Ohio attorney general to convene grand jury to explore possibility of further charges against others involved in case.


Two high school football players from a team that was the pride of the small former steel-producing town of Steubenville, Ohio, were convicted Sunday of raping a 16-year-old girl at a party.

Former school quarterback Trent Mays, 17, and team-mate Ma'lik Richmond, 16, broke down in tears in the juvenile court after being found guilty in a case that bitterly divided the declining Rust Belt city and had led to accusations of a cover-up to protect the community's revered athletes. Both were ordered to serve at least a year behind bars, with Mays given an additional 12 months for distributing an image of a nude minor.

Richmond broke into sobs as he approached the victim's family after the verdict, and was heard to tell them: 'I'm sorry for the trouble I have caused you.'

Mays also burst into tears and mumbled apologies but did not go over to the family.

Supporters of the victim, who had demonstrated outside the court for the four days of testimony, clapped and cheered when the guilty verdict was handed down by judge Thomas Lipps, who sat alone without a jury to decide the case.

'Justice has been done in a very difficult case that I wasn't sure would go the right way,' said local housewife Rebecca Mikesell outside the court .