Rape is sexual freedom, of sexual experimentation

[mercuryblues]

Yes that is the defense in the Vandy gang rape case. That and the alleged rapists were too drunk to know what they were doing. Or maybe it was rape culture. Yeah, and one of her rapists was her boyfriend at the time.

http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2015/01/14/da-victim-vanderbilt-rape-case-experienced-worst-nightmare/21735851/

A woman studying at Vanderbilt University was a member of the dance team and “in a good place” until June 23, 2013.

“Little did she know that day that held such great promise for her would turn into her worst nightmare,” Thurman said.

In 19 minutes, Thurman gave a graphic and blunt account of what four former football players are accused of doing to the woman that day: raping and sexually assaulting her in a Vanderbilt dorm room while she was unconscious, and then trying to cover it up.
<snip>

“The culture was of sexual freedom, of sexual experimentation. It was a culture that encouraged sexual promiscuity,” Robinson told the jurors. “But not, not just (that) alone, there was also a culture of alcohol and alcohol consumption. And alcohol that changed him and changed others and changed several people on the morning of June 23, 2013.”

[el_bryanto]

1. It's hard to know where to even begin with that "justification."

One could comment on the fact that you don't get to 'experiment' on other people without their permission. One could not that your sexual freedom does not remove the need for consent. And the 'Demon Rum' part of the argument is just insulting.

Bryant

[GeorgeGist]

2. ...and they call it a justice system.

[shenmue]

3. Good grief

[Coventina]

4. Um, no. We have a body of law that states your freedom does not include criminal activity.

What a crazy attempt at defense!!

[valerief]

5. Well, as long as they can afford to buy their "justice" all is well in America.

For the privileged, of course.

[Bettie]

6. Wow.

I am truly speechless.

If all of this were true and they believed that what they did was OK...why did they try to cover it up?

Because they knew they raped that poor girl and they knew it was wrong, but they did it anyway because they felt that they were entitled to whatever they wanted.

[aikoaiko]

7. A zealous defense attorney is sometimes left with very few options but the insane/inane.

[seabeyond]

8. i saw that yesterday. beyond disgusting. and for us women to have to constantly battle this crap

when we are continually given factual evidence from so many directions, what a huge problem there is, is indicative of an even bigger issue.

i look at what i am reading on du, about street harassment and the arguments we all have had over time on du, a progressive democratic board and the issue is almost overwhelming.

the upside i see, is we have examples like this, and so many of us are aware. we have "tells", in our society and conversations.

that is a beginning of solving problems. at the least, to be aware.

then we have so many on du, always trying to promote the silence, and unaware, the ignorant position that allows this shit to flourish.

[marym625]

9. Oh holy crap!

This makes me so angry I can't let it sink in. Just beyond all reason

[trotsky]

10. Huh, that's the same disgraceful excuse the RCC gave for its pedophilia problem.

http://gawker.com/5803053/catholic-church-blames-hippies-not-celibacy-for-all-that-kid-molesting

The report from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice said the majority of molestation cases involved priests who were ordained in the 1940s and 1950s, at a time when seminaries did not properly train them to live a celibate life. These men were not equipped to withstand the social upheaval of the 1960s, which was a time of an increase in sexual deviancy and crime in society at large, the authors said.

[mythology]

11. Asshat

I get that defense attorneys sometimes have to grasp at straws, but this is still painfully stupid.

At least the idiots were stupid enough to provide video and photographic evidence of their stupidity. Hopefully it pays off with a lengthy prison sentence.

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Painfully Stupid

You nailed it. There is grasping at straws and their is tilting at windmills. And then there is tilting at windmills with the IQ of a grub.

[Blue_Tires]

19. The sad part is you only need *one* juror to buy into that unthinkable idea...

and it's mission accomplished...

[mercuryblues]

12. beyond disgusting.

The only thing missing is a reporter feeling sorry for the rapists, you know because their promising future and all.

[forsaken mortal]

13. DUI

Using that logic, guess we should take all DUI laws off the books, since you know, they were drunk and couldn't help but to get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

[Phentex]

16. you poor thing

I know you are lonely but there are ways to seek help for your problems. Bye now.

[zappaman]

18. Thanks for stopping by!

[zappaman]

17. wtf!

[bettyellen]

20. there ought to be laws against this sort of defense- that which promotes assault. So disturbing....

it is obviously aimed at the one or two jurors who would love to believe the victim wanted or deserved it. Sick people.