Blu Domain
Transcription
Blu Domain
Gr antNeal Age20 St udentAt hl et e( f oot bal l andwr es t l i ng)andPr eMeds t udentatCSUPuebl o Ac c us edofRapebyCSUPuebl ov i aTi t l eI Xands ummar i l yex pel l edf r om t hes c hool . Bel owi sas ummar yoft hepl i ghtex per i enc edbyGr antNeal . Thi si st hel i f eofay oungmannamedGr antNeal ,a2t i mes t at ec hampi onwr es t l erandf oot bal l pl ay erf r om Regi sJ es ui tHi ghSc hool whowentont o pl ayf oot bal l atCSUPuebl owher e hebec amet her egi onal D2,f r es hmanpl ay eroft hey earandaNat i onal Champi onwi t ht hef oot bal l t eam i n2014. Hehasanex ampl ar yac ademi cr ec or dandhadagoal ofbec omi ngadoc t or .Thi shasal l c omet oagr i ndi nghal tashehasbeenf oundgui l t yofnon c ons ens ual s ex( r ape)v i aTi t l eI Xi nNov emberof2015.Wef eel t hat i ti sourdut yt oi nf or m ev er y oneaboutt hi smi s c ar r i ageofj us t i c eandhi ghl i ght t hef l awsofas y s t em t hats uper c edest hel awandar i ghtt oaf ai rt r i al andduepr oc es s . Gr antwasac c us edbyat hi r dpar t yandnott heal l eged v i c t i m,whohasal way smai nt ai nedt hatGr antnev err apedher . Notmanyar eawar eofTi t l eI X,al andmar kf eder al c i v i l r i ght sbi l l t hatappl i est oal l educ at i onal i ns t i t ut i onsandi sf undedbyt hef eder al gov er nment . . . butonl yofaquot ai smet . Thi sbi l l wasdes i gnedt opr ot ec tv i c t i msofs ex ual mi s c onduc t ,butwhats eemst obeov er l ook edi st hati tdoesnotpr ot ec t t heac c us ed.I tgoesundert hepr es umpt i onoft r ut hf r om al l egedv i c t i msanddi s c ount st her i ghtt oduepr oc es sf ort heac c us ed. Aspar ent s ,wet eac hourboy s ,andgi r l sabouts ex ual mi s c onduc t ,har as s mentandr apeast heygr owi nt oadul t hoodandbec omes ex ual l yac t i v e. Hi ghSc hool andCol l egi at ef oot bal l c oac hess peakaboutt hi st oours onsi ndept h,f ur t herenf or c i ngt heobv i ousl awswhi c hj us t i f i abl ypr ot ec twomen andpot ent i al v i c t i msofs exbas edc r i mes .Conv er s el y ,onewoul das s umet hatours onsar eal s opr ot ec t edbyt hel aw,andduepr oc es satt hec onc l us i onofaf ai rt r i al i fac c us edofc ommi t t i ngs uc hac r i me… butwhati ft her ei snot r i al ,whati fy ourj udge,j ur yandex ec ut i oneri sonemanwhoi s boundt onotonl ymeetaquot abuti sal s onoteduc at edi nanyf or m ofl aw? Ther ei snoduepr oc es s ,t her ei sonl yj udgementbas edonhowac as e i spr es ent ed. Wher east heac c us edc anhav el egal r epr es ent at i ont heyar enotal l owedt os peakori nt er r ogat et heac c us er ,t her ef or ei ti si mpos s i bl e t ogener at eanac c ur at e,t wos i dedr epr es ent at i onoft hei nc i denti nques t i on. Gr antNeal hasbeenac c us edofnonc ons ens ual s ex( r ape)andhass ubs equent l ybeens us pendedf r om s c hool f ol l owi ngar ej ec t edappeal oft hi s al l egat i on. Hi sac c us eri snott heal l egedv i c t i m butt hef r i endofanal l egedv i c t i m whopr es ent edas ec ondhandac c ountofani nc i dentbet weent wo c ons ent i ngadul t st ot heat hl et i ct r ai ni ngdi r ec t orwhot henpr es ent edt hi st ot heTi t l eI Xdi r ec t oratCSUPuebl o. Gr antNeal hadc ons ens ual s exwi t ht heal l egedv i c t i m andhadanongoi ngr el at i ons hi pwi t hherbot hbef or eandaf t ert her epor t edac c us at i on.Fol l owi ngt hes ex ual enc ount er ,t her ear enumer oust ex tmes s agesbet weenGr antandt heal l egedv i c t i m whi c hi ndi c at eamut ual l yaf f ec t i onat eandc i v i l r el at i ons hi pev enhour sf ol l owi ngt heal l egedi nc i dent . Theal l egedv i c t i mi sanat hl et i ct r ai neratCSUPuebl oandi ti sagai ns tpol i c yt of r at er ni z ewi t h at hl et esundert hei rc ar e. Theat hl et i ct r ai ni ngpeer ,t hatt heal l egedv i c t i ms har edherenc ount erwi t h,ques t i onedheraboutt hehi c k eyonhernec k andt hi si swhent hededuc t i onands ubs equentac c us at i onwases t abl i s hed. Fol l owi ngt hi senc ount er ,t heal l egedv i c t i mt ex t edGr anti napani c k ed s t at e,as k i ngt omeetwi t hhi mr i ghtaway . Hert ex t st oGr ants howeds hewasc l ear l ywor r i edaboutherc onv er s at i onwi t hherat hl et i ct r ai ni ngpeer andt hatt her ewoul dbeani nqui r yofs omes or tt hati nv ol v edhi m. Shewasv er yapol oget i candr emor s ef ul t oGr antt hr ought ex t sanddi r ec tc onv er s at i ons . Gr ant ,att hi st i me,metwi t hherc ompl et el yunawar eoft hes ev er i t yofac c us at i onst hatwer ec omi nghi sway . Att hi st i me,onedayaf t ert he al l egedi nc i dent ,Gr antandt heal l egedv i c t i m wentbac kt ohi shous et owat c hmov i es ,hec ons ol edandas s ur edhert hats hec oul dn’ tpos s i bl ygeti n t r oubl ef ort hehi c k ey ,andt henengagedi nc ons ens ual i nt er c our s eagai n.Ther ear ewi t nes s es ,whowal k edi nbyac c i dent ,t hats awt heal l eged v i c t i ms t r addl i ngGr ant ,i nadomi nantpos i t i on,dur i ngt he2ndc ons ens ual s ex ual enc ount er . Aspar ent sofadaught erour s el v eswear eal way saptt ogi v et hemos tv ul ner abl eandweak erpar t yt hebenef i toft hedoubt ,y eti nt hi sc as et heev i denc ei ss oc ompel l i ngandi r r ef ut abl et hatt hev i c t i mi sc l ear l yt heac c us ed.Ther ear ev oi c er ec or di ngs ,handwr i t t enl et t er s ,s napc hat s ,numer ous t ex tmes s ages ,andev enas ubs equents ex ual enc ount er ,har dl yt hec ommonpl ac er es pons ef r om av i c t i m whohasbeenr aped.Ther e’ snotev ena di r ec tac c us at i onofr apef r om t hev i c t i m her s el f .Ther es eemst obenopos s i bl ewayt hatt hi sc oul dnotbeac as et hati ss ummar i l ydi s mi s s ed.The al l egedv i c t i mt ol dGr antNeal t hats hehadpr of es s edhi si nnoc enc et ot het i t l eI XDi r ec t ori mul t i pl et i mest onoav ai l .I twasdeduc edt hats hewas pr ot ec t i ngheras s ai l antoutoff ear . I ti sabs ol ut el ypr epos t er oust hatGr antNeal s houl df ac el i f eal t er i ngc ons equenc esf oranac twhi c hwasc ons ens ual andc ompl et el yl ac k i ngi nany c r i mi nal nat ur e. I fGr antwer ear api s tt henwhyi shenotf ac edwi t hc r i mi nal pr oc eedi ngs .Howc ant her ebeanas s umpt i onofgui l twi t hs uc hc l ear c utpr oofofi nnoc enc e. Underar ev i ewoft hi sc as ebyt heTi t l eI Xof f i c eratCSUPuebl o,Gr antwasf oundgui l t y . UnderTi t l eI Xhehadar i ghtt ohav eanat t or neypr es ent ( whi c hhedi d)butt hatat t or neyi snotal l owedt os peakonhi sbehal forbr i ngf or t handc r os sex ami newi t nes s es , Hehasnoguar ant eedr i ghtagai ns t s el f i nc r i mi nat i on,t heal l egedv i c t i m wi l l notbeal l owedt obec r os s edex ami ned,t her e’ snor i ghtt oc ons t i t ut i onal duepr oc es s ,t hes c hool mayonl y gi v eas ummar yoft heev i denc eagai ns ty ouandc anl i mi ty ourpr es ent at i onofev i denc east heys eef i t .t hes c hool mus ti mmedi at el yi nv es t i gat et he al l egat i onofpos s i bl es ex ual v i ol enc enomat t erhowf ar f et c hedorunbel i ev abl eandt ak ei nt er i m meas ur esagai ns tt her es pondentbef or edet er mi ni ngwhet heranywr ongdoi ngoc c ur r ed.Unt r ai nedorpoor l yt r ai neds t udent sorf ac ul t ymember sc onduc tt hei nv es t i gat i on.Thedec i s i onmak erdet er mi neswhet heri twas‘ mor el i k el yt hannot ’ ( j us tov er50%)t haty ouar er es pons i bl ef ormi s c onduc t .Youmaynothav et her i ght st oappeal andi fy ou dohav et her i ghtt oappeal t heyc anex c l udeanyev i denc et heywi s h. Nowi ft heal l egedv i c t i m wast r ul yr apedandt ookt hi sc as et ot hepol i c e-Gr antwoul dhav et her i ghtt oanat t or ney ,ev eni fhec oul dn’ taf f or done. Hewoul dhav et her i ghtc onf r ontandc r os s ex ami net heac c us er ,hehast her i ghtt oduepr oc es sofl awandaf ai rt r i al . Hewoul dhav et her i ght st o k nowt hec har gesandev i denc eagai ns thi m andr i ghtt opr es entat hor oughdef ens e. Tr ai nedpol i c eof f i c er si nv es t i gat eandpr of es s i onal pr os ec ut or sdec i dewhet hert obr i ngac as e.Aj udgeandgr andj ur yal s odec i dewhet hert her ei spr obabl yc aus et oi s s uec har gesandt her ei saneut r al j udge andi mpar t i al j ur yt odec i det hec as e. I fy ouar ef oundgui l t y ,y ouhav et her i ghtt oappeal t ohi gherc our t sal s omadeupofneut r al j udges ,r ai s i ng l egal er r or sorv i ol at i onsofc ons t i t ut i onal r i ght s . ButGr antNeal wasnotac c us edofr apet ot hepol i c e,ort hec our t s . Hedi dn’ tr apet heal l egedv i c t i m. Hehasl os thi swr es t l i ngandf oot bal l s c hol ar s hi p,beenr emov edf r om t hepr emedpr ogr am.He’ snotal l owedt ogoneart heCSUPuebl oc ampus . Hec an’ tt r ans f erc ol l egesbec aus ehi st r ans c r i ptnows t at eshei sar api s t . Theal l egedv i c t i mi si nc r edi bl yr emor s ef ul i nhers napc hat sandhandwr i t t enl et t er ss enti nt hemai l t oGr ant( al l of whi c har edoc ument ed) ,s t at i ngs hewi s hess hec oul dmak et hi sal l goaway .Whent heal l egedv i c t i m gr aduat esf r om c ol l egei n2018or19hec an t henr eappl yt oCSUPuebl o. Hav i ngk nownGr antf ormos tofhi sl i f e,andasany onek nowshi mc anat t es tGr antNeal i saoneofak i nd,andanex empl ar ys t udent ,at hl et ebut pr i mar i l yagoodper s on.Wehav edev el opedani nc r edi bl yc l os ebondwi t hGr antbec aus eoft heper s onhei sandt hei nt egr i t yhehas . Ther e’ sa l ev el ofdedi c at i ont hatf ewc anhopet oat t ai nt hati sdeepl yr oot edi nt ot heper s onal i t yofGr antNeal .Hes pendsmos tofhi sl i f eper f ec t i nghi ms el fas af oot bal l pl ay er ,asas t udentandasahumanbei ng. Wehav enot hi ngbutdeepadmi r at i onandr es pec tandk nowwi t houtas hadowofadoubtt hat hei si nnoc enti nt hi sc as e. Bef or ewar nedt hatanyoneofourc hi l dr enc anf al l v i c t i mt oani nc i dents uc hast hi s .Whet herwel i k ei tornot ,k i dss eek outandar ehav i ngs exi nc ol l egeandt hi sc oul dhav ehappenedt oany onewhoi ss ex ual l yac t i v ei nourc ount r y ’ seduc at i onal i ns t i t ut i ons . I ti san af f r ontt oal l t her eal v i c t i msofr apet ol ett hi si nc i dents t and! I fy ouf eel s oi nc l i nedpl eas ev oi c ey ours uppor tbys endi ngal et t ert ot hepr es i dentofCSUPuebl oatt hemi s c ar r i ageofj us t i c et hathasoc c ur r ed her e. Ay oungman’ sl i f ehangsi nt hebal anc eandt hei ns t i t ut i onatf aul tneedst obehel dr es pons i bl e. CSUPuebl ohasv i ol at edGr antNeal ’ sr i ght sundert heTi t l eI X,t hef eder al genderequi t yl aw,af t erhewasf oundgui l t yofnonc ons ens ual s ex . He hasbeenwr ongf ul l yac c us edands us pendedaf t erani ghtofc ons ens ual s exf ol l owedbyanot herni ghtofc ons ens ual s ex . Thes ef al s eal l egat i ons madeagai ns thi m andt her es ul t i ngf ai l ur esbyCSUPuebl ot hathet r us t edhav ewr eak edhav oci nhi sl i f e. Whatwedok nowi st hi s : Col l egesanduni v er s i t i eshav ebeenunderpr es s ur ef r om t hef eder al Depar t mentofEduc at i ons ’ sOf f i c ef orCi v i l r i ght st o addr es ss ex ual v i ol enc eonc ampusorf ac et hewi t hhol di ngoff eder al educ at i onmoney . Gr anti s20y ear s ol dandatt hi st i meheneedsav i l l ageofs uppor t . Hehasz er oc ont r ol ofhi sf ut ur eandbys endi ngal et t eri t ’ sonemor ehopet hat t hi sc as ewi l l ber ev i ewedandr ev er s ed. Aundr ea&Har al dHas s el bac h emai l l et t er st o:pr es i dent s . of f i c e@c s upuebl o. eduand l es l ey . di mar e@c s upuebl o. edu