Posted on 01/16/2009 3:59:24 PM PST by BBell
Five males have been charged with picking up a 19-year-old out-of-state woman who was visiting New Orleans last October, forcing her along on a car ride to Slidell, and then raping her for hours.
Chance Ross, 18, and Joshua Reed, 22, both of Slidell; Jerrell Payton, 16, and Elroy Cooper, 18, both of Pearl River; and Ralph Robertson, 17, whose address is unknown to authorities, were each indicted on a charge of aggravated rape Wednesday by a St. Tammany Parish grand jury. The crime carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
Regarding Payton, a juvenile, St. Tammany district attorney's spokesman Rick Wood said, "There have been certain cases -- death, kidnapping and aggravated rape cases -- when 16-year-olds can be tried as adults, and the grand jury chose to try that defendant as an adult. It was up to the grand jury to decide."
The woman's home state was not named by authorities, who said they feared it could help identify her.
She and three friends were visiting New Orleans when they were approached on Canal Street on Oct. 26 by one of the defendants, who invited them to a party, authorities said.
The woman went with him to the vehicle, where the four other defendants were, authorities said.
After entering the car and before the defendants drove away, the woman allegedly changed her mind. Authorities said the defendants wouldn't let the woman out of the car.
The woman's three friends noticed that she was trying to get out of the car and reported the incident to the New Orleans Police Department.
Authorities said she continued to ask to be taken back to her friends but the men drove her to Slidell where two of the
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
The crime carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. What a way to throw your life away. I'm glad the crime occured in Slidell as we have a high coviction rate here, unlike New Orleans.
I read an article here a few months back about a girl from San Francisco who was murdered in the first day or two after she came here to visit. She was some sort of activist. These out of town girls need to be careful.
...for pumping out the city after Katrina...
What is the difference between rape and "aggravated rape". I mean really -- rape is rape.
it a truly stupid woman who gets in a car with five men.
So she got in a car. By herself. With 5 men she did not know. In the French Quarter.
I wonder how loaded she must have been.
That said.....
Send those punks up for 10 years.
The woman went with him to the vehicle, where the four other defendants were, authorities said.
Effin' idiot. I guess she got more of a "party" than she expected. Effin' idiot.
FMCDH(BITS)
Perhaps so, but they should still be castrated — if they are in fact guilty, that is.
I cringe when I think of some of the circumstances women put themselves into these days. And if you say anything, they look at you like you're the meanest asshole on earth.
No, I just don't want to see them harmed.
The woman went with him to the vehicle, where the four other defendants were, authorities said.
Bad, bad idea...
Welcome to New Orleans!
Is a “Life” sentence in Louisiana really until death or 20 years or ?. Just curious.
I think it means they used some type of weapon to subdue and/or threaten her in the commission of the rapes.
Louisiana...Where NO means New Orleans!
castration plus 30.
If there were five of them you would think they would not need a weapon. Cowards.
According to the article, it’s when 2 or more participate in the rape, it’s classified as aggravated rape...
Send them to jail for 5 years. No more. I know it’s politically incorrect to assign any blame to a victim, but getting into a car with five young males you have never met who want to party is akin to walking through the lions den. Way too irresponsible an action to call her a true victim like a random person walking down the street minding their own business.
Walking down Canal Street...
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