Steubenville Rape Case: Two Students Arrested for Threatening Victim
Two students were arrested after making threats against the Steubenville rape victim. Police intervened in order to hopefully prevent further harassment of the 16-year-old victim, who has already received several death threats and required police protection before the trial.
A 16-year old girl was charged with aggravated menacing for posting a tweet that threatened the girl's life and said, "You ripped my family apart." Police have not released the girl's name because she is a minor, nor have they commented on whether she is related to one of the defendants who was found guilty on Sunday.
Trent Mays and Ma'Lik Richmond were found guilty of rape and sentenced to one year apiece in juvenile detention. Mays was ordered to serve an additional year for taking photographs of the victim while she was naked. According to the Associated Press, the boys will serve their sentences at the Lighthouse Youth Center-Paint Creek, which reportedly "has a strong program" for young sex offenders.
A 15-year-old girl was also arrested after the verdict was announced. She posted a threatening message on Facebook, and police charged her with menacing. She and the other young woman are being held at a local juvenile detention facility.
"These arrests, I hope, will end the harassment of the victim," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine told the AP. "We are simply not going to tolerate this. Enough is enough."
The arrests came as three separate news organizations released the girl's name to the public for the first time. Authorities had been trying to keep her identity quiet in order to protect her and ensure her privacy. However, due to an uncensored segment, the girl's name was released to the public.
People were outraged at the situation and rallied against the organizations for potentially putting the young woman in harm's way. The Steubenville rape case has been of national attention and divided the small town where the incident took place; however, reports state that it could be far from over, and that 16 more students could face charges for their participation in the crime.
