Forensic Scientist, Suspects' Teammates Testify In Steubenville Rape Trial
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (KDKA) -- The rape trial of two high school students in Steubenville, Ohio, continues to capture the attention of the nation.
Testimony continued Friday. On the stand, two teammates who said they witnessed the alleged attack.
Meanwhile, the two teenage defendants maintain that they are innocent.
KDKA's Paul Martino Reports:
As protestors stood outside the courthouse demanding justice, the two teammates gave disturbing testimony inside.
Mark Cole, 17, testified under immunity. After pleading the fifth, he said he witnessed sexual contact between the 16-year-old girl and suspect, Trent Mays.
He said he even videotaped the encounter on his iPhone.
The witness described the girl as very intoxicated. He said they had to carry her to the bathroom where she vomited on the floor.
Later, Cole said he left but continued to receive text messages about the alleged assault. One, he said, had a naked picture of the victim with what appeared to be semen on her.
Cole texted Mays: "Seriously, dude, don't (expletive) rape her."
Later, he texted: "Seriously, Trent, you can't be doing that. Is that your (expletive) semen on her stomach?"
Mays replied: "Haha. Yeah."
KDKA's Christine D'Antonio Reports:
On Friday evening, a forensic scientist testified that DNA samples taken do match one of the accused.
After the forensic scientist testified that two out of three sperm samples taken from a blanket showed DNA consistent with Mays, she also said a washed pair of the victim's shorts from that night only produced one sperm cell that didn't provide usable DNA.
A teenage witness at the party on Aug. 11 testified that she text messaged Mays at 1:15 on the morning of Aug. 12 saying: "Listen Trent, you need to take (her) to (teen's house) don't take her to Mark's."
Mays replied: "Ok."
The teen also testified that she saw the victim drinking alcohol that night.
Testimony wrapped up just before 10 p.m. Friday.
The alleged victim is slated to take the stand on Saturday morning.
RELATED LINKS:
Steubenville Rape Trial Begins (3/13/13)
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