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Hokie5150
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That didn't take long for Salon.com...

Post by Hokie5150 »

http://www.salon.com/2013/12/05/the_mad ... ston_case/
The maddening familiarity of the Jameis Winston case
Whether or not justice was served, the script of trashing the alleged victim played out yet again
Katie Mcdonough

Willie Meggs, state attorney for Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit, announced on Thursday that Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston will not be charged with sexual battery, citing insufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. After Meggs delivered the news that the rape case was closed, he laughingly deflected questions from the press about Winston’s chances at winning the Heisman trophy. (Apparently, his odds remain quite good.)

Meggs took over the investigation in November — almost a year after the report was filed with the Tallahassee Police Department, several months after the police allowed the case to go “dormant,” and days after media outlets began pressing the department for the case file amidst allegations of police misconduct.

There will be no charges, but the matter feels far from settled. The circumstances are just too frustrating, and too familiar. Winston, as you have no doubt read in the coverage of this case, is a well-known football player. Media outlets reminded the public of this fact by identifying him in pieces on the rape accusations, in headlines and leads, as a “football star,” “Heisman favorite,” or “freshman who has lead FSU to an undefeated season.”

The media’s fascination with Winston’s career prospects was allegedly shared by the Tallahassee Police Department. Patricia Carroll, the lawyer for the woman who accused Winston of rape, said she was told by a detective that her client’s life would be “made miserable” if she went ahead with the investigation. “Tallahassee was a big football town,” he allegedly said. “The victim needs to think long and hard before proceeding against him because she will be raked over the coals and her life will be made miserable.”

That there will be no charges filed in an allegedly compromised investigation against a high profile member of his community is both about Winston and something much bigger. The script the case followed — the allegedly botched investigation, the fawning write ups of a “football hero” who suffered the “turmoil” of rape allegations, the community that unquestioningly rallied around him, the questions about the victim’s level of intoxication and speculation about the veracity of her claims — is sickeningly, maddeningly familiar.

The case may be closed, but the question of whether justice was served remains.

Carroll released a statement about the alleged threat to her client the same week that a national report on the gross underreporting of sexual assault and widespread mishandling of rape cases was released by the National Research Council. The report found that law enforcement agencies across the country are often disinclined, poorly equipped or inadequately trained to document such cases and support victims. Which is why, according to national data, of every 100 rapes, only 40 will be reported, 10 will lead to to an arrest, 8 will lead to prosecution and 4 will lead to a felony conviction.

Of every 100 rapists, only three will serve more than a day in jail for their crimes. The other 97 perpetrators will walk free, and the other 97 victims will have to live with that fact.

Whether or not you believe justice was served in the Winston case, these are dismal numbers. This is the dismal state of justice for survivors of sexual assault in 2013.

Katie McDonough is an assistant editor for Salon, focusing on lifestyle. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.
Once
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Re: That didn't take long for Salon.com...

Post by Once »

I always wonder about the nuts and bolts of quotes used in pieces like this. Who used the word "dormant"? It isn't attributed to anyone. Is the author quoting himself/herself? The reason it bothers me is because other quotes are attributed further down in the article. Good journalism is dead.

As far as Jameis Winston's guilt or innocence is concerned, it would be pure speculation on my part to offer an opinion, and if I did, I'd still have to say I don't know. The woman's credibility is questionable, which even if he did it, is tough to overcome in the courtroom. Perhaps that's one of the major overriding reasons the decision to not prosecute was made.

I will say that setting this case to the side for a moment, the stats on rape prosecution/conviction are in line with what I've read and been told and that alone is solid commentary that our legal system could do a better job in this area (and I mean everything from initial contact with an alleged victim, evidence gathering, investigation, charges, prosecution, dismissal of charges if appropriate or conviction, and sentencing).
Hokie5150 wrote:http://www.salon.com/2013/12/05/the_mad ... ston_case/
The maddening familiarity of the Jameis Winston case
Whether or not justice was served, the script of trashing the alleged victim played out yet again
Katie Mcdonough

Willie Meggs, state attorney for Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit, announced on Thursday that Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston will not be charged with sexual battery, citing insufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. After Meggs delivered the news that the rape case was closed, he laughingly deflected questions from the press about Winston’s chances at winning the Heisman trophy. (Apparently, his odds remain quite good.)

Meggs took over the investigation in November — almost a year after the report was filed with the Tallahassee Police Department, several months after the police allowed the case to go “dormant,” and days after media outlets began pressing the department for the case file amidst allegations of police misconduct.

There will be no charges, but the matter feels far from settled. The circumstances are just too frustrating, and too familiar. Winston, as you have no doubt read in the coverage of this case, is a well-known football player. Media outlets reminded the public of this fact by identifying him in pieces on the rape accusations, in headlines and leads, as a “football star,” “Heisman favorite,” or “freshman who has lead FSU to an undefeated season.”

The media’s fascination with Winston’s career prospects was allegedly shared by the Tallahassee Police Department. Patricia Carroll, the lawyer for the woman who accused Winston of rape, said she was told by a detective that her client’s life would be “made miserable” if she went ahead with the investigation. “Tallahassee was a big football town,” he allegedly said. “The victim needs to think long and hard before proceeding against him because she will be raked over the coals and her life will be made miserable.”

That there will be no charges filed in an allegedly compromised investigation against a high profile member of his community is both about Winston and something much bigger. The script the case followed — the allegedly botched investigation, the fawning write ups of a “football hero” who suffered the “turmoil” of rape allegations, the community that unquestioningly rallied around him, the questions about the victim’s level of intoxication and speculation about the veracity of her claims — is sickeningly, maddeningly familiar.

The case may be closed, but the question of whether justice was served remains.

Carroll released a statement about the alleged threat to her client the same week that a national report on the gross underreporting of sexual assault and widespread mishandling of rape cases was released by the National Research Council. The report found that law enforcement agencies across the country are often disinclined, poorly equipped or inadequately trained to document such cases and support victims. Which is why, according to national data, of every 100 rapes, only 40 will be reported, 10 will lead to to an arrest, 8 will lead to prosecution and 4 will lead to a felony conviction.

Of every 100 rapists, only three will serve more than a day in jail for their crimes. The other 97 perpetrators will walk free, and the other 97 victims will have to live with that fact.

Whether or not you believe justice was served in the Winston case, these are dismal numbers. This is the dismal state of justice for survivors of sexual assault in 2013.

Katie McDonough is an assistant editor for Salon, focusing on lifestyle. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.
CWHOKIECPA
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Re: That didn't take long for Salon.com...

Post by CWHOKIECPA »

Hokie5150 wrote:http://www.salon.com/2013/12/05/the_mad ... ston_case/
The maddening familiarity of the Jameis Winston case
Whether or not justice was served, the script of trashing the alleged victim played out yet again
Katie Mcdonough

Willie Meggs, state attorney for Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit, announced on Thursday that Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston will not be charged with sexual battery, citing insufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. After Meggs delivered the news that the rape case was closed, he laughingly deflected questions from the press about Winston’s chances at winning the Heisman trophy. (Apparently, his odds remain quite good.)

Meggs took over the investigation in November — almost a year after the report was filed with the Tallahassee Police Department, several months after the police allowed the case to go “dormant,” and days after media outlets began pressing the department for the case file amidst allegations of police misconduct.

There will be no charges, but the matter feels far from settled. The circumstances are just too frustrating, and too familiar. Winston, as you have no doubt read in the coverage of this case, is a well-known football player. Media outlets reminded the public of this fact by identifying him in pieces on the rape accusations, in headlines and leads, as a “football star,” “Heisman favorite,” or “freshman who has lead FSU to an undefeated season.”

The media’s fascination with Winston’s career prospects was allegedly shared by the Tallahassee Police Department. Patricia Carroll, the lawyer for the woman who accused Winston of rape, said she was told by a detective that her client’s life would be “made miserable” if she went ahead with the investigation. “Tallahassee was a big football town,” he allegedly said. “The victim needs to think long and hard before proceeding against him because she will be raked over the coals and her life will be made miserable.”

That there will be no charges filed in an allegedly compromised investigation against a high profile member of his community is both about Winston and something much bigger. The script the case followed — the allegedly botched investigation, the fawning write ups of a “football hero” who suffered the “turmoil” of rape allegations, the community that unquestioningly rallied around him, the questions about the victim’s level of intoxication and speculation about the veracity of her claims — is sickeningly, maddeningly familiar.

The case may be closed, but the question of whether justice was served remains.

Carroll released a statement about the alleged threat to her client the same week that a national report on the gross underreporting of sexual assault and widespread mishandling of rape cases was released by the National Research Council. The report found that law enforcement agencies across the country are often disinclined, poorly equipped or inadequately trained to document such cases and support victims. Which is why, according to national data, of every 100 rapes, only 40 will be reported, 10 will lead to to an arrest, 8 will lead to prosecution and 4 will lead to a felony conviction.

Of every 100 rapists, only three will serve more than a day in jail for their crimes. The other 97 perpetrators will walk free, and the other 97 victims will have to live with that fact.

Whether or not you believe justice was served in the Winston case, these are dismal numbers. This is the dismal state of justice for survivors of sexual assault in 2013.

Katie McDonough is an assistant editor for Salon, focusing on lifestyle. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.
I love those stats. Only three in 100 rapists will serve time. Is that three in 100 convicted guys? If not, how do you even come up with those numbers? Do you just make them up? You don't think feminists would do that do you?
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BigDave
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Re: That didn't take long for Salon.com...

Post by BigDave »

CWHOKIECPA wrote: I love those stats. Only three in 100 rapists will serve time. Is that three in 100 convicted guys? If not, how do you even come up with those numbers? Do you just make them up? You don't think feminists would do that do you?
Comparing different sets of numbers. http://www.rainn.org/get-information/st ... ting-rates

According to http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=1133, between 1992 and 2000, 36% of rape, 34% of attempted rape, and 26% of sexual assaults were reported to police. These numbers seem to be the product of utter fancy. For example, included in them is this, "When the offender was a stranger, 54% of completed rapes, 44% of attempted rapes, and 34% of sexual assaults were not reported to the police." Say what??? Okay, I get that date rape or partner rape may not be reported very frequently ... but if a stranger tries to rape you on the street, you're not going to report it??? Does anyone believe that?

So anyway, 36% rounds to 40, so you start with 40/100 rapes get reported to the police. (That's based on data from 1992 until 2000.)

Well, then they compare the number of arrests for rape from 2006 until 2010 and say that there were 20Kish arrests per year (from 2006 until 2010) compared with 80Kish reported rapes per year (1992-2000) and you get 1/4th of reported rapes lead to an arrest.

Then, in 1999, 80% of people arrested for rape got prosecuted.

From 2002-2006, 60% of people charged with rape IN LARGE URBAN COUNTIES were convicted of something (50% felony, 10% misdemeanor). And even that's not accurate - that number is only for when the highest crime on the indictment is rape and so it excludes people who commit rape and murder (for whom there is a much higher conviction rate).

So you've got lots of data from different years being put together to come up with some meaningless number.

How can you take the number of rapes reported one year, the number of people arrested a different year, the number convicted in large cities a different year, and come up with a conclusion about the percentage of rapists who get convicted?
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