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Will girl's rape-claim reversal clear teen?
U.Va. Innocence Project and child advocacy group trying to free teen they say was wrongfully convicted of rape
Date published: 2/5/2009
By PAMELA GOULD A team of attorneys is asking the Department of Juvenile Justice to release a former Aquia Harbour teen they say was wrongfully convicted of rape and is listed on the state's sex offender registry. The effort by the Innocence Project of the University of Virginia Law School and JustChildren, a child-advocacy group, is supported by the alleged victim's mother, who wants to correct what she considers a miscarriage of justice. "We just need to make things right," Michele Sousa said in a recent interview. Sousa said she returned home from work on June 4, 2007, to find the 15-year-old boy inside her Aquia Harbour home and her 14-year-old daughter getting dressed in the girl's bedroom. Sousa initially believed her daughter had been sexually assaulted and immediately contacted the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. But three months after the boy was convicted of rape and breaking into her home, her daughter said she had lied about the incident because she feared getting into trouble. As soon as Sousa learned that--on Thanksgiving weekend in 2007--she contacted a lawyer, who advised her to contact the boy's attorney. His attorney asked her to provide a notarized statement from her daughter, which she did. In the May 23, 2008, handwritten statement, the girl states: "[The boy] didn't rely rape me in fact we did it befor. [He] was a friend of mine befor this even happend. Me and [the boy] where good friends, but now it just seems that I lied about [him]. Now I will never forgive myself. [He] didn't realy come in by himself, I let him in." The Free Lance-Star is not naming the boy or girl because of their ages and the nature of the charges. Their parents' surnames are different from theirs. Both families have since moved from Stafford. The parents agreed to discuss the case publicly in an effort to clear the boy, who has been in state custody for at least 17 months. Neither Stafford Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Eric Olsen, who prosecuted the boy, nor Denise Rafferty, who was the court-appointed defense attorney at trial, would discuss the case. Olsen said he was aware of pending action in the case. He agreed to answer only general questions about juvenile prosecutions and the Stafford office's policies. THE CASE
Date published: 2/5/2009
How other young
(posted by
varoots
, Feb. 5, 2009 7:47 pm)
fellows are in the same situation? They got caught and the girl lied to protect herself. I bet there are a lot of them, particularly the teenage ones.
Virginia justice system sucks.
Statutory rape?
(posted by
kspecial
, Feb. 5, 2009 6:06 pm)
That is SO weak. The male was 15, the female 14. They statutorily raped each other? Let this poor kid out. He has
suffered terribly for having wanted mutual affection. He is
the one who has had crimes committed against him. What
the heck is wrong with these 'adults' running our legal
system in Stafford?
Statutory? False Police Report?
(posted by
MrZorro
, Feb. 5, 2009 5:17 pm)
The evidence is strong for a statutory rape charge for the male, and for filing a false police report for the girl. That was a very serious and vicious lie to tell the cops that it was forcible.
Unjust Treatment
(posted by
mmi4190
, Feb. 5, 2009 5:03 pm)
I know the family of the accused boy and the way that the justice system handled this case was totally unjust. I am so glad that someone finally stepped up to assist him in getting out of jail. He should have never been there. Months of his life have been taken away due to someone else's lies. What penalty will be accessed to the person or persons who falsely accused him of this crime. Justice should be served to him as well.
WOW
(posted by
taxpayer
, Feb. 5, 2009 4:49 pm)
Another parent who thinks MY CHILD WOULDN"T DO THAT.
Yeah she had consenual sex and then lied about it. Its a real shame but my husband and I had to have that exact talk with our sons when they were about that age. About how some girls will agree to consenual sex, then lie and say they were raped because they are afraid of taking responsibility and getting into trouble. Nice, and here the boys family is living that nightmare.
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