18 Men Arrested For Gang Rape Of Child
Cellphone Video Reveals 11-Year-Old Was Raped For Hours
Re-printed from a story at CNN on March 18th 2011
Jamarcus Napper, Jared McPherson, Kelvin King, Marcus Porchia, Xavier King, Devo Green: 6 of 18 gang rape suspects.
CLEVELAND, Texas - Thirteen adults and five juveniles have been arrested as part of an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old Texas girl, police said. According to the New York Times, dozens of Rape charges were filed when an elementary school student alerted a teacher to a lurid cellphone video that included one of her classmates.
Darrell Broussard, assistant police chief for the Cleveland, Texas, police department, said Monday that the investigation into the incident "is continuous," with more significant developments possible. Cleveland is about 50 miles northeast of Houston.
"There have been leads during our investigation that have alerted us to other possible persons of interest," Broussard told CNN. "The investigation is ongoing."
The 18 individuals charged thus far are between 14 and 27 years old, he said.
On Friday, the Cleveland police department announced that four students in the Cleveland independent school district had been arrested on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14. The New York Times reports that the 11-year-old girl, whose parents live in an abandoned trailer, was gang raped at least 6 times by groups of black males ages 11-30.
They appeared Monday in a Liberty County court, in the town of Liberty, to face the charges.
Police noted that some but not all suspects are students at Cleveland High School, though all those named thus far are from the town.
Mike Little, the district attorney in Liberty County, said police would likely decide whether more people would be charged. He offered few other details, saying, "We are very careful about pretrial publicity."
The incident allegedly happened late last year in Cleveland. The case has sharply divided the community, according to CNN affiliate KHOU, which reported the girl was 11 years old.
"It just seems like a dream," said Sherry Fletcher, whose 20-year-old son Devo Shaun Green is among those charged according to Cleveland police. "I just hope everything comes out well, because some of these kids are innocent."
Those adults arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony in Texas, could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
References:
CNN.com, 18 men charged in sexual assault of girl
KDFW Fox 4, Some Blame 11-Year-Old Victim in Gang Rape
Urban Grounds, Cleveland Gang Rape
Sandra Rose, 11 Year Old Gang Raped
Re-printed from a story at CNN on March 18th 2011
Jamarcus Napper, Jared McPherson, Kelvin King, Marcus Porchia, Xavier King, Devo Green: 6 of 18 gang rape suspects.
CLEVELAND, Texas - Thirteen adults and five juveniles have been arrested as part of an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old Texas girl, police said. According to the New York Times, dozens of Rape charges were filed when an elementary school student alerted a teacher to a lurid cellphone video that included one of her classmates.
Darrell Broussard, assistant police chief for the Cleveland, Texas, police department, said Monday that the investigation into the incident "is continuous," with more significant developments possible. Cleveland is about 50 miles northeast of Houston.
"There have been leads during our investigation that have alerted us to other possible persons of interest," Broussard told CNN. "The investigation is ongoing."
The 18 individuals charged thus far are between 14 and 27 years old, he said.
On Friday, the Cleveland police department announced that four students in the Cleveland independent school district had been arrested on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14. The New York Times reports that the 11-year-old girl, whose parents live in an abandoned trailer, was gang raped at least 6 times by groups of black males ages 11-30.
They appeared Monday in a Liberty County court, in the town of Liberty, to face the charges.
Police noted that some but not all suspects are students at Cleveland High School, though all those named thus far are from the town.
Mike Little, the district attorney in Liberty County, said police would likely decide whether more people would be charged. He offered few other details, saying, "We are very careful about pretrial publicity."
The incident allegedly happened late last year in Cleveland. The case has sharply divided the community, according to CNN affiliate KHOU, which reported the girl was 11 years old.
"It just seems like a dream," said Sherry Fletcher, whose 20-year-old son Devo Shaun Green is among those charged according to Cleveland police. "I just hope everything comes out well, because some of these kids are innocent."
Those adults arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony in Texas, could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
References:
CNN.com, 18 men charged in sexual assault of girl
KDFW Fox 4, Some Blame 11-Year-Old Victim in Gang Rape
Urban Grounds, Cleveland Gang Rape
Sandra Rose, 11 Year Old Gang Raped
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