Steubenville Rape Trial Day Three

The Steubenville rape case entered the third day of testimony on Friday. The prosecution began calling key witnesses against accused Big Red football stars Trent Mays and Ma’Lik Richmond shortly after the judge called the proceedings to order.

Friday testimony followed up on evidence shared on day two of the Steubenville rape trial. Text messages deemed graphic by some viewers gave varying accounts of what happened to the alleged 16-year-old victim.

According to one text message, one of the Steubenville High School defendants allegedly appeared to ask a friend for help to cover up something which has happened in the basement. One of the sexual alleged sexual attacks against the West Virginia girl supposedly occurred inside the basement.

Another text message entered into evidence by prosecutors indicated the teenage girl was seeking information about what had happened during the night from a friend. The alleged Steubenville rape victims told police officers she had no memory of what went on during the party. In the text message, the young woman was concerned that she may have been drugged.

The accuser also told a male friend who allegedly saw the rape that she had been taken advantage of at the Steubenville Big Red party. The teenager also texted, “I wasn’t being a slut.”

Ma’Lik Richmond and Trent Mays are accused of digitally penetrating the young woman in the basement and then in the backseat of a car. One of the defendants is also accused of using an underage girl in nudity-oriented material. Photos and a video from the Steubenville party went viral after being posted online.

While the prosecution contends the West Virginia girl was too drunk to consent to sex, the defense has a different theory about the events which took place at the party. Attorneys for Mays and Richmond concede that the alleged victim had been drinking, but had not consumed too much alcohol to willingly consent to sex.

Some witnesses in the Steubenville rape trial claim the girl was so intoxicated that she threw up. The witness testimony also maintains that the young woman has difficulty walking and was slurring her words.

Special Judge Thomas Lipps plans to continue trial proceedings into the evening hours and throughout the weekend. The juvenile court case will be decided solely by Lipps, there is no jury involved. Police officers collected nearly 20 cell phones during the investigation to review for evidence. If Trent Mays and Ma’Lik Richmond are convicted, they could be incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility until their 21st birthdays.

What do you think about the Steubenville rape case?