A 15-year-old California girl was allegedly gang raped and beaten outside a high school homecoming dance last weekend in Richmond California. For more than two hours on a dark Saturday night, as many as 20 people watched or took part authorities said. Police say some witnesses took photos, others laughed.
Lt. Mark Gagan of the Richmond police said the girl was “brutally attacked and raped, beaten and robbed over a two and a half hour ordeal.” The victim spent five days in the hospital after the attack, according to Gagan. You can read more about this incident here.
Arrests are being made for those who participated in this horrific crime. What about the witnesses? They did nothing to stop the crime. Can they be charged with a crime? It appears not. California has a law that holds a witness accountable if they don’t report a crime in which the victim is 14 years old or younger. In this case the victim is 15 years old.
It is also reported that some bystanders recorded the rape on their cell phones. Quite possibly these individuals could be charged as accomplices under California law even if they didn’t physically assault the victim according to the Stanford Criminal Justice Center.
How do you feel about this? Should the laws be changed?
Loading ...
Comments
8 Responses to Richmond High Gang Rape – Should The Witnesses Be Held Accountable?
I’d love to see those that watched and laughed held accountable. I just question whether it’s going to be possible to distinguish them from those who may have seen part of the assault, and not been clear that the victim was unwilling (admittedly, this is hard to believe on the face of it, but since I wasn’t there I can’t discount the possibility) or who were afraid to contact police. I don’t feel too much sympathy for anyone involved in this horrible case, but I am a little wary of the possibility that those who are far less guilty than the actual participants are going to get swept up in the emotion surrounding the case. My main interest is in seeing those who actually participated in the rape be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law. If it can be proven that bystanders laughed and took pictures, I have no problem with those individuals being dealt with harshly as well. It’s hard to imagine such callous behavior.
This case is so disturbing. I live not too far away from Richmond. It is already a city with a lot of problems and its reputation isn’t going to get any better with this case making nationwide headlines.
My heart breaks for the 15-year-old victim. I can’t imagine how she will be able to recover from what she has endured. My own teenage daughter has been very upset by this case. She barely watches the news, but I think this story really got to her.
Perhaps with cell phone cameras now being so prevalent, the police might have the evidence they need to bring some charges to those who watched and did nothing. I think legally they will be on shaky ground, but it might be worth it to pursue prosecution to send a clear message to certain individuals in the community that behavior such as this is NOT tolerated and justice will be pursued in every avenue.
Of course, I do think the main focus needs to be on bringing those who actually assaulted the young girl to trial and conviction. My prayer is that all involved in the rape rot in jail.
I feel those that stood by, cheered and took pictures are as much at fault as those that participated. There is a huge line that was crossed by those people. They had an obligation to call police whether the obligation was moral or legal. They need to be prosecuted also.
I have seen too much of this type of behavior working in high schools. The type of behavior where it is ok to stand at the side lines and cheer on people getting harassed, bullied or beaten. A message needs to be sent and this is the case that should do so considering the severity of it all.
This is depressing.
Mob mentality can be a terrible thing. I so wish at least one person had the courage to stand up to the mob but human nature works against that. At the very least, I wish one kid there would have stepped back and but an immediate call to 911.
I guess all we can to is try to raise our own kids to be that one person who would, not only avoid laughing and jeering, but do something to stop the assault.
So horrible and so sad. I had not heard that some used their cell phones to record. Sick people and so terrible for the girl. To stand there and watch is to participation in the assault. They should be charged. I’m not talking about a moment in time when one sees a crime and walks on by. imo, The duration of time they choose to stand there instead of deciding to walk away should factor in.
The poor girl will carry those scars forever. It’s just sad all over.
I don’t think that at any point the victim could be considered “willing” since she apparently was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
If nothing else, couldn’t those who watched and recorded be charged for child pornography laws?
Gina, your child porn idea is interesting. It’s illegal to own former porn star Tracy Lords’ movies, since she was a minor (unknown to everyone else) at the time they were made, even though she participated willingly.
I agree that first, those who actively participated in the crime should be charged. But I don’t know if you can legally compel bystanders to intervene in a crime. Maybe the ones that were cheering, taping, or otherwise opening showing their support could be charged with “inciting” the rapists, if there’s a law against incitement of a crime?
This is the results of parents not educating children about being responsible their actions, money is not the problem. I was raised in very poor circumstations and I never felt that it justified this type of brutal behavour. Being one of fifteen children, seven brothers and seven sisters, seven older and seven younger. I do blame people such Diane Reems. teachin that there is no wrong or right only circumstances. Children must be taught to respect authouraty. This is only my opinion. Thank you.