Well I’m not quite sure what to believe to be honest with you, but I am inclined to believe that the girl did not know that they were filming a movie, and that she was held against her will, and she thought she was going to die!
When I first saw the footage I was truly horrified. The girl looked genuinely terrified. I was sickened by what I saw.
The girl presses charges. Prosecutors charge 4 with Kidnapping and other misc. charges, and one for conspiracy. The girl has abraisions on her wrists. The video tape. Seems like a done deal.
Then we hear the defense side. We see that the knife used in the “abduction” has tape all over it. We see video footage of the girl at the end saying “Great, it’s over. I survived.”, while semi-smiling at the camera. We see the alleged kidnappers give a curtain call at the end of the tape. We learn that girl went back to the alleged kidnappers house afterwards and “hanged out”. We learn that girl went to the police only after her doctor noticed abraisions on her wrists.
Phew, what to think! I can see it being both ways! But I am in inclined to believe that the girl was held against her will. I am inclined to believe that she did not know that this was mearely an amateur horror film. Either that, or she is one hell of a good actress for a 19 year old check out girl. I can totally see someone in that situation, if after all she went through, and they suddenly say, “hey, surprise. We are not going to kill you. It was all a joke.”, “Great, it’s over. I survived.”, while giving a scared smile to the camera. She thought she was going to die. She plays along with the guys so they won’t get upset. Maybe that’s why she went back to their house for a brief period of time. Maybe she went their to try and get the tape so people would believe her story? We also heard that other girl say the same thing happened to her. Plus, if the girl was a part of the filming all along, why would she make up the story of the abduction? She is going to send four guys to prison for life just for the hell out it? It doesn’t make any sense.
No, I believe these guys kidnapped this poor girl, scared the hell out of her, and then let her go. All in “fun and games” for these sickos. I believe these guys have done this before to other girls (based on the other girls statement). And I believe these guys should spend the rest of their miserable lives in prison!
I’m inclined to believe that she was in on it, but got more than she bargained for. Once the doc pushed her on the origins of her injuries, she blurted out her story.
We don’t see the entire video, but she does not seem to be freaking out like you would suppose somebody who is going to be killed would. That’s not to say she’s happy, in fact she is visibly upset at times, but she’s not screaming for help or weeping uncontrollably.
As an aside, the video did strike a real chord, however. Maybe the fact that this was a ‘real’ video and that she was so quiet made me wonder what it would be like for a women in a situation like this in real life. You read about people who have abducted and tortured they victims before killing them. I would be inclined to believe the victim would fight and scream, but maybe they DO accept the situation and hope their attackers don’t go through with it. Very frightening thoughts.
Anyway, my take is that she was told that something freaky would happen to her and was told to just go with it. Perhaps a previous victim (they alluded to other girls going through similar experiences) told her that is was a cool experience and that she should do it.
Once it began, she was able to buy into it as she wasn’t sure if they were lying or not. I could see her then trying to hold it together and to try to stay cool in front of her ‘friends’, while at the same time being genuinely frightened that this was not a joke.
At any rate, it was taken too far and they should be punished in some way. Life in prison? I don’t think so, the girl walked away with a couple abrasions on her wrists and a scary story. Maybe some community service dealing with real victims of violence would be a little more effective, doncha think?
So she wasn’t sure if they were serious or not. She was frightened. She was held against her will. She was blindfold and taken somewhere in the woods. She had a knife against her throat. Was forced to sit in a grave, while having dirt throw at her. And these guys are suppossed to get community service?
I’m really piling supposition onto supposition here, but if I am correct that she had a reasonable expectation of being put in a frightening situation, these guys (and a girl) are just guilty of being dumb jerks.
People go into haunted houses all the time. We like to frightened and surprised, it makes us feel alive and appreciate how tenuous are grasp on this life is. If I’m right, and that’s a big if, she went into the ‘experience’ expecting to be frightened. They just delivered in a more effective manner than she expected.
What I want to know is if you think that her reactions during the ordeal felt honest to you. It’s hard to judge how different people will react in different situations, but she just seemed to subdued to me for it to be real.
Hijack
In response to your ‘sentencing’ suggestion, I was treading lightly as I assumed you weren’t serious. Do you honestly want to equate this (as yet unproven) crime with murder or serial rape? I mean think about it, they should spend the rest of their lives in prison for one stupid prank that did minor damage to a person in high school?
Vengence is not a good reason to punish people. A civilized society moves past revenge and tries to make the perpetrator understand and regret their crime so they can reenter society as a productive member.