Defense says sex was consensual, not rape

Attorneys for defendants accused of raping a UCLA student in
2002 urged the jury to acquit their clients during closing
arguments Friday, saying the sexual encounters had been
consensual.

Eugene Matthews, attorney for Chuwan Anthony, one of the
defendants, said his case is built around the idea of implied
consent.

Matthews says even if the alleged victim never said
“yes,” her actions and words also never said
“no.”

The woman testified earlier in the trial that she had said
“no” several times to defendant DeShawn Stringer, but
noted she did not say “no” or fight back when
defendants Jamar Dawson and Anthony pursued sex.

“If she did not say no, how could he know?” Matthews
said in an interview Friday, referring to his client, Anthony.

The law is very clear, Matthews continued. If Anthony even had a
reasonable belief that the sex was consensual, the jury must
acquit, he said.

Anthony, Dawson and Stringer, who were minors at the time of the
alleged crime, are being tried as adults. If convicted, Stringer
would face up to 34 years in prison while Dawson and Anthony face
up to 42 years.

Two of the three defense attorneys offered their closing
arguments Friday, and the third attorney is scheduled to finish
arguments today. The prosecution will also have another chance for
rebuttal.

The jury is scheduled to receive the case today, and they will
then deliberate until a verdict is reached.

Matthews said he expects a verdict within the week.

The defendants were on a field trip to UCLA with Carson High
School on Dec. 5, 2002. After arriving at UCLA, the three broke off
from the larger group and visited the dorms.

During testimony earlier in the week, Dawson said one of the
reasons they went to the dorms was to meet girls.

Sometime during the late morning, the three went to De Neve
Plaza’s Fir building and knocked on the student’s
door.

The court is calling the alleged victim Jane Doe to protect her
identity.

Stringer entered the room and supposedly forced the woman to
have oral sex and intercourse with him after Dawson and Anthony
left.

Dawson and Anthony returned to the room soon after Stringer
left, and also allegedly forced the woman to have oral sex and
intercourse with them ““ sometimes at the same time.

Prosecuting Attorney Alyson Messenger told the jury during
closing arguments on Thursday to think about the encounter simply
““ that the idea a woman would have unprotected sex with three
men she had known for 10 minutes was a ridiculous scenario.

The defense painted a different picture during their closing
arguments on Friday, insisting the sex was consensual.

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