Hacker group Anonymous protests as Ohio rape trial begins

By Drew Singer

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (Reuters) - The trial of two Steubenville, Ohio high school football players accused of rape opened on Wednesday with masked protesters from computer hacking group Anonymous standing outside to highlight a social media campaign accusing the town of covering up a crime.

Quarterback Trent Mays and wide receiver Ma'lik Richmond, both 16 at the time of the incident, are accused of raping a classmate, whose name has been withheld by Reuters, at a teammate's house after a night of drinking on August 11.

Immediately after the trial got underway on Wednesday in Jefferson County Juvenile Court, Judge Tom Lipps called prosecutors and defense lawyers to a private conference to discuss the handling of evidence.

Prosecutors charged Richmond and Mays with sexually assaulting the girl as she lay naked on the basement floor, too drunk to move or speak. The girl told police she did not remember what happened, but reported the incident the next day once she heard about it from her friends.

The case exploded on social media after a photograph began circulating on Twitter of two people carrying a passed-out girl by her arms and legs.

Anonymous got involved, obtaining and publicizing a video that it said showed several Steubenville players joking about a rape. Anonymous organized protests on the steps of the county courthouse in Steubenville that drew people from out of state.

Anonymous supporters believe that more than two of the players were involved in the alleged crime and say local authorities and town residents are wrapping the perennial powerhouse football team in a cone of silence to protect them.

Local and state authorities say they do not have enough evidence to prosecute other players.

Outside the courthouse on Wednesday, a handful of people wearing white masks representing Anonymous held signs such as: "Stop blaming the victim. The world is watching," "Stop Sexual Violence" and "This is something you just can't get away with."

The criticism has stunned the town of 19,000 which looks upon the "Big Red" football team with pride. The team has won nine state championships over the years and finished with a record of nine wins and three losses last season even though Mays and Richmond did not play.

Three teammates of the accused players are expected to testify against them at the trial. They agreed to testify after prosecutors sent them letters suggesting they would not be prosecuted if they cooperated, according to copies of the letters provided to Reuters by a source directly involved.

The defense wants to call witnesses who know the girl, but the potential witnesses are reluctant to testify in public because they fear Anonymous will retaliate against them online, according to a source directly involved in the case.

Defense lawyers are expected to argue that the sex with the girl was "consensual," and that the girl had told friends before the incident that she wanted to have sex with players, according to a court document given to Reuters by a source directly involved.

(Reporting by Drew Singer; Editing by James B. Kelleher, Greg McCune and Tim Dobbyn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hacker-group-anonymous-protests-ohio-rape-trial-begins-165606258.html

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