Not guilty pleas for man, woman in livestream rape case

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 19 (UPI) -- A man accused of rape and a woman who allegedly livestreamed the attack on the Internet both pleaded not guilty in a Columbus, Ohio, court.

It is alleged that Raymond Boyd Gates, 29, raped a 17-year-old girl while 18-year-old Marina Lonina used the Periscope app on her cellphone to broadcast 10 minutes of the incident, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said. His office added that Lonina and the alleged victim were high school friends.

The pleas were entered Friday.

Sam Shamansky, Lonina's lawyer, described Gates as an older man who preyed on teens, saying of his client, "She's in the habit of filming everything with this app called Periscope, does in fact, film this encounter, we've watched it. At various times she is trying to get her friend out of there. Her friend is intoxicated beyond belief."

O'Brien contended after viewing the video of the livestream, "I could clearly tell there was a rape in progress and she was livestreaming it and was doing nothing to assist the victim for the most part of that rape."

Lonina and Gates were charged with felony counts of kidnapping, rape, sexual battery, and pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor. The alleged incident occurred Feb. 27. On March 3 Lonina was arrested for pandering obscenity involving a minor, posted bond and returned to her high school, despite a court order to stay away from the alleged victim and any other minors. She was arrested again on April 20, at school. A New Albany Schools spokesman said school officials believed her case was dismissed and there was no reason to prohibit her from returning, or separating her from other students.

School officials said they were unaware Lonina was indicted again until police arrested her at school, WBNS-10TV, Columbus, said.

Gates remains in jail on a $300,000 bond.