CNN

On the off chance that you’re unfamiliar with the Steubenville Rape Trial, let me bring you up to speed. According to court findings a 16 year old girl drank too much and was digitally penetrated by at least two boys who were also 16. Other allegations exist and a grand jury is quite likely. A number of boys who were present struck deals with prosecutors and will not be prosecuted. Unlike their friends they will not be registered sex offenders. They are, however, sex offenders and they are dangerous people.

The reason we all know that Ma’Lik Richmond and Trent Mays are now convicted rapists is because in addition to the sexual assault he was convicted of Mays took pictures of a naked victim and circulated them on the web. That’s actually called child pornography.

Oh, there was also this guy Michael Nordianos and his twitter feed...

The mother of the victim spoke at the sentencing and I think her words to her daughter’s rapists merit repeating:

“It did not matter what school you went to, what city you lived in, or what sport you’ve played, human compassion is not taught by a teacher, a coach or a parent.  It is a God-given gift instilled in all of us. You displayed not only a lack of this compassion but a lack of any moral code.”

She stops short of calling them evil. I don’t. When talking about her daughter the woman says:

“This does not define who my daughter is. She will perservere, grow, and move on.”

And with a mother like that I believe she will.

In the previous 250 words I have described to you two of the most detestable young men in America. They are convicted rapists who worked together to assault and humiliate a young woman. I’ve inserted almost no opinion.

On the other hand CNN (which is a network that’s typically above the fray) had two reporters on who did all they could revictimize the young girl. Candy Crowley starts her newscast by describing the boys as, “Two Star High School Football Players in Steubenville Ohio.” Well, before being remanded to prison they were football players so I suspect that is a fact.

Candy Crowley then asks Poppy Harlow to talk about the emotions in the courtroom. This is when I’m waiting for Ms. Harlow to talk about the victim’s mother and her statement or perhaps the anger of the bystanders, but no, Poppy Harlow talks about the ruined lives of Ma’Lik Richmond and Trent Mays. She also incorrectly reports their sentences as being 1 and 2 years when in fact those are minimum sentences. Juvenile court is structured differently.

At about 4 and a half minutes in Candy Crowley notes to Paul Callan (the CNN legal contributor) that a 16 year old was sobbing in court, her voice changes to an almost maternal tone while she shakes her head and seems to have a difficult time stating that the two convicted rapists are what the courts have deemed them to be. She says, “What’s the lasting effect though on two young men being found guilty in juvenile court of [pause] rape essentially.”

Forgive me Candy, did the judge say, “Rape essentially.”?

Well, for at least a year and up to five years no girls in Steubenville will be raped by these two young men. Hopefully they won’t assault anyone in detention but I think we all know that is a very real possibility. For the rest of their lives these two men will register as sex offenders and the towns they live in will be somewhat safer knowing the identities of the men who have raped before.

During sentencing Trent Mays said, “I would truly like to apologize. No pictures should have been sent around, let alone have been taken.”

Yes, we all know that if you’re a high school football player the lesson learned here is to never instagram your sexual assaults. Perhaps Candy and Poppy can teach a class on that for the next round of poor young boys who have their promising football careers cut short by a slutty girl who dares to drink to much.

Sadly there will always be rape.

I’m hopeful that one day there won’t be women like Candy and Poppy who seem to believe that rape victims ruin the lives of football stars.

Two Steubenville high school football players accused of raping an allegedly drunk 16-year-old girl were found guilty Sunday.#CNN

— Poppy Harlow (@PoppyHarlowCNN) March 17, 2013