GUILTY CA - Manuel Ortega & others for gang rape of 15yo girl, Richmond, 2009

[Wudge]

I am so 'disgusted' by this whole thing I don't even have the words to express it with out some *&)*& :sick:<< needed!! It is my understanding those that watched, witnessed, walked by and didn't make a call or tell an authority figure can not and will not have charges brought against them. This too makes me angry :furious: beyond words. I can not imagine the pain and suffering she has endured, I pray for this young girl and her family.

I would like to know what the HE** the adults/security were doing at this dance! In 1988 I was in Junior high school in olympia washington state, I attended a dance. The students were told once in there was no out till it was over or your parents came in to get you. A few students myself included desided to test this, we snuck out. It did not take but minutes and they 'teachers, parent, chaparones, etc' were searching in force for us some just gave in to being found and some tried to hide (me << bad choice I know) they didn't give up till they had every single one of us in hand! The punishment was a weeks worth of lunches in the principals office and after school we had an hours worth of yard work for a week. In addition to all of that we were banned from attending any more dances until High School.

As for parents of the students that seen it, heard about it, etc and did nothing. If I got word from My child or evidence they knew, or heard about it while it was happening and did nothing, if I found imagies on their phone of this crime. I would drag their little *advertiser censored**'s down to the police department to hand over anything and everything they knew including their phones if used for the purpose of documenting this crime. If it were determined my child had in anyway participated, done something illeagle I would make sure they stood in line for their just punishment!!! This is outragouse, disgusting and just plain intolerable. I did not nor am I raising my child to be like this, hence my 101% conviction as a parent this is what I would do!! My hope and wish is that all parents would do the same!! (I know this is a pipe dream, way to many parents today cover for their children. I love my children too and I would hate to have to do this but for their sake as well as mine and society's I would do what I believe needed to be done.)

I am done ranting...

If you are bothered by parents protecting their sons after a rape has taken place, read: "Our Guys", by Bernard Lefkowitz -- High School jocks who lived in the toney suburb of Glen Ridge N.J. raped a mentally retarded teenager. After you start to read the book, I doubt you will put it down.

 

[JBean]

This horrible gang rape brings to mind the case in the early 80's of a young woman raped on a pool table in a New Bedford bar. A bar full of men and women and not one came to her rescue. During the trial, the victim was accused of asking for trouble since she was wearing a red dress. Here is a link to read more
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952343-2,00.html

I believe there was a movie made also - perhaps on Lifetime. Anyway, it is very sad that our society has not progressed in 25 yrs.

The attack in Richmond makes me sick and disgusted!!

I just heard a board member on HNL saying "this was inappropriate behavior." Excuse me!! This was in-humane behavior!!

Oh I just watched that movie if it was with Jodie Foster. I thought of this story right away when I heard this.

 

[lilacwine]

As a high school teacher I can tell you we ALWAYS tell our kids we can't protect you when we don't know where you are. With that being said, we still station people at doors etc. and do our best.... and I'm happy to say we do more than Richmond did, but I really believe they are probably kicking themselves harder than anyone else could. I don't know how'd I'd function had I been a chaperone at an event that this happened during.

What is sad though is the number of parents who WON'T come in to get a kid or sometimes tell the kids to walk home LATE at night....we are in a city in an area that I do not consider very safe at night.

It's heartbreaking and it makes me want to vomit that it happened.

 

[txsvicki]

I saw the interview with the administrator and felt that he manned up and took quite a bit of responsibility for failure to watch the outside of the school and the hidden area where the gang rape took place. However, at the end he said that we "probably" could have done better. If this school and this town is such a dangerous place, then schools should know better. They are not too smart and not willing to go to take proper measures. Maybe they should do away with dances if they are not able to make sure there are no horrible crimes, drugging, and drinking going on. I really wish Bush could have gotten the voucher system in place where parents could put their kids into private church schools if they want. Schools are becoming so trashy that it's unbelieveable.

 

[redmeli]

5 now in custody. Here's a pic of Ortega:

read more at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/28/BA621ABOF6.DTL&tsp=1

Look at the dead eyes. No one home here. I'm thinking he was NAGANG or aspiring to be. We need to find a way to get these b*^ta#$ds off the streets at an early enough age to protect society from them. Other countries separate kids according to their academic progress, or lack of, and put the rest in the military or some kind of "rehabilitative" program. I'm afraid we will need to consider that in this country. So much for freedom. Those who don't appreciate it don't deserve it. :banghead:

 

[Columbo]

Look at the dead eyes. No one home here. I'm thinking he was NAGANG or aspiring to be. We need to find a way to get these b*^ta#$ds off the streets at an early enough age to protect society from them. Other countries separate kids according to their academic progress, or lack of, and put the rest in the military or some kind of "rehabilitative" program. I'm afraid we will need to consider that in this country. So much for freedom. Those who don't appreciate it don't deserve it. :banghead:

I agree his eyes look dead, he looks like a punk.

But I don't think putting people like him in the military will solve anything--imagine a whole group like him over in Iraq (or wherever). They would be drugged up, raping and killing innocents over there . I don't know what can be done with evil slime like him and the others who did this crime, except put them in prison forever.

 

[nursebeeme]

Officers were finally alerted by a woman "who was several blocks away who heard people discussing what was occurring" at the school on 23rd Street and called police, police Lt. Mark Gagan said.
Officers found the girl semiconscious beneath a picnic table. She was airlifted to a hospital.
Ortega was arrested as he ran from the scene, but other suspects eluded immediate capture, police said.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/28/BA621ABOF6.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0VHpRSuUH
​

 

[Fairy1]

I saw the interview with the administrator and felt that he manned up and took quite a bit of responsibility for failure to watch the outside of the school and the hidden area where the gang rape took place. However, at the end he said that we "probably" could have done better. If this school and this town is such a dangerous place, then schools should know better. They are not too smart and not willing to go to take proper measures. Maybe they should do away with dances if they are not able to make sure there are no horrible crimes, drugging, and drinking going on. I really wish Bush could have gotten the voucher system in place where parents could put their kids into private church schools if they want. Schools are becoming so trashy that it's unbelieveable.

I agree that the schools, knowing what goes on daily, should provide better security at school functions. But I don't think it's fair to the good kids to stop having extracurricular activities. That's how we let the bad guys win. The world is different now and, as tragic as it is, we need to react appropriately. Putting all of our kids in private schools will not help, IMO. It's not so much the schools that are the problem as the kids who are attending them. Something is terribly wrong with many of our young kids these days. So much anger. I don't get it. They're so much more coddled than kids of prior generations. Maybe that's the problem? They're not equipped to handle any of the trials and tribulations of life?????

IDK, but it disgusts me to know that sooooooo many people would be willing to stand by and witness or participate in such a violent act and do nothing. Makes me worry even more about the people I walk this earth with every day. :furious:

 

[dellemma]

Oh my goodness, this is one of the saddest things I've ever read. Poor girl! I just don't understand this stuff.

I have a 1 year old daughter and I feel like I'm making a mental list of all the things I have to worry about. I feel like I will never be able to let her walk to school even with friends and even though it is just a few blocks away....I will walk her myself. Now, I will be a dance chaperon whether she likes it or not. I just can't seem to bear all these horrific things that happen.

 

[Vegas Bride]

Bless the woman who did make the call!!! I'm worried that there will be retaliation against her.
I wish we still had the town square where every body involved in commiting this crime (includes those who knew and did nothing) had to stand in broad daylight and face up to what they did.
Now they will have lawyers offering to help them slither out of what they did and it makes me sick!
The other day there was a case posted here about a father and neighbor who beat a man very severely who had supposedly fondled his little son, I say let these 2 men take care of this problem. Yes I know it's not right to have vigilante justice but my god when is enough enough? How is this country going to show the slime that this is NOT acceptable?

If the call was not made to help this girl, I have no doubt she would be dead now, her body disposed of and we'd be hearing about a missing girl, again, I say Bless the woman who called!

VB

 

[SkewedView]

If the call was not made to help this girl, I have no doubt she would be dead now, her body disposed of and we'd be hearing about a missing girl, again, I say Bless the woman who called!

VB

Snipped with all due respect.

Indeed, this just gives me flashbacks to the Ertman/Pena gangrape/murders.

 

[believe09]

You know something about this attack reminds me of this crime:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Harris_County,_Texas_hate_crime_assault

I am not comparing the "hate crime" aspect-the victim in the case I referenced was assaulted over a period of 5 hours while at a party. He then lay outside for another 10 hours until he was found. While the main perps were convicted of life and 90 years respectively, I want to know how the other kids at the party can live with themselves, especially since the victim committed suicide one year later?

 

[Hopeful One]

Sickening. Absolutely disgusting. Something is seriously wrong with every single person who either participated or watched. I really think I may throw up.

 

[Velouria]

You know something about this attack reminds me of this crime:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Harris_County,_Texas_hate_crime_assault

I am not comparing the "hate crime" aspect-the victim in the case I referenced was assaulted over a period of 5 hours while at a party. He then lay outside for another 10 hours until he was found. While the main perps were convicted of life and 90 years respectively, I want to know how the other kids at the party can live with themselves, especially since the victim committed suicide one year later?

I know exactly what you mean, believe. That was such a horrifying case - not just the torture that boy endured, but that others could stand by and allow it to happen. I remember crying when I read that the victim had committed suicide. I pray that this girl is able to fully recover and move on with her life in a positive direction.

 

[justbeachy]

I am appalled. This poor girl...what has this done to her views of the world?! Being gang-raped while people WATCHED?! And LAUGHED?! No one helped her?!?!

What is wrong with the world today??? Seriously...what has changed so drastically in our society that things like this happen? Children setting other children on fire? Brother killing brother over the volume of a computer? Have we, as a society, lost all sense of right and wrong? Have we lost our compassion for others?

If this had happened when I was in school, I can NOT, under any circumstances, imagine anyone not helping. Maybe I am naive, but I truly can not imagine any of my classmates (even the "bad" ones) not helping.

I'm digusted and heart-broken for this girl.

 

[gxm]

You know something about this attack reminds me of this crime:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Harris_County,_Texas_hate_crime_assault

I am not comparing the "hate crime" aspect-the victim in the case I referenced was assaulted over a period of 5 hours while at a party. He then lay outside for another 10 hours until he was found. While the main perps were convicted of life and 90 years respectively, I want to know how the other kids at the party can live with themselves, especially since the victim committed suicide one year later?

Actually, the hate crime bill that just passed covers gender. It's not something the media is reporting but gender is in there. If the rapists used any derogatory language (b****, c***, wh***, sl**, etc.) then there is the chance such violent, hateful assaults as the one this girl endured can be prosecuted as hate crimes.

 

[believe09]

I am heartened in some of the cases in TX that underage participants in similar crimes received sentences of 40 years or more. I am hoping CA follows suit if these kids are convicted.

 

[Texas Mist]

<snip>


RICHMOND, California (CNN) -- Police investigating the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl have arrested five people, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

Three juveniles and two adults are in custody in connection with the rape Saturday, said the Richmond police spokesman, Lt. Mark Gagan. The three juveniles will be charged as adults, he said.

Gagan said the suspects will face several felony charges in connection with the incident including "rape in concert," and that the suspects would all face the possibility of life in prison if convicted.

Gagan also said that the victim was released from a hospital Wednesday, four days after the attack.




more here

http://www.wibw.com/crime/headlines/67102982.html

 

[Columbo]

Reports seem to indicate she was knocked unconscious with the first punch. Please
God, she was unconscious for all of it.

I am heartened in some of the cases in TX that underage participants in similar crimes received sentences of 40 years or more. I am hoping CA follows suit if these kids are convicted.

Could you provide a link that says the first punch knocked her out? Local news (I'm in the Bay Area) has not indicated that.

News reports here say it was the brandy she drank that knocked her out very quickly.

No one has said or reported this, but I'm wondering if there was a date-rape drug involved, for her to be "out" so quickly? Purely speculation on my part and it's quite possible her young system was just not used to alcohol and it knocked her out.

I do hope that whatever the case, she was not conscious for what followed...

 

[Columbo]

Someone had mentioned in a post that they wished they could send money to help the victim (I couldn't find the post). This article has a lot of info and videos; at the bottom there is an address where you can send a contribution to help the victim:

Richmond High School
1250 23rd Street
Richmond, CA 94804

Checks should be made out to "Richmond High School Student Fund" with "sex assault victim" written on the memo line.

Article: http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_13662965