Kentucky Girl May Face Jail Time After Tweeting Names Of Guilty Rapists
Tweeting the names of the boys who sexually assaulted her could land a 17-year-old Kentucky girl in jail. The Kentucky teen became enraged after the teenage boys reached a plea deal that could reduce their sentence or even keep them out of jail. After reaching their plea deal the judge then issued a court order to keep the minors names out of the press.
The girl, Savannah Dietrich, told the Courier-Journal that she felt her attackers received a lenient punishment and that it was her duty to ensure they were not protected for their actions. According to Twitter:
“I’m not protecting anyone that made my life a living Hell.”
Dietrich is so serious about her crusade that she is allowing publications to print her name, something usually protected by media agencies because of the “minor” status.
The attorney for both boys has asked a judge to hold her in contempt for violating the confidentiality of a juvenile hearing and further the judge’s gag order regarding any details about the lawsuit.
The boys attacked Savannah Dietrich in August 2011 after she passed out drunk at a party, later they learned they had taken pictures and shared them with other teenagers.
Dietrich says she ignored the judges gag order and chose to exercise her first amendment right to talk about the case.
If found in contempt of court Savannah could face up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $500.
The rapists in the meantime have pled guilty to first-degree sexual abuse and misdemeanor voyeurism and will be sentenced next month.
Dietrich says she was not told about the plea agreement until she appeared in court and the ruling was handed down.
After the court case she tweeted:
“They said I can’t talk about it or I’ll be locked up. ….Protect rapist is more important than getting justice for the victim in Louisville.”
In the meantime Dietrich could have tried to get the courts to remove the gag order, then again her story is now more publicly open than it probably would have been had she followed the letter of the law.
I have to applaud the young girl as she isn’t afraid to serve time for her actions as she told the Tampa Bay Times:
“I’m at the point that if I have to go to jail for my rights, I will do it.”
Do you think Savannah Dietrich is a brave teenager standing up for what is right?
Tags : justice, Law, Rape Lawsuit, Savannah Dietrich, Twitter, Twitter Rape
Posted: July 22, 2012
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Jul 22, 2012
Good for her. the law is an ass!
Jul 22, 2012
NO, she is not brave. I am not advocating that anyone is right in this situation. SHE put herself in a vulnerable position drinking Alcohol to the extent where she passed out, I am not in any way of condoning the actions of the young rapists who are exactly that. What is the legal drinking age in Louisville, Kentucky?
Those boys should have been named and shamed, but not by her, not worldwide, not to lots of people who will now build a media furore, the justice system in Louisville is exactly that… IN LOUISVILLE.
Whose house was she in? Did the homeowner get charged with allowing minors to drink alcohol on their property? Were the boys drinking too? What was her behaviour like before she passed out? Did she act in a sexually inappropriate way prior to passing out?
There is no excuse for any act which violate another human being physically, however if you choose to make a complaint to the authorities you need to abide by their rules, by requesting their assistance you are agreeing to their terms and conditions and because she didn't like the outcome, she then took it upon herself to take a different route.
Jul 22, 2012
Well said …..
Jul 22, 2012
@shane: its very interesting how people are so quick to blame the victim or look to find fault in her actions when
Jul 22, 2012
I am not blaming the victim… if you look at exactly what I am saying I am blaming the situation that ALL parties involved allowed themselves to be part of.
The main perpetrator in this heinous situation is ALCOHOL.
And there is no proof that this even happened the way it was claimed, if the boys were so drunk that they do not remember the situation then their lawyer would have HAD to make them plead guilty as Alcohol Intoxication is a personal choice and their actions in getting that drunk were RECKLESS, not having recollection of the events through alcohol is not a defence.
Jul 22, 2012
and…. if she had passed out, how did she know who the perpetrators were?
Jul 22, 2012
WTH is wrong with you, Shane? She found out who did it b/c they passed the pictures around to all their friends. Unless you think they were drunk every moment of the days & weeks during which they shared the pictures, how the hell is alcohol the culprit & not those two rapists little rats? They pled guilty b/c they were guilty & took pictures committing their crime. They were busted.
Jul 22, 2012
The girl has a whole lot more courage than this, or any other, media outlet. She had the courage to stand up to this judge's unconstitutional order (the court has no right to take away her freedom of speech, or yours). Why are you not posting her tweet? Why are these criminals being protected both by the court, and by the media, while this poor girl is victimized all over again? Every media outlet that refuses to post these boys' names is as guilty as they are, and as this judge is.
Jul 22, 2012
Good for her. The system has a habit of making deals with criminals and the victims are left standing without justice being served. If they didn't want to be know as rapists perhaps they should not have raped.
Jul 22, 2012
Melinda Thompson Ok, I stand put in my place… except the story says "shared with other teenagers" that could mean they shared them with each other, or one other, there is no still no sign of the 'amount'.
Jul 22, 2012
that is some twisted reasoning. There is NO justification for RAPE. I am thinking shane is related to bob transvaginal ultasound mcdonnell.
Jul 22, 2012
I feel that in no I way justified it nor tried to. Far from it and I quote "I am not in any way of condoning the actions of the young rapists who are exactly that", "Those boys should have been named and shamed", "There is no excuse for any act which violate another human being physically".
Jul 22, 2012
Fire the stupid judge.
Jul 22, 2012
You're an idiot.
Jul 23, 2012
@Shane – Your words: "SHE put herself in a vulnerable position drinking Alcohol to the extent where she passed out….Whose house was she in? Did the homeowner get charged with allowing minors to drink alcohol on their property? Were the boys drinking too? What was her behaviour like before she passed out? Did she act in a sexually inappropriate way prior to passing out?"
dude, seriously there's no excuse for raping someone, no matter what the circumstance! I don't care how drunk someone is, how sexy they're dressed or how they act. Your insinuations of her culpability due to her drinking, then giving lip service to how "there's no excuse for…" is a joke and is offensive. Keep digging, man because I love watching idiots like you try to argue their way of out saying something stupid. She was f***ing passed out!
And your whole legal positivist/formalist argument is just as poorly thought out (rules are rules, eh?). We need to be encouraging young women like Savannah for standing up, not putting them down. For every Savannah out there, there's probably 50 women who are raped and then made to feel like they brought it on themselves or simply discouraged by d**che bags like you.
Jul 23, 2012
It's your way of thinking, your entire 'person', that helps to create sexual anarchy–in other words, that which deems rape 'okay'. You state that "SHE" is responsible for her own rape because she became intoxicated. ??! And it took a child–a 17-year-old–to demand that 'patriarchal' justice isn't justice at all. Her fortitude is unparalled, and I admire her strength and determination. The judge, the lawyer, the 'justice' system protected the males who did this, and that's not ok; her publicizing their names was beyond necessary. It takes large acts such as hers to change things. Good for her, good for all of us…
Jul 23, 2012
If she hadn't been drinking would this have happened? I know that you will all say that this isn't the issue here.
A young girl was raped by two boys, justice was served on the boys. The victim thought Justice was too lenient so the victim spoke out. Fair Play to the victim, I agree with naming and shaming… but I also agree with judicial system. It is unfortunate that on too many occasions the law is an ASS and it can work invariably work for the defendant as well as the plaintiff, unfortunately.
Jul 23, 2012
remember the movie with jodie foster when she was gang raped? they were all found guilty…even if she were standing there stark naked it doesn't give the right to RAPE her…i would do exactly as she is doing I would tell who they are too……they should be held accountable..and people should know who these little jerks are….i have 2 sons..they would never take advantage of a woman like this…someone should have pulled these thugs off her….YOU GO SAVANNAH…
Jul 23, 2012
Brave girl and those scumbag rapists probably has connections or they wouldn't have gotten off so lightly.
Jul 23, 2012
We're not making any progress herein. You still blame the girl! EVERY FOUR MINUTES, A WOMAN or child, regardless of age, is RAPED in The United States. That's a mighty big problem, much bigger than what Penn State's dealing with now, no? That you insist she's to blame because she was drinking baffles me. A girl or a woman should be safe wherever she is and whether or not she's 'drinking'; she's a free person, albeit a minor. What you state is the following: If you drink, then expect to be raped, and it's your fault. That archaic way of thinking simply helps to polish even more this misogynistic society. When an 80-yr-old is asleep in her own home, she deserved to be raped because …… go ahead, fill in the blank. Females do not 'cause' their rapes–males do, and the punishment remains nonexistent or lenient, at best. Treat female rape the way Penn State's dealing with the rape and molestation of boys; then, and only then, will your reasoning be eradicated and only then, will males be punished properly. In countries wherein rapists are executed publicly, one rape occurs per year. And she had every right to name the rapists. They stole her life from her, so let there be 'real' repercussions for the rapists.
Jul 23, 2012
Calm down everyone, the guys took pictures. They didn't *rape* her.
They admitted "Sexual Abuse", that is all.
Jul 23, 2012
I hope this made you happy because it sounds retarded to me.. she got raped! You know the stuff that destroys your life.. ya that stuff
Jul 25, 2012
Get their pictures on Facebook and lets make sure the rest of their lives they pay for their crimes.
Jul 25, 2012
cbs has their names on one of their stories about this
Jul 25, 2012
Yea, why don't we do it instead of her alone.
Jul 25, 2012
Don't make any difference they are minors. Still rapists.
Jul 25, 2012
They were proud enough of their actions to show their friends the pictures of them raping an unconscious girl, but are whining about their names being published? They plea bargained the charges down to a slap on the wrist and now want HER punished? Makes one wonder why this judge is more concerned with protecting the criminals instead of the victim.
Jul 25, 2012
They were proud enough of their actions to show their friends the pictures of them raping an unconscious girl, but are whining about their names being published? They plea bargained the charges down to a slap on the wrist and now want HER punished? Makes one wonder why this judge is more concerned with protecting the criminals instead of the victim.
Jul 26, 2012
Is this for real?