steubenville Grand jury charges schools chief, 3 others in relation to rape case

Associated Press

STEUBENVILLE

An Ohio school superintendent and three others were charged Monday with lying or failing to report possible child abuse after an investigation prompted by the rape of a nearly passed-out 16-year-old girl by two high-school football players.

The investigation included crimes committed in connection with the case against two members of the celebrated Steubenville High School football team as well as a separate purported rape that happened in April 2012, four months before the assault that drew nationwide attention over allegations that prosecutors should have charged more players.

Hacker activists helped propel coverage of the rape case and press allegations of a cover-up, including reposting of a 12-minute Internet video made within hours of the attacks in which a former Steubenville student joked about the victim.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine convened the grand jury to look into the behavior of school administrators and other adults in the community after the two players were convicted last March. Under the law, educators are required to report allegations of child abuse.

Two people already had been charged before Steubenville Superintendent Mike McVey, strength coach Seth Fluharty, volunteer football coach Matthew Belardine and elementary school principal Lynnett Gorman were charged Monday.

McVey’s charges include felony counts of obstructing justice and tampering with evidence and a misdemeanor charge alleging he made a false statement in April 2012. McVey wasn’t immediately available to comment, and messages were left for his attorney.

Belardine, whose house authorities said was the scene of the underage drinking party that preceded the rape last summer, faces several misdemeanor charges, including making a false statement and contributing to underage alcohol consumption. Belardine will plead not guilty, said Columbus attorney Brian Duncan.

Fluharty was charged with failing to report possible child abuse in August 2012. Columbus attorney Tom Tyack said he had been contacted to represent Fluharty but could not comment.

Gorman is charged with failing to report possible child abuse in April 2012. Her attorney, Stephen LaMatrice, said she will plead not guilty and the charge isn’t connected to the football players’ case, but declined to elaborate.

DeWine announced the grand jury’s creation March 17, the day a judge convicted Ma’Lik Richmond and Trent Mays of digitally penetrating a West Virginia girl after an alcohol-fueled party that followed a team scrimmage.

The grand jury earlier charged the Steubenville schools’ information- technology director with tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, obstructing official business and perjury. The panel also indicted that man’s daughter on theft and receiving-stolen-property charges unrelated to the rape case. Both pleaded not guilty.

The case long has been marked by allegations that more football players should have been charged and that police and prosecutors tried to cover up aspects of the case early on. Authorities counter that the two teens were arrested and charged within days of the attack.

DeWine said he believes the grand jury’s work is done, barring any new evidence, and acknowledged people may wonder why still others weren’t charged.

“It is simply not sufficient that a person’s behavior was reprehensible, disgusting, mean-spirited or just plain stupid,” DeWine said.