The St. John's lacrosse case was a 1990 criminal case in which some members of the St. John's University men's lacrosse team were accused of raping an African American female. The St. John's Lacrosse rape case was a sports scandal that caused significant controversy within the school, amongst feminists, New York City, and the lacrosse community. This case was a predecessor to the Duke lacrosse case. The case was the basis of a Law & Order episode called "Out of Control".
Contents
Case
In March 1, 1990, an African American woman of Jamaican descent, was the alleged victim of sexual assault by 6 white male students (3 of them being members of the st. John's lacrosse team) at a private house off campus. The female was brought over to a house by her friend on the St. John's rifle club where she was given an alcoholic drink. At the house she was semi conscious and sexually assaulted, later she was brought to another house and assulated as well. The victim was 5'2 and 100lbs while the attackers were all over 5'10 and 180lbs. The victim did not make notification until two weeks after the event. Some members of the school community blamed the victim for the sexual assault liking it to the Tawana Brawley scandal. This though was 3 years after the Tawana Brawley case.
Trial
The case was said to be about consent. The victims sexual history was put on trial. Some people wondered how much the victim could remember if she was out of consciousness. Another issues was how long it took for the student to report it. The two week delay seemed to be problematic. One student, Thomas Dean, made a deal with prosecutors and stated the version of events told by the victim was true. The jury consisted of 10 white and two blacks. One student plead guilty and agreed to testify against the others. The charges against the students included sodomy. The alleged rapists were all acquitted of the crime.
Aftermath
New York City Mayor David Dinkins when he heard about the acquittal stated ""based upon my reading of the evidence presented in this case, I am shocked and dismayed.". Congressman Charles B. Rangel said "the verdict to the acquittal of whites in the Old South" and said he would demand today that the Justice Department prosecute the men for violating the woman's civil rights. " Several students were fully expelled from St. John's University after the incident.