Lacrosse Players Accused Of Terrible Things, Media Braces For Impact

Three Sacred Heart University lacrosse players have been charged with "conspiracy to commit sexual assault" on a female student in their dorm. Less surprising is that coverage of this story is already turning into a potential quagmire of hyperbolic accusations.

The AP has already retracted their initial report that stated that the three players involved in the incident had been charged with rape. They were charged with "conspiracy," which I'm sure makes a big difference in a court of law. According to the reports, one of the accused and the victim both agree that they were having consensual sex in his dorm room, when his buddies burst into the room. What happened next is where things get fuzzy.

The victim told police they got naked and assaulted her. Their lawyer says it was just some "sophomoric, college-boy antics," which is ironic because it appears they are all freshman. I don't know what Connecticut law considers to be "assault," but I have a feeling that dropping your pants in front of a naked woman pinned to a bed goes beyond "alcohol-fueled hijinks."

The girl screamed and struggled with her assailants, police said, and Triner and Travers fled the room. Sanders then asked the sobbing student if he could resume having intercourse with her, police said.

Oh my. So if I'm understanding this correctly (and these reports turn out to be true), they didn't rape her. They just made her think she was about to be raped. As a joke. And one of them somehow thought this wouldn't spoil the mood?

Given the history of lacrosse players, drunken sexual hijinks, and the media, I'm sure all future coverage of this story will be completely reasonable and free of hyperbole. So let me kick things off by saying that America's children will be the downfall of human society and this is probably a harbinger of Earth's ultimate destruction by aliens in 2012. Developing.

SHU lacrosse players charged with sexually assaulting female student [The Connecticut Post] Sacred Heart Lacrosse Players Charged in Connection with Assault [WTIC] STORY REMOVED: US—Lacrosse Players Charged [AP] [Photo via]