Three men who videotaped their rape of an unconscious woman and then claimed that she was faking unconsciousness and wanted to be a porn star sentenced to six years.
The first jury had deadlocked in 2004, but the second, last March, had convicted them of 15 counts of felony sexual assault, but not rape.
The sentences came after the victim told the judge she had been violated “in every way possible” and urged the maximum penalty so her attackers could feel the same pain she did.
Now 20, she choked back tears as she described viewing the taped assault so she could testify against the men effectively.
The video, which has not been made public, shows the nude victim being sexually assaulted on a pool table, prosecutors said.
“When did I become a piece of meat? How can anything human do the things that they did? They did things not even a savage animal would do,” the victim said.
Defense attorneys argued at trial that the girl was a willing participant in a “weekend sexcapade” and was faking unconsciousness because she wanted to be a porn star.
I suppose the pool table was just a convenient horizontal surface, but it’s eerily reminiscent of the 1983 gang-rape at Big Dan’s Tavern in New Bedford, Mass., that was the basis for the pinball-machine rape in the move “The Accused.”
The victim was apparently pleased with the sentences, and the perps themselves made statements that indicate at least some awareness of the wrongness of what they did:
“I look at each defendant as being equally culpable,” Judge Francisco Briseno said Friday. “This was with one intent, and that intent was to degrade the victim.”
Gregory Haidl, 20, the son of millionaire and former Assistant Sheriff Don Haidl, apologized to the victim during the hearing.
“It was never my intention to hurt you and cause you pain,” said Haidl, who taped the July 2002 assault at his father’s home. “I can’t take back any negative feelings and emotions, and I’m sorry for that also.”
Kyle Nachreiner, 21, told the court he accepted responsibility for his “repugnant” actions, while Keith Spann, 21, declined to make a statement but sobbed openly as his mother pleaded with the judge for leniency.
Assistant District Attorney Chuck Middleton the terms were sufficient to “send a message to these three men, and if they’re smart they’ll come out of prison and lead a respectful life.”
The victim told prosecutors she was pleased with the prison terms. She has filed a $26 million lawsuit against the defendants, Haidl’s parents and others.