Shakes here… Via LeMew, the recently discussed rape case in Illinois, during which the presiding judge threatened to jail the victim for refusing to watch a video of the incident, has ended in an acquittal.
The verdict appalled victims' rights advocates, who said the defense sought to affirm every rape myth.
"We're down to those same stereotypes--she was drinking, she was asking for it," said Linda Healy, executive director of Mutual Ground, a suburban counseling program for sexual assault victims.
The video admitted into evidence showed two men, one of whom was the defendant in the case, having sex with the then-16 year old woman, then spitting on her and writing vulgar words on her naked body with a marker. The defense contended that the woman's having put her hand on the accused's head, kissing him, and smiling was indicative of consent—even though she was drunk, only semi-conscious, and remembers nothing of the incident.
