[TW: Rape, Sexual Assault] Steubenville High School Students Joke About Rape In Video Leaked By Anonymous
(Huffington Post) - A chilling video leaked by an Anonymous cell this week has added a new twist to a sordid tale of alleged rape that has shattered the peace of a close-knit Ohio football town.
The disturbing 12-minute video, posted online Tuesday by the hacktivist group “Knight Sec,” shows teens making jokes about the events that reportedly transpired on Aug. 22.
One teen appears to refer to the victim as “deader than” Trayvon Martin, and adds, “she is so raped her p**s is about as dry as the sun right now.”
Months later, what exactly happened in Steubenville, Ohio, is still being pieced together. Few witnesses have stepped forward to talk about the parties where the underage girl, who was from a neighboring town, was allegedly transported, assaulted and photographed by athletes from local Steubenville High.
The video, which was allegedly posted to YouTube on the night of the incident, has been brought to the attention of local police.
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 agencyIn an eight-page investigation into the assault published in December, The New York Times wrote that social media has played an interesting, and at times confusing, role in the case.
From the Times:
Twitter posts, videos and photographs circulated by some who attended the nightlong set of parties suggested that an unconscious girl had been sexually assaulted over several hours while others watched. She even might have been urinated on.The newspaper wrote about the assault in detail, describing how the unresponsive and potentially unconscious girl was allegedly penetrated and violated, sometimes on camera.
So far, two football players, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, have been charged with rape and kidnapping, according to the Herald Star. But this was not enough for Anonymous. Perhaps spurred on by The Times exposé, the group fresh from its hacking victory over the Westboro Baptist Church, became involved.
The group seemed enraged by what it considers a cover-up by authorities and school officials in Steubenville, a town where high school football is king.
A mystery no more: ‘Lost’ village finally unearthed
MARIEMONT — At the village swimming pool, on a bluff high above the Little Miami River, an Ohio Historical Marker recognizes one of the most important archaeological sites in eastern North America.
It’s long been known that American Indians buried more than 1,000 of their dead at this place, which archaeologists call the Madisonville site. The historical marker says it is “the largest and most thoroughly studied” site of the late Fort Ancient culture, which spanned the years from 1450 to 1670.
And yet, since 1879, when physician and archaeologist Charles Metz began excavating the burial grounds and identified an earthwork built by the Indians, major mystery has lingered: Where, exactly, did those people live?
Two weeks ago, on the flood plain below the bluff, students of University of Cincinnati anthropology professor Ken Tankersley dug up what they believe is the answer. Read more.
BREAKING: The Ohio House Health Committee votes to DEFUND Planned Parenthood, 11-9. #HearUsOH
So many people are gonna suffer because of this.
(Source: keepyourbsoutofmyuterus)
My Pro-Choice Politician: Nina Turner (D-Cleveland, OH)
This is the fifth in an on-going series where you all nominate state- or local-level elected officials who are standing up for reproductive rights in their communities and states, and we all, as a community, thank them for what they do.
We need to keep reminding these hard-working, often unacknowledged state-level politicians that we see the work they are doing and we are incredibly grateful for it.
(list of previous installments at end of post)
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Today’s Pro-choice Politician is Nina Turner, an Ohio state senator (D-Cleveland).
Ms. Turner was nominated by both Gig Hartline and Heidi Swindell.
Ms. Turner became nationally famous in March when she introduced her “viagra bill.” Mimicking the paternalistic rhetoric of much anti-choice/anti-contraception legislation and the politicians who support it, Senator Turner said the bill was necessary to “protect men’s health.” From Robin Marty:
As I’m sure anyone who has experienced priapism can no doubt tell you, erectile drugs side affects are no laughing matter. Well, unless you’re in an “American Pie” sequel.
That’s why Ohio state Senator Nina Turner is introducing a very important bill to help regulate Viagra usage.
Via the Middletown Journal:
Before getting a prescription for Viagra or other erectile dysfunction drugs, men would have to see a sex therapist, receive a cardiac stress test and get a notarized affidavit signed by a sexual partner affirming impotency, if state Sen. Nina Turner has her way.
At least she didn’t mandate a rectal exam.
Today, if you head over to Senator Turner’s website, this is the first image you will see:
Help us say, “THANK YOU!” to Senator Turner for being a staunch pro-choice ally and for fighting tirelessly for reproductive rights.
- Twitter: @ninaturner
- Phone: (614) 466-4583
Thank you, Senator Turner!
If you’d like to nominate someone for our new “My Pro-Choice Politician” series, you can do so on our Facebook page or via Twitter (we’re @rhrealitycheck and use hashtag #prochoicepol).
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This idea was inspired by our post a while back for Kentucky State Rep Darryl Owens.
First installment: Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago)
Second installment: Kathy Stein (D- Fayette, Kentucky)
Third installment: Edith Ajello (D - Providence, Rhode Island)
Fourth installment: Mark Dayton (Governor of Minnesota)
Jezebel tackles the War on Women by examining 10 of the scariest cities to be a woman. Or, as Jezebel puts it, to have “lady parts.” And don’t be fooled – these are just a handful of the places across the country with anti-choice agendas at the top of the list.
That’s my city, Cleveland, listed as one of the rape capitols. Way to make me proud, #CLE. Fuck.
@PPSWO just tweeted:
OH’s Atty Genl has REJECTED the Personhood petition language to ban#birthcontrol 1.usa.gov/tIyvHh It wasn’t “fair and truthful”.
Performing at my pet project show, Fabulously Fluid! - Columbus, Ohio.
I came up with the gold and black costume last minute when I realized I needed to throw in more stage time. I borrowed the bra and tie from two of my friends who didn’t know until I was on stage in their clothes. Surprise!
[image1: midwest genderqueer -gq transguy w pink hair, standing with hand on hip, head down slighting holding a microphone. dressed in gold metallic booty shorts, black bra, a gold metallic necktie which sits underneath the bra and has a black fascinator hat on his head.
image2: midwest genderqueer dancing happily in gold metallic tubetop wrapped with pink sheer fabric and matching pink short pants, all accented with gold bead fringe
image3: midwest genderqueer, close up to camera, crawling raising one arm, smiling wide - silver purple makeup across his eyes and nose, wearing tan colored underwear
image4: midwest genderqueer seated in chair turned sideways, pointing outward. has on purple eye make up, purple glitter mustache, red glitter lipstick - wearing a black hat with silver trim, silver sleeveless tuxedo jacket, purple tulle bustle, and purple glitter 5 inch peep-toe heels]
Lambda Legal Disappointed In Ohio Supreme Court Ruling Against Lesbian Mother in Long-Disputed Custody Case
“This decision is a tragedy for the child…the court disregarded the overwhelming evidence that Ms. Mullen agreed to parent Lucy with Ms. Hobbs ‘in every way.’”
Today, the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled against Michelle Hobbs, a lesbian mother who sought custody of her child in a case disputed since December 2007. Today, a closely-divided court ruled 4 to 3 in favor of the claim by Ms. Mullen, the biological mother, that Ms. Hobbs has no parental rights and responsibilities for the daughter they jointly raised from birth.
“This decision is a tragedy for the child, above all else,” said Christopher Clark, Senior Staff Attorney for Lambda Legal’s Midwest Regional Office in Chicago. “The court disregarded the overwhelming evidence that Ms. Mullen agreed to parent Lucy with Ms. Hobbs ‘in every way.’ Regrettably, the decision severs a parent-child relationship between Lucy and the person she knows to be her mother. All Ohio families should be alarmed by this, as a child with a non-biological parent could be taken from their mom or dad in the event of a separation.”
Michelle Hobbs and Kelly Mullen were in a committed relationship for five years and decided to have a child together. When their relationship ended, Mullen, the biological mother, denied Hobbs any contact with her daughter. A motion by Hobbs for joint custody was granted by a magistrate judge, overturned by a juvenile court, and an appellate court upheld the reversal. In February 2011, the Ohio Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case.
“The majority’s decision today is the last step in this saga, and sadly, the best interests of Lucy will never have been considered at any level. Instead, Mullen’s self-interest will be the sole determining factor,” said Hon. Justice Paul Pfeifer in his dissenting opinion. “Besides Hobbs and Lucy, common decency is another victim in this case. Mullen was able to use the law as a weapon because same-sex coparents lack legal rights.”
For more information about this case, In the matter of L.K.M., see Lambda Legal’s case page.
Contact: Erik Roldan; 312-663-4413 x359; eroldan@lambdalegal.org
apparently the core value our laws is “fuck you if you’re not a white man”
