Prep School Rape Case News Today

Offers. a prosecutor has the ability to use diversion programs beings even on these types of charges. but generally that happens before trial. this defendant had a constitutional right to go to trial, and i think he went to trial because of the aggravated sexual assault counts. and i dont know what the plea offers were extended to him, but he had to make a decision. >> it would be 30 seconds, tom, that we have had a lot of talk about sexual assaults on campuses. >> absolutely. this is a tragedy....

The judge aside the verdict on this count. the defense will try to formulate some sort of argument. its a high burden. it probably wont happen. youll have appeals maybe testing the constitutionality of the statute. its a tough case. the fact that the jury determined this was consensual yet this defendant walks away with this agree of punishment. a registered sex offender. its lights over right now. >> i didnt want to go to that extreme. here you have a kid who has potentially never committed ano...

Hey, do you want to hook up tonight? >> thats the toughest part about it. the felony charge is serious business. hes going to be looking at in all likelihood a state prison sentence as a result of that. this is a law incontinutended fr guys, basically pedophiles operating out of their basement. it wasnt for kids going to the same prep school. this is a tough pill for him to swallow. >> when the jury is trying to hash all this out. they obviously unanimously agree that they couldnt go to the cons...

Those. >> there is not. its a strict liability offense. she could have been ready, willing and able and the jury probably found that she was. she could have been the one that prompted the encounter. but because of the age disparity between them its a per se kr criminal. >> this all comes down to the age. >> with respect to the misdemeanor offenses. >> the computer -- >> that is a crime that prohibits the use of computers to lure a minor into a sexual encounter, which was done here but it doesnt ...

Okay. obviously the complainant in this case was 15. the defendant was 18. a lot of people look at that and say, look, two people in the same prep school, both in high school. this is not what this law was intended to prevent but a plain reading of the statute makes the conduct illegal. thats why his lawyers -- >> are you surprised by this? the prosecutor had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt and that was tough. >> whats clear is this jury found that there was penetration. in fact, on the three...

Four not guilty. its interesting that he is found guilty on certain uses of a computer and then the other three sexual assault charges, molly, you say they are misdemeanors. do you know anything more about them? >> reporter: the reason these are misdemeanor charges is it house to do with consent. the first three aggravated felonious sexual assault counts were about content, that the victim did not freely consent. those were the charges he was not guilty on. the misdemeanor charges are essentiall...

Its devastating. i mean, it would be one thing, look, if he walked away with misdmoenmi misdemeanor convictions. that can have a devastating impact as well. but the fact that hes going to be a convicted felon and looking at up to seven years in state prison. its a miscarriage of justice. >> will the sentencing be all up to the judge in this case? >> yes. it will rest in the discretion of the judge, and he will have the ability to sentence him lesser than the three and a half to seven. okay. so t...

Building new apps like this one that lets you choose a time for us to call you. so instead of waiting on hold, well call you when things are just as wonderful... [phone ringing] but a little less crazy. were doing everything we can to give you the best experience possible. because we should fit into your life. not the other way around. welcome back to "the real story." as you saw at the top of "the real story" today, five guilty verdicts are for not guilty verdicts in the prep school rape case...

Federal government can work with the people. so again, the hood is as it has always been, resilient but still burdened by so much. >> trymaine lee reporting in new orleans. thank you, sir appreciate it. breaking news on a federal judge in virginia has just sentenced 17-year-old to 11 years in prison for helping a classmate travel to syria in the hopes of joining isis. ali amen is the youngest person ever sent the prison for supporting the terror group. he pleaded guilty back in june. the maxim...

Obviously he lost his wife and child in a car accident earlier in his life, its not something that a lot of younger voters remember. now they have that tied in with him. and you know, we should also point out that biden has some other considerations beyond just his family. hes actually meeting potentially as we speak up the street at his official residence with richard trumka, the president of the afl-cio, federation of labor union. the other piece of this is him deciding whether or not there ar...