2007 de Anza Rape Investigation - Public Reaction and Aftermath

Public Reaction and Aftermath

The decision not to prosecute was questioned widely. There was negative reaction in the form of public protests, and adverse comments by the county sheriff, by a number of newspaper columnists, and editorial page writers. June 5, 2007 Carr invited Jerry Brown, the Attorney General of the State of California, to conduct an independent assessment of the evidence. Brown accepted, and his office commenced an investigation. May 2, 2008, in a letter from the Attorney General's Office to Carr, the results of the investigation were released. The investigation determined that while there was evidence that a crime had occurred, there was insufficient evidence to identify who had been responsible. The investigation noted that the physical descriptions of the attackers varied so widely that they could not be accurately identified. The victim was characterized as having no memory of the incident after her arrival at the party. The report concluded that these factors made proof beyond a reasonable doubt, as required for a criminal trial, impossible The report further indicated that widespread intoxication among the party's attendees hampered the accuracy and reliable of their memories of the event. As a result, Carr's office announced that no charges would be filed, and the criminal case was closed.

This case went to civil court in 2011 with the victim seeking monetary compensation from 10 men. Knopf and Chadwick claimed that the sex was consensual. Another six men were also listed in the lawsuit when the trial began in late February, but they have all settled with the plaintiff or had the lawsuit dismissed.

On April 7, 2011, the jury in the civil case found Knopf and Chadwick to be not liable for the charges against them.