Investigators Clear Disney Employees Of Alleged Rape

[seriousstan]

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A woman who accused a group of young men in a Disney foreign employee program of rape appears to have been a willing participant, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.

Orange County sheriff's investigators said that a videotape surfaced showing the woman having sex with at least four men at the Gables Commons Apartments.

The woman claimed she was walking home early Sunday morning when the men attacked her.

A source has told WESH NewsChannel 2 that one of the men involved in the incident apparently videotaped the encounter, which clearly showed the woman was an active participant.

http://www.wesh.com/news/7630418/detail.html

They didn't file charges. Someone tell me why there are no charges filed against this "woman" who tried to get 4 innocent sent to prison and labeled violent sex offenders for the rest of their lives?

[Kagemusha]

1. Punishing women for false accusations is probably bad politics.

Just a guess.

[seriousstan]

2. This lying bitch should be behind bars for the safety of others.

[LostinVA]

5. It's unnecessary to call her a bitch

I really dislike the use of this word in this way on DU. And I know I'm not the only women here who does.

[seriousstan]

7. It was the least offensive word I was capable of using to describe her.

Funny how you are more concerned about my verbage than about this lying piece of shit trying to ruin the lives of 4 innocent men. You take the time to reply to a post and "BITCH" is the only thing you spend your time complaining about......hmmmmmm....telling.

[LostinVA]

9. I think it's the most offensive except for c*nt

Because of the way it's used -- bastard does not have the same societal or linguistic force. I'm not picking on you -- you are far, far from the only one.

[Mandate My Ass]

10. Thank you. My sentiments exactly

Being against the word "bitch" does not mean one is in favor of the twisted thing this woman did. Rape, and the shame that surrounds it, affects every woman, as does the attitude that "bitches" get what they deserve, whether it's a prison sentence for false accusations, or the utterly dehumanizing experience of rape.

[Xithras]

3. This is interesting when contrasted against yesterdays thread.

There was a thread yesterday about a defense attorney who wanted to show the video of another alleged rape in a courtroom and ask the victim some questions to determine whether or not it was consensual. Many people here attacked that idea in the belief that a woman shouldn't have to be put on the defense if she's a victim, and shouldn't have to relive the experience. This incident proves that women DO lie about this sort of thing, and that video evidence can be very useful in exonerating people who are falsely accused.

[LostinVA]

6. Nobody here said the tape shouldn't eb viewed by the jury

But that there was no reason to have the victim watch it.,

And yes, women do lie, just like kids lie about being molested... but that number is minuscule compared to the rapes that go unreported.

[LisaL]

11. No, defense attorney demanded the woman view the tape.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with showing the tape to the jury. There are a lot of things wrong with forcing a victim to view her own rape on the tape. Obviously the jury should view the tape.
:eyes:

[Xithras]

12. Except that the defense attorney would have a hard time questioning her.

From the story yesterday, the defense attorney claimed that there were things in the video which made the sex appear to be consensual, or which disputed her claim of unconciousness. That's a similar claim to what happened in this case with the four men. The difference is that the defense attorney in that case will have a difficult time questioning her about activities on the tape when she can simply claim that she doesn't remember and that she hadn't viewed it. It kind of makes the job of defending the accused difficult, and the job of lying easy.

Oh, and you make a pretty bold claim on your tape. By saying that we're forcing her to "view her own rape", you're assuming that she's telling the truth and that the guy is guilty. I personally believe that ALL claims of crime should be looked upon with suspicion until a conviction is secured. You know, that whole "innocent until proven guilty" ideal.

[LisaL]

13. If there are things on the video that make sex appear to be

consensual, then the jury is going to figure that out.
Why exactly would that be a problem for the jury-they got eyes, don't they?
And excuse me, presumption of innocence for the defendant does not mean I have to presume the victim is lying.
"On this flawed (and even preposterous) understanding of the law, no one may permissibly believe that a defendant charged with a crime is guilty, if a jury has not already so concluded. In truth, every one of us is free, both factually and legally, to think whatever we wish about the guilt or innocence of a defendant, regardless of what a jury has said or will say on the matter.

The presumption of innocence is a requirement that applies only to the members of a jury in a criminal trial. Even as to them, moreover, it does not dictate jurors' thoughts. It simply obligates them to select "not guilty" as their verdict if the prosecution fails to produce sufficient evidence to persuade them of a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."
http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/10/28/findlaw.analysis.colb.date.rape/

[MrSlayer]

4. These false accusations hurt real rape victims.

She is the one who should be facing prison now.

[Mandate My Ass]

8. Yes they do. And yes she did get charged.

There should be consequences for lying to authorities and filing false charges. I just wish when stories like this are printed they'd cite stats about the miniscule number of false rape claims vs. the approximate number of unreported rapes because the woman is afraid she won't be believed. The latter is staggeringly higher, no doubt.


On edit: The woman, Elizabeth Sunde, 26, is being charged with making a false police report, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.