Teens in a Rape Trial

In an article in the Los Angeles Times, written by Tina Susman two teenage boys are in a trial for rape. The judge sentenced the two boys at least one year in juvenile detention, for raping a classmate. There was text messages, tweets, and pictures shared by the defendants and their friends that the judge and the jury observed. The two boys were Ma’Lik Richmond, 16, and Trent Mays, 17, who could be held in the juvenile detention until they are twenty-one. Mays was also convicted, because he had nudity on his cell phone, of another minor, and was sentenced an additional year in detention. As the verdict was being said, the two boys began to cry as did the attorneys, and family member appealed for leniency. The judge felt as though these were serious charges and the boys have to be punished even though this was the first time they had ever been in trouble with the law. Both boys apologized in their own words, and sincerely meant it. The two boys said their goodbyes to their families before being taken into custody to serve their sentences. This trial caught national attention, it touched other topics besides the accusation, other women began to compare this trial to others. Others began to question why teenagers should be allowed without parental guidance go from one party to the next at which there is alcohol present. Many agreed that without social media the case may have never came to court. The girl did not even remember what happened last night, and she found out about all of it through the pictures and chatter online. The girl and her parents went to the police on August 14, and the boys were convicted eight days later. The trial included graphic pictures of the girl, eyewitnesses, and testimonies. This could happen anywhere, and teens should be very careful in what they drink, who they hang out with, and what they do at parties. The boys did a horrible thing , but it is partially the girls fault for drinking so much, rejecting her friends request to stay with them, and passing out by the boys. One should always be sober enough to take care of themselves, and granted she wasn't that intoxicated the boys would have not taken advantage of her. However their actions are wrong on so many levels, and they deserve to be punished, a year or two will suffice.