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(STEUBENVILLE, Ohio)—Ohio
Attorney General Mike DeWine issued the following statement on the resolution
of community service in lieu of conviction reached today in the Lynnett Gorman
case in Steubenville Municipal Court.
“The
resolution reached today is in the best interests of the Steubenville community
as the area continues to heal and move forward,” said Ohio Attorney General
Mike DeWine. “Ms. Gorman will be part of the work that is being done in
Steubenville to educate students and school officials about the seriousness of
sexual assault and the need to report these incidents.
“We
want something positive to come out of this tragedy.
“The
interests of the community are served by having the principal acknowledge that
she should have done things differently. And, she acknowledges how very
important it is to report child abuse and neglect. This will
make a difference in the future. The reality is that because the
charge was a fourth degree misdemeanor, and she has no prior record, had this
case gone to trial, the most that could possibly come out of this is that she
would have been sentenced to a short amount of jail time, with no acknowledgement
that she did things wrong and no ability to move forward.
“We
want to change the culture. This is about the long-term healing of
the community. And I believe this resolution is an important step."
The
misdemeanor charges would be dismissed by June 1, 2014, if Ms. Gorman completes
the following:
- Perform 40 community service hours at a rape
crisis center or victim assistance center.
- Speaking to other teachers and administrators
in the Steubenville City School District on the importance of reporting child
abuse and child neglect.
- Encourage the Steubenville City School Board
to have a speaker from the Ohio Alliance Against Sexual Violence to come to
Steubenville high and middle schools in April which is Sexual Assault Awareness
Month.
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