Audrie Pott...no justice.

[username]

Sound vaguely familiar?

The family of Audrie Pott - a teen who has now become a national symbol for sexual assault and cyber bullying - spoke publicly for the first time Monday, using their newfound status to urge for tougher laws and implore anyone who knows about their daughter's case to come forward.

The 15-year-old Audrie committed suicide on Sept. 10, eight days after a Labor Day house party where she drank too much, passed out and was allegedly sexually assaulted by three fellow students at Saratoga High, boys she had been friends with since middle school.

NBC Bay Area also learned after the news conference from attorney Bob Allard that there is a photograph of the girl with writing on her leg. At least one of the boys, Allard said, wrote on her saying something to the effect of "---- was here." Allard has not seen the photograph, but it was described to him.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Aud...13581.html

I watched the news conference this morning and based on California law, the 3 boys charged may not serve any time nor will they have to register as sex offenders. Their school has "disciplined" them by taking them off the football team but they haven't been expelled because it didn't happen on campus. What?


From the defense:

The 16-year-old boys were arrested Thursday on sexual assault charges and are expected to appear in a private juvenile detention hearing on Tuesday. Their lawyers last week called much of the reporting "inaccurate" and distanced their clients from the alleged crime and Audrie's suicide. "Most disturbing is the attempt to link Audrey's [sic] suicide to the specific actions of these three boys," some of the statement read.

Give me a break.

RIP Audrie.

[Duchess]

A similar thing recently happened in Canada & there is another case here in the US that was written about last week. It's a goddamn epidemic and these people should be prosecuted, these are crimes, they are raping these young girls, they are being filmed & they are being photographed, what more evidence do they need in order to do something.

[username]

(CNN) -- Police in eastern Canada announced Friday they "are reopening the investigation involving Rehtaeh Parsons," the 17-year-old who tried to kill herself after she was allegedly gang-raped and bullied.
Rehtaeh, a high school student from Halifax, Nova Scotia, was taken off life support Sunday, three days after she attempted to hang herself.
The HRM Partners in Policing -- which includes Halifax Regional Police and a locally based division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police -- said in a statement Friday it was reviewing the case "in light of new and credible information that has recently been brought forward to police."
The alleged sexual assault happened in November 2011 when Rehtaeh was 15, her family said. Police investigated, but no criminal charges were filed.


http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/12/world/amer...index.html

Anonymous is threatening to release the names of the boys in this case if the police don't take action.

It IS epidemic and the consequences need to be MUCH harsher.

Why aren't these kids getting charged with distribution of child pornography (at minimum)? I don't know if it's entirely true but I've told both my kids if they "sext" out a naked photo of themselves when they're under 18, they could be charged with distribution of child pornography. Am I wrong?

[SIXFOOTERsez]

So, where the fuck is Dad?
If that had been my kid there would litterally be nowhere for the little bastards to hide.

Dammit

[HairOfTheDog]

So, where the fuck is Dad?
If that had been my kid there would litterally be nowhere for the little bastards to hide.

Dammit

Really sad story.

The parents didn't find out about the assault until after Audrey's memorial, though there were rumors and Facebook postings about it which allegedly led to the suicide.

Audrie's parents are divorced. Not sure, but think Audrey lived with her mother. Dad, mom and stepmom (pictured in linked article) all appeared publicly yesterday when they announced filing a claim of negligence against the school for not addressing the bullying adequately; frst step in setting up a lawsuit.

The three suspects also appeared in court yesterday. Since they're juveniles, the proceedings were closed. Curious about the charges they're facing, but those have not been revealed.

http://www.mercurynews.com/saratoga/ci_2...iles-claim

[username]

I think the mom said in the news briefing that she was shocked to discover that was is defined as rape in other states isn't considered rape in California. IIRC. Also, she indicated there was no chance they'd be tried as adults. I think somewhere in there they said the boys would be charged with sexual assault but there was a good chance they wouldn't serve any time?

They're working on a bill called Audrie's law.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks, user.

Here are the specific booking charges that were reported via the Sheriff a couple of days ago.

- suspicion of sexual assault by digital penetration - felony
- distribution of a photo of a minor in sexual positions - felony
- inappropriate touching - misdemeanor

What occurred in juvenile court yesterday was sealed and covered by confidentiality order. Curious if the original booking charges were unchanged, whether the suspects and their attorneys are attempting plea negotiations, and how the suspects are pleading. But, don't think we're gonna learn much until their fates have been determined unless they wind up being transferred to adult court, which doesn't look likely.

in any case, I'm with you - relieved that these boys have been criminally charged, FINALLY.

[HairOfTheDog]

These are some of Audrie's Facebook posts after the assault:

"My life is ruined."
"I can't do anything to fix it."
"I just want this to go away."
"The whole school knows."
"I have a reputation I can never get rid of."
"The boys can die in a hole for all I care."
"They knew how bad I was."
"I don't want to remember."
"I have a reputation for a night I don't even remember."

Audrie's parents had no idea that anything had happened until after her memorial.

Their attorney, Allard, has announced that Audrie's parents are filing a lawsuit of wrongful death. Named as defendants are the parents of the home where the assault occurred, because the teens had access to a liquor cabinet, even though the parents were out of town.

I have mixed feelings about the civil suits in this case. The school is being held responsible for not being aggressive enough against the boys, but the assault did not happen on school time/grounds and there has been nothing to indicate that staff was complicit (so far; seems less like a conspiracy/cover-up than Stuebenville, imo) and Audrie was dead only 8 days after the party.

The owners of the home where the assault took place are being held responsible, even though they weren't home.

But, Audrie's parents weren't aware of exactly what she was doing, nor were they aware of what had happened to their daughter or what she was going through.

IDK, the three boys are criminally responsible for their actions in this case, that I feel strongly about.

Should anyone else be held legally responsible?

[username]

I'm fucked if you can get sued for not having a lock on your liquor cabinet.

No, I don't think the school or the parents of the person who held the party should be held responsible. I don't always agree with the idea of a parent being held responsible (financially) for the actions of their 16+ year old child but I get it and I won't cry any tears for them if the judgment doesn't go their way. Especially given the tact the defense team seems to be taking which is her suicide wasn't related to the event of that night. Callous.

Good to know the boys are seemingly getting charged with the two felonies. Since they're being tried as juveniles though, I wonder if they'll serve any time. I guess we'll see.

[Duchess]

It's worrisome to me to read that the absent home owners could be held responsible.

I think the only people who should be held responsible are those who did the deed.

[HairOfTheDog]

It's worrisome to me to read that the absent home owners could be held responsible.

I think the only people who should be held responsible are those who did the deed.

Based on what's been revealed thus far, I don't think the school or the out-of-town homeowners should be held responsible for what happened.

If the three boys end up with no criminal convictions or punishment, I can see Audrie's parents being justified in suing their families depending on the terms of the civil suit.

Here's the latest from a couple of days ago:

The three teenagers charged with the sexual battery of a 15-year-old California girl who later committed suicide have been released from juvenile hall and given home detention.

The family says they plan to sue the families of the three teens who are accused in her rape, as well as the family at whose house the party took place.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-5...nile-hall/

[username]

Those poor boys. They have to stay home playing video games and surfing the web while Audrie gets to be dead.

I just tracked down an Anonymous website and posted about their taking up the case. I really hope they out those boys.

[HairOfTheDog]

2 ¹⁄₂ Years Later -- Cases Closed

Criminal Court:
On Sept. 2, 2012, Audrie Potts went to a party at a friend’s house in Saratoga with 12 other students. After drinking alcohol-laced Gatorade, she fell asleep and woke up without her shorts on and with mocking words written in several places on her body. Over the next week, Audrie learned that cell phone photos had been taken of her during the assault and shared through text messages. Audrie hanged herself on Sept. 10, 2012, in a bathroom at her mother’s house.

Last year, three boys, then age 16 and 17, admitted in Santa Clara County Juvenile Court to digitally penetrating Audrie Pott and possessing photos of her, both felonies. One of those boys also admitted to a third felony, for possessing photos of another girl. They served between 30 and 45 days in juvenile detention.



Civil Court:
One of the three boys involved expressed remorse early on. His parents settled a suit against him by the Potts' last month.

Yesterday, the parents of the two other teen boys agreed to pay a combined $950,000 through their insurance carriers to Lawrence and Sheila Pott (pictured above with Audrie).

Each teen apologized for saying “things that made it seem Audrie invited or encouraged these acts. We admit that we committed these acts and shared inappropriate images of Audrie to others.” Prior to those statements yesterday, they had reportedly refused to apologize.

The boys acknowledged that Audrie “wasn’t conscious during the criminal acts that we committed and did not consent to what we did.” They added, “We would like every teenager out there to understand that words about someone’s character can have a life-altering effect, that taking advantage of an incapacitated human being is a crime, each and every time.”

As part of the settlement agreement terms, the teen boys agreed to give presentations about “sexting,” the dissemination and solicitation of nude photographs, “slut shaming” and spreading rumors.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Pare...178227.php

[ramseycat]

The parents whose house the party was at do deserve to be charged with something. They should not be letting their kid have parties with alcohol. IDC if they wernt home or whatever. It's their house and their responsibility. I'm not saying the rape was their fault though. But if they didn't allow this party, then maybe it wouldn't have happened.

[HairOfTheDog]

I think the right people were held responsible; the three boys who committed the crimes and their parents.

The homeowners were out of town. They can't install a system to lock their own kid in and everybody else out. Teens have parties -- it doesn't mean the homeowners were negligent or were bad parents who enabled the assault or anything, in my opinion.

Audrie lied to her parents that night and told them she was going to spend the night at a girlfriend's house. I don't think her parents are responsible either.

But, I understand why some people would disagree with me on both those points.

Anyway, the kids were all friends. Nothing I've seen indicates that the homeowners knew a bunch of their son's friends would be drinking alcohol, if they even knew there were going to be teens at the house.

I don't believe the homeowner's son was involved or knew what was happening in the room with Audrie. He wasn't charged with anything.

^ That's to the best of my knowledge. Since the boys were juveniles, the criminal proceedings were sealed.

[username]

I heard that part of the settlement included requiring that the boys apologize to her parents.

I don't think I'd be able to listen to some apology if I thought it was forced. Makes me sick just thinking about it. The same reporter said that the parents said absolutely nothing to any of the boys during or after their apologies.