The highest-profile name in the list of four indictments from the grand jury investigating whether adults covered up the October 2012 rape of a Steubenville High School girl by two players on the football team was that of local superintendent of schools Michael McVey. Well, according to The New York Times, the charges against McVey are actually related to a rape that took place a few months earlier. If true, they prove beyond all doubt that there is something rotten in the state of Steubenville. I diaried on this on Thursday, but I'm reposting for the benefit of those who weren't online for the long weekend.
The attorney general offered no details on Monday about what led to the charges against the superintendent, including felony counts of tampering with evidence and obstructing justice.
But a person in law enforcement with knowledge of the grand jury said the charges were related not to the August 2012 rape, but to an accusation of an earlier rape, in April 2012, of a 14-year-old student, who came forward after the publicity over the case involving the football players.
Both cases have been handled by the attorney general, who stepped in after the local prosecutor recused herself.
A column by the NYT's Juliet Macur
sheds some more light on this. The girl claims to have been raped by players on the Big Red baseball team. However, no charges were ever filed. The really sickening thing is that this second case may have never come to light if not for Anonymous turning the hot lights on the October rape. About the only good thing about this is that with the nation's eyes now firmly on them, this case WILL be fully investigated, and those responsible both for the actual rape and covering it up WILL be brought to justice.
There had been a chance when this mess in Steubenville was finally sorted out that the powers that be would simply content themselves with throwing football coach Reno Saccoccia under the bus. Any chance of that probably ended with McVey's indictment. This latest revelation proves that there is clearly a systemic problem. It also suggests that the Ohio High School Activities Association should take a look into Steubenville High's athletic program. The way it sounds, postseason bans should be the minimum sanction handed down.