Digital Vigilantism and Cyber-Justice Play Incendiary Role in Ohio Teen Rape Case
(VIDEOS)
–The Leaked Videos and Links Below–
Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel
Two Steubenville, Ohio, high school students are set to go on trial on charges they raped a 16-year-old girl while she was passed out during a party in August, 2012.
Few witnesses have stepped forward to talk about the multiple parties where the underage girl, who was from a neighboring town, was allegedly transported to, assaulted, and photographed by athletes from local Steubenville High.
The New York Times documented the Twitter posts, videos, and photographs from a nightlong set of parties that suggested the unconscious girl was sexually assaulted over the course of hours and may have even been sodomized and urinated on. In one photograph, the girl is shown looking unresponsive as two boys carry her by her wrists and ankles.
Steubenville, a city of about 18,000 on the Ohio River, dotes on its Big Red high school sports teams and athletes. Many have wondered why more students at the party weren’t charged participating in the assault.Steubenville’s city government, Police Department, and school district have been embroiled in allegations of nepotism after a local judge and the county prosecutor had to recuse themselves because of their
involvement with the popular football team.
involvement with the popular football team.
The football coach refused to bench players attending the drinking parties and bragging about the rape through social media. He also threatened a reporter asking about it.
The county sheriff said investigators interviewed 59 people and decided that only the two boys were responsible. But the scandal has entangled more than those two football stars and ignited the issue onto the national stage.
After a video was released online in which another unidentified teen appeared to be joking and making admissions about the incident, public interest in the case has spiked. The video was purportedly leaked by hacker-activists associating under the Anonymous and KnightSec labels, who allege that more people were involved and should be held accountable.
A
nonymous and KnightSec took over the Steubenville High School football team’s website, posting the video and a message demanding an apology from those involved in the alleged rape involving players of the football team.
nonymous and KnightSec took over the Steubenville High School football team’s website, posting the video and a message demanding an apology from those involved in the alleged rape involving players of the football team.If no one stepped forward and publicly apologized to the victim and her family by Jan. 1, the hackers said they would release personal information such as addresses, social security numbers, and phone numbers of those people involved in the case.
No apology was issued by the hackers’ deadline of Jan. 1. That day, an unverified but credible 12-minute video was leaked of a teenage boy — a former Steubenville High baseball team member — cruelly joking about the sexual assault. The incendiary video has since been turned over to prosecutors in the case.
Controversy has also erupted on the role of hacktivists participating in ”digital vigilantism” and for bringing attention to the matter on behalf of the rape victim who’s being named Jane Doe. Over a 1500 protesters descended upon Steubenville this weekend demanding justice in this case.
Officials said the trial for the two boys, expected to be held in juvenile court, is scheduled to begin Feb. 13.
The girl’s mother said her daughter has been ostracized since the attack and cries at night.
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The above CBS news clip gives a brief overview of the Steubenville situation and the peaceful protests occurring this weekend on behalf of sexual assault victims.Mainstream media sources aren’t showing the related video clips of the Anonymous/KnightSec release or the leaked 12-minute video mocking the rape victim by others.
We did some digging, however, and found them.
You can view the full hacktivist Anonymous/KnightSec release here. Their written release containing serious allegations of additional crimes in the matter can be found here.
The 12-minute leaked video turned over to prosecutors is here (We’ll warn you: this contains crude footage of drunk Steubenville High School athletes speaking derogatively about the alleged rape victim. It is particularly ugly and insensitive in nature).
And we weren’t exactly sure where this inflammatory little gem of damning character assasination leaked by the Anonymous group and posted under the name of The Steubenville Files-LocalLeaks belongs.
For additional commentary outside the mainstream media of reporting, The Young Turks is an on-line web news program hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian. The two talk more about Anonymous’ role in this matter and also discuss why this is the age of vigilante justice.
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The youths calling themselves ‘The Rape Crew’ laughed about it and thought they’d get away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
We bet they aren’t laughing now.
(Posted by Skippy Massey)
-not an isolated incident, but rather another symptom of a disease which is embedded in our sports-culture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence_against_women#Gender-based_violence_by_male_college_athletes
Good job Skippy.
Thank you, Suzy.