Four Ohio school officials were charged by a grand jury over the Steubenville rape, including a school superintendent, principal and two coaches.
The grand jury charged the four over claims that they did not report the rape allegation as is mandated by state law, The Associated Press reports. The grand jury was specially convened to investigate whether additional laws were broken surrounding the case about two football players who raped a 16-year-old girl.
Ohio Attorney-General Mike DeWine said of the investigation, "How do you hold kids accountable if you don't hold the adults accountable?"
The school superintendent, Mike McVey, was charged with felony counts of obstructing justice. Lynnett Gorman, the elementary school principal, and Seth Fluharty, the strength coach, are being charged with failing to report possible child abuse. Lastly, Matthew Belardine, a former volunteer coach, has several charges facing him, including contributing to underage alcohol consumption and making false statements. They will all appear in court in December.
DeWine spoke at a news conference, the Los Angeles Times reports. He said, "We must treat rape and sexual assault as the serious crimes" they are. "When it is investigated everyone has the obligation to help find the truth" and "not hide, tamper or destroy the truth."
Steubenville has not done well in the current economic climate, so high school football was very popular and some have alleged that Big Red boosters were reluctant to let anyone put a black mark on the team. Social media and groups, like the National Organization for Women, helped to spur the initial rape allegations made by the girl. Two 17-year-old football players, Ma'Lik Richmond and Trenton Mays, were convicted of rape, though their sentences were light.
image: Wikimedia Commons
