low as blaming victims in my opinion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_blaming

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-world_hypothesis

Haggisman · 18 Mar 2013 at 10:43

Wow - people actually tried to blame the girl for "casting a negative light on the football team"?! So it wasn't the rapists fault at all then? Ridiculous!

Skidder · 18 Mar 2013 at 10:46

The way septics put football players on a pedestal is quite extraordinary but that's a new level. US news is generally dreadful but this pretty much portrays these jock abusers as the victims. When I was studying in the US my university's football team were doing well and the quarterback a star, big man on campus at a whole level I could never have imagined.

Efour · 18 Mar 2013 at 10:49

Its the American dream, they always defend that stupid iconic nonsense high school football, apple pie, pick-up driving retards.

krooton · 18 Mar 2013 at 11:27

And here I was thinking all those US teen films and tv shows were cliched in their portrayal of jock worship!

doodah · 18 Mar 2013 at 12:00

Only learned about this case at the weekend. The video above is a complete joke - no mention or thought of the victim.

Certainly wouldn't like to be in the cross hairs of Anonymous.

olivier renault · 18 Mar 2013 at 12:21

Pure class.

Voltar · 18 Mar 2013 at 12:56

Oh dear.

aardvark · 18 Mar 2013 at 13:01

wow - some real scumbags in that community.

Bacon? · 18 Mar 2013 at 13:10

Thats just retarded... Then again it is America.

bazaarboy · 18 Mar 2013 at 13:16

So, the news piece is focusing on how the "promising" young lads have had their lives and futures destroyed... because they raped a 16 year old girl...
Pew, pew! 'Merica!!!

kamz · 18 Mar 2013 at 13:27

Is this some kind of joke? they should go down for life and damn right be recorded as sex offenders. I am totally gobsmacked regarding the CNN reporter trying to put a emotional spin on this by stating his father told him he loves him and the offender crying in court was hard to witness, he raped a girl you Mississippi mud pie eating idiots.

Burnsy2023 · 18 Mar 2013 at 13:58

eddiemcgarrigle said:
They committed rape and attempted to ridicule the girl with the photos. It is laughable for them to complain their life is ruined but ignore what they did to the girl. Let them rot.

Haggisman said:
Wow - people actually tried to blame the girl for "casting a negative light on the football team"?! So it wasn't the rapists fault at all then? Ridiculous!

Sums up my views. So what their potential football careers are over, what about the victim's? It must have been horrific for her. They got off quite lightly IMO.

As for the CNN coverage: it's absurd and highly objectionable. Their lives weren't destroyed when they got the verdicts, they were when they committed the crime.

Joshct · 18 Mar 2013 at 14:12

I can't watch the video at the moment, but going on the general replies / summeries:

America must be freaking crazy. It's disgusting that they would be so ingrained with the idea of high school football being important that they would actually try to defend such a vile act.

Boggles the mind that ANYONE could be sympathetic in this case.

note: i'm basing my reply on heresay so if these people have been given the death sentence or something crazy then i'd tone it down, but based upon a few months / years in prison + sex offenders list - Completely reasonable imo.

Burnsy2023 · 18 Mar 2013 at 14:14

Joshct said:
America must be freaking crazy.

It happens here too.

Bacon? · 18 Mar 2013 at 14:14

Josh they have been given 6 months and 2 years in juvenile if I remember correctly. And the media were just going on about "these poor kids" who are "going to have their lives ruined".

MickeyFinns · 18 Mar 2013 at 14:20

Bacon? said:
Josh they have been given 6 months and 2 years in juvenile if I remember correctly. And the media were just going on about "these poor kids" who are "going to have their lives ruined".

it's 1 year and 2 years. Both got one year for the rape and one of them got another year for the photos. Then on top of that they must register as sex offenders for life, the state of Ohio doesn't have a "clean slate" policy for when people turn 18/21.

Bacon? · 18 Mar 2013 at 14:28

Ahhhhhh ok, maybe it was 6 months for one of them if they were on good behavior.

I agree with the people above, if you make the life decision to rape someone you bear the consequences, I am glad they dont get a clean slate.

That said I am rather different, I dont care very much to get drunk in anywhere public.