NATION : 2 Cleared of Gov. Mansion Rape
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FT. PIERRE, S.D. — Two teen-age boys were acquitted of raping a 16-year-old girl during a drinking party at the governor’s mansion, a circuit judge said.
The two 17-year-old boys and another 17-year-old have admitted to charges of underage consumption of alcohol stemming from the Nov. 28 incident in Pierre, Circuit Judge Marshall Young said Thursday.
One of the boys was charged with non-forcible rape of the girl, who allegedly was not capable of giving consent because she was intoxicated, and another boy was charged with aiding and abetting rape. Following a two-day trial closed to reporters, Young said he found the state had not proved the rape charge and aiding-and-abetting charge.
Gov. George Mickelson and his wife were out of town on the date of the alleged rape at the mansion. Their son David, 17, is the only other permanent resident there. The governor’s office has refused to disclose his whereabouts that evening.
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