Richmond High School Gang Rape: One Suspect Released as Family Calls for End to Violence

One of the six young men arrested for the brutal gang rape of the 15-year-old Richmond High School student on Saturday, October 24, was released Friday night. Richmond Police said that they had insufficient evidence to hold the suspect, according to KGO-TV in San Francisco, but are hoping the $20,000 reward offered for information about the events concerning the gang rape outside the Richmond High School homecoming dance will provide incentive enough to bring others suspected in the violent attack on the 15-year-old victim to justice.

The parents of the 15-year-old girl released a statement through Reverend Jim Wheeler of First Presbyterian Church at a parents meeting held at Richmond High School Saturday night. He read: "Please do not respond to this tragic event by promoting hatred or by causing more pain. We've had enough violence already in this place. If you need to express your outrage please channel your anger into positive action."

The statement went on to say, "Volunteer at a school. Go help a neighbor. Be courageous in speaking the truth and in holding people accountable. Work toward changing the atmosphere in our schools and in this community so that this kind of thing never happens again.

"Please do not let this happen again."

Five young men ranging in ages from 15 to 21 are still in custody. They have been charged with rape-in-concert and sexual penetration with a foreign object. All are also being charged with special circumstances which could lead to life sentences if convicted. The minors were charged as adults.

Police believe as many as ten suspects were involved in the two-and-a-half hour gang rape. They also believe that just as many or more stood around, watching, cheering, laughing, and taking photos of the gang rape.

The story has garnered national headlines. Many believe that everyone involved, both the gang rape participants and those that viewed the violence -- the 15-year-old victim was also brutally beaten and robbed -- should also be charged with a crime for not doing anything to help the victim or report the crime within the more than two hours in which the crime occurred. Police have stated that the onlookers could not be charged, but there are many who believe that the laws have enough leeway built in to charge the bystanders with some form of aiding and abetting.

Jayne Weintraub, appearing on "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell," said, "Well, you know there is a close line of what is an aider or abetter. Certainly, you know, mere presence and just watching somebody does not make you an aider and abetter."

Criminal defense attorney Bradford Cohen, given the added information of possible photos and videos taken of the gang rape, said, "If they disseminate that - - that videotape in any way, if they post it in any way, if they keep it on their phone and they show other kids or show other people, now you`re getting into an area where definitely it would be a felony offense. And I would imagine that the police would absolutely prosecute these kids that would disseminate that or have that on their phone or at least consider it.

"Because the -- when you look at the morality where no one reported it," he continued, "these cops are going to look to see what they can file on these kids. And Jayne`s absolutely right, but if they were egging them on, if they were saying -- cheering them on, I think the police are going to look to prosecute these individuals. Because morally, if you get this in front of a jury, they`re going to feel that a jury would convict in terms of someone egging someone on, saying, "Go, go, go" or do whatever they are doing. It`s really a disgusting thing that happened."

And it is that disgust at such a reprehensible act being committed in addition to the disgust felt at those who stood by doing nothing or cheering the act that just might get up to 30 people thrown in jail before the gang rape investigation is concluded. That disgust might just drive new legislation for good Samaritan laws, where bystanders are legally obligated to report a crime or help the victim, to be sponsored, passed, and enacted.

******

Sources:

KGO-TV (abclocal.go.com)
CNN.com
"Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell," HLN Television