Citing Threats, Defense Lawyers Seek to Move Steubenville Rape Trial to Another Town

An attorney for one of the charged members of the now infamous Steubenville ‘Rape Crew‘ is trying to get the case relocated to another town because, he claims, they’re being threatened.

Adam Nemann, the lawyer for 16-year-old defendant Trent Mays, told CNN he wants the case moved out of Steubenville because of the extensive publicity it has received “and what we perceive as threats to individuals, perhaps witnesses, and also defendants and even defense counsel.”

Nemann would not elaborate on those threats but said media attention and an explosion of online postings about the case are another part of the reason he’ll be filing motions for a postponement and a change of venue.

“We’re concerned about safety issues at this point,” he added.

The obviously line here is, “Yeah, kinda wish someone had been concerned about the safety of the young woman they dragged from location to location and raped that night.”

Honestly, these alleged threats, if they even did happen, feel like a distraction — a sad attempt to move a case that’s rightfully received National attention. However, it strikes me as fairly futile — I’m pretty sure they could move this thing to Mars and Martians would be all “Oh SRSLY? Fuck those guys.”

As it stands, the trial was scheduled to take place on Feb 13 in Steubenville. Since the local judge who was going to preside over the case recused himself, a judge from Cincinnati is slated to hear it. That is, unless Mays and his lawyers get it moved.