I think it's pretty sad that the default position is to accept internet rumors over testimony from open court. SMH

I think it's fairly absurd to accept that court room testimony is absolute truth.

Agree

Oh culs, stay with me here and I'll help defend what I believe is your basic premise at the end...

I can't accept the AG's position that there was no cover-up, because he came out before the coaches (and others) testimony, so I believe he was just firing a preemptive PR strike to help soften the media coverage. There may in fact not have been any "systemic" (quotes for use-mention distinction) cover-up, but it is much too early to tell.

That said, I find it abhorrent that an overly broad brush is being used to paint an entire town as "evil", when at most it was twenty (thirty?) people who knew about this crime. Even if it were a couple of hundred involved (doubtful), thousands of fine, honest people are being called names and vilified, when the vast majority had nothing to do with this criminal act.

I saw the same thing happen in Littleton, Colorado after Columbine. The town is miles away (and one county over) from the school, but the media needed to point to something on the map, so Littleton got the "honor". Years later, I'm still reading about that town as the place where a school shooting occurred, the truth rarely comes out.

Your town will survive, certainly more jaded than before, but those that are innocent will know the truth. Again, thanks for taking part in the thread.

I'm not saying it's absolute truth, but automatically discounting it seems to be on par with hating all cops. Particularly when the information you are giving more credence to is essentially from internet trolls.

No, I'm giving credence to the video/tweets from the kids themselves.

I'm not discounting the court room testimony at all. I'm saying there's a difference between what really happened and what can be proven in a court of law, so assuming that the court testimony is the "truth" is probably inaccurate.

My grandmother was murdered in 2001. They caught they guy, but due to insufficient evidence, he wasn't convicted of murder but of a lesser charge involve things he stole from her house. Does that mean the murderer is still out walking free, or that they just couldn't prove he did it in court?

My money is on the later. So I'm not suggesting that people should be convicted in court for things that can't be proven, but I'm also saying that believing that the official story given in court is the most accurate version of what happened that night is sort of weird given some of the other stuff in this case.

I'm fairly buzzed after a st patty celebration. I will respond to the lot of things I disagree with when I have a sober brain.

We all look forward to your keen insights.

The judge will be announcing his verdict this morning at 10AM EDT.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...ct-sunday?lite

Rapeville, Ohio - "Where finger rape at nothing but a thing!"

That about sums up the views of some people.

wow good. read earlier yesterday it might go into Tuesday.

Wow, the two "former friends" come off looking really bad. So your friend alleges that she got raped and your response is to drop her as a friend.

"Earlier on Saturday, the defense called two former friends of the accuser - Kelsey Weaver and Gianna Anile - who testified that the girl had a reputation for dishonesty."

"Both Weaver and Anile were with the accuser on the night of the alleged rape. Both testified that they ended their friendship with her because of the accusations."

JonnyA,

This is not shocking to me at all, and especially given the age of players and size of community. I've seen worse instances of friend betrayal in situations as bad or worse. And with people I know. Peer pressure is a bitch.

Both defendants guilty on all 3 counts. They are now sobbing like babies.

They're going to get off easy because their juveniles. Sigh.

Ya. This part sucks.

Riots averted. at least.

Following this case, and seeing a lot of Steubenville residents trying to shift the focus of this story over the past few months, I can't help but to compare this to the Penn State story. The way people tried to shift the focus from the victims and onto defending how Joe Paterno and the football program were wrongly accused. This story reminds me so much of that. I live in Pittsburgh, only 40 miles from Steubenville. I'm very familiar with the high school football culture in this region. I can totally see an attempted coverup here to protect the football program. So many people live vicariously through their school's athletic teams. It doesn't just happen in Steubenville, it's everywhere. Too much importance is placed on high school sports, and I totally understand why. With the cost of college being so high, an athletic scholarship may be the only chance for some kids to go to school. Parents are worse than the kids with this. They can go to some pretty stupid levels to promote, protect, and push their kids.
This story is horrifying. Sadly, it is not unbelievable

So since they are juveniles does anyone know how their record will read?

Obviously their names will forever be connected, but it seems like being a regged sex offender and having rape on their record is far worse than having some ambiguous thing on there.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...-trial-679707/

Thank you! This is good news.

http://news.yahoo.com/2-ohio-teen-fo...4407--spt.html

it will probably read something like "Crimes Convicted Of- Juvenile Adjudication" on a criminal history report

Well that sucks.

Probably depends on how Ohio law specifies with juvenile offenders.

I hope they at least get the max (I think someone said it was to be locked up until 21). The victim deserves some peace of mind and sense of justice.