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| Steubenville rape trial: teenagers treated victim 'like a toy', court hears | Steubenville rape trial: teenagers treated victim 'like a toy', court hears |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police investigating allegations of rape against two Ohio high school football stars sifted through hundreds of thousands of texts, tens of thousands of photos and thousands of videos retrieved from 17 mobile phones they confiscated from teenagers, a court heard on Thursday. | Police investigating allegations of rape against two Ohio high school football stars sifted through hundreds of thousands of texts, tens of thousands of photos and thousands of videos retrieved from 17 mobile phones they confiscated from teenagers, a court heard on Thursday. |
| But some of the most telling images that could have been central to the trial in Steubenville had already been deleted by the phones' owners before police got to them. | But some of the most telling images that could have been central to the trial in Steubenville had already been deleted by the phones' owners before police got to them. |
| The sheer volume of online data demonstrated how central cell phones have become to teenagers' lives but also how they can help – and hinder – a criminal investigation. | The sheer volume of online data demonstrated how central cell phones have become to teenagers' lives but also how they can help – and hinder – a criminal investigation. |
| Ma'lik Richmond, 16, and Trenton Mays, 17, are accused of raping a 16-year-old girl from a neighbouring town who was too drunk to consent. | Ma'lik Richmond, 16, and Trenton Mays, 17, are accused of raping a 16-year-old girl from a neighbouring town who was too drunk to consent. |
| The prosecution described the boys "treating her like a toy" when they allegedly attacked her last August during a series of drunken parties. | The prosecution described the boys "treating her like a toy" when they allegedly attacked her last August during a series of drunken parties. |
| Many of the details were initially captured in images on mobile devices and then spread online. Much of the original material was then deleted before investigators could see it. | Many of the details were initially captured in images on mobile devices and then spread online. Much of the original material was then deleted before investigators could see it. |
| Prosecutor Marianne Hemmeter said the girl was helplessly drunk and the boys "treated her like a toy". | Prosecutor Marianne Hemmeter said the girl was helplessly drunk and the boys "treated her like a toy". |
| Trenton Mays is also charged with illegal use of a minor in nudity-orientated material. Both defendants deny the charges against them. | Trenton Mays is also charged with illegal use of a minor in nudity-orientated material. Both defendants deny the charges against them. |
| The trial began on Wednesday with a tense atmosphere in the juvenile court in Jefferson County, where a judge is sitting without a jury. | The trial began on Wednesday with a tense atmosphere in the juvenile court in Jefferson County, where a judge is sitting without a jury. |
| Demonstrators in support of the victim and the defendants have protested outside the court building in freezing winds. | Demonstrators in support of the victim and the defendants have protested outside the court building in freezing winds. |
| If convicted the defendants face the prospect of incarceration in juvenile detention until they are 21. | If convicted the defendants face the prospect of incarceration in juvenile detention until they are 21. |
| One witness, 17-year-old Patrick Pizzoferrato, a friend of the defendants, admitted to the court that when he saw the girl sitting outside a party utterly drunk, he joked about offering $3 to anyone who would urinate on her. | One witness, 17-year-old Patrick Pizzoferrato, a friend of the defendants, admitted to the court that when he saw the girl sitting outside a party utterly drunk, he joked about offering $3 to anyone who would urinate on her. |
| No-one took him up on his offer. The girl was slumped on the street with her vomit-covered shirt off next to a pool of her own vomit, he said. | No-one took him up on his offer. The girl was slumped on the street with her vomit-covered shirt off next to a pool of her own vomit, he said. |
| "She was kind of just sitting there. I thought I heard her mumbling," said Pizzoferrato. | "She was kind of just sitting there. I thought I heard her mumbling," said Pizzoferrato. |
| At the time of the parties, last August, Mays and Richmond were members of the revered Big Red high school football team in Steubenville. | At the time of the parties, last August, Mays and Richmond were members of the revered Big Red high school football team in Steubenville. |
| In a town of less than 19,000 residents, the football stadium packs in 10,000 spectators whenever Big Red play a home game. | In a town of less than 19,000 residents, the football stadium packs in 10,000 spectators whenever Big Red play a home game. |
| The victim is from the nearby town of Weirton, just across the Ohio border in West Virginia. | The victim is from the nearby town of Weirton, just across the Ohio border in West Virginia. |
| There have also been complaints that more witnesses have not been charged in the case, especially with so many phones confiscated that have pictures, videos or texts relating to the events that night. | There have also been complaints that more witnesses have not been charged in the case, especially with so many phones confiscated that have pictures, videos or texts relating to the events that night. |
| The Steubenville authorities have pleaded for patience until this trial is over. The case will pivot less on whether the girl was able to give consent to sexual attention than on whether the defendants realised that she was too intoxicated to know what was happening. | The Steubenville authorities have pleaded for patience until this trial is over. The case will pivot less on whether the girl was able to give consent to sexual attention than on whether the defendants realised that she was too intoxicated to know what was happening. |
| The girl, Hemmeter said, was "too impaired to say no, too impaired to say stop." | The girl, Hemmeter said, was "too impaired to say no, too impaired to say stop." |
| Prosecutors displayed an enlarged version of one of the images that was successfully retrieved from a witness's mobile phone – the now-infamous picture of the girl being carried by the defendants by her hands and feet, with her head apparently lolling backwards. | Prosecutors displayed an enlarged version of one of the images that was successfully retrieved from a witness's mobile phone – the now-infamous picture of the girl being carried by the defendants by her hands and feet, with her head apparently lolling backwards. |
| The defendants argue it was a stunt in which they all participated. | The defendants argue it was a stunt in which they all participated. |
| Prosecution witness Elayna Andres, a Steubenville high school student, testified that she was present when the picture was taken and that the girl was not unconscious but could not keep her head up. | Prosecution witness Elayna Andres, a Steubenville high school student, testified that she was present when the picture was taken and that the girl was not unconscious but could not keep her head up. |
| Judge Thomas Lipps has come to Steubenville from another district by request to try the case. The trial will continue during the weekend in order to accommodate his legal schedule and he could pronounce a verdict by Sunday. | Judge Thomas Lipps has come to Steubenville from another district by request to try the case. The trial will continue during the weekend in order to accommodate his legal schedule and he could pronounce a verdict by Sunday. |
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