NEWS
Videos surface in alleged rape case
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by Courtney Johnson
Monday, April 16, 2007
Detectives with the Dane County Sheriff's office helped the police department in nearby Cottage Grove last week with an investigation involving a 20-year-old male who was allegedly held against his will and sexually assaulted by three males and one female.
The man, whose name is being withheld while the case is investigated, was found walking on County Highway BB at roughly 9:30 a.m. April 10.
According to a release from the sheriff's office, the victim said he had been held against his will at a house on the highway, where he said he had been "battered and threatened with a weapon."
Three arrests were made immediately in connection with the incident: Kim Blucher, 25, of Cottage Grove, who was tentatively charged with possession of cocaine and operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent; and Carl Ware and Dominique Hale, both 19 and of Cottage Grove, who were tentatively charged with first-degree reckless endangering safety and first-degree sexual assault.
A fourth suspect, 17-year-old Emmanuel Usher of Madison, turned himself in to Madison police Thursday night. Usher was also tentatively charged with first-degree sexual assault and first-degree reckless injury.
Officials also uncovered graphic videotapes Thursday of Usher and the three other suspects torturing the victim.
According to Elise Schaffer, public information officer for the Dane County Sherriff's Office, officials did not initially know they were dealing with a sexual assault case until after a medical examination and further interviews with the victim revealed the assault.
Assistant District Attorney Mike Verveer, who was in court with Blucher, Ware and Hale Friday, said he expects a conviction, given the video evidence and the state's strong case.
"I viewed the video tape personally and saw how horrific it was," Verveer said. "The video quite graphically shows a young, naked, bound-and-tied young man fighting for his life, begging for his captors not to kill him — it's quite disgusting."
Verveer said exact charges for the victims have yet to be determined by the district attorney's office. Usher did not appear in court Friday, as he was only arrested late Thursday.
The victim is receiving treatment at UW Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
Anonymous (April 16, 2007 @ 11:10pm):
FTA: "I viewed the video tape personally and saw how horrific it was," Verveer said. "The video quite graphically shows a young, naked, bound-and-tied young man fighting for his life, begging for his captors not to kill him -- it's quite disgusting."
Why the hell is it necessary to include these details? Why don't you respect the privacy of the victim? This is really inappropriate.
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