News
Lawyer Says Family Wanted Ohio Rape Case Pursued
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
The lawyer for a 16-year-old girl raped by two Ohio high school football players is disputing a prosecutor's account that the girl's father initially wanted the investigation dropped.
Attorney Bob Fitzsimmons says the family was taking time to consider the effects of an investigation on their daughter, including the possibility of her testifying publicly.
Fitzsimmons, of Wheeling, W.Va., says the family cooperated with police throughout.
A judge found the two boys guilty last month and sentenced them to the state juvenile detention system.
Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin on Wednesday stood by her remarks earlier this week that the family did not want to move forward initially.
She says hesitation on the part of sexual assault victims and their families is common and understandable.