COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The co-defendants in the alleged rape of a teenager that was broadcast live via the social media app Periscope have both pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Raymond Gates, 29, and Marina Lonina, 18, are both charged in the alleged assault of a 17-year-old girl on February 27. Court documents say Lonina broadcast the alleged crime on the social media app Periscope.
In court Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said Lonina told police she was Periscoping the alleged incident to keep her friend from being assaulted, but got caught up by all the likes the she was getting.
“I have never seen a case such as this where you would actually live stream a sexual assault,” he said. “Based on the video that I saw it didn’t appear for the most part of it that she was attempting to help the victim.”
Lonina’s lawyer Sam Shamansky says at one point she tried to help the victim by asking her followers, “What should I do now?”
“She’s a good kid,” Shamansky said. “She’s a senior in high school. Comes from a fine family and is the furthest thing from a rapist. . . . The rapist was in court and it was not my client.”
The police summary says that Lonina and the victim were drinking at Gates’ home when the alleged assault took place. The document says Gates’ held the victim down with his body weight and raped her.
The report also says the 17-year-old victim can be heard on the video screaming “No, it hurts so much”; “Please stop,” and “Please no” multiple times.
Bond for Gates has been set at $300,000. Bond for Lonina was set at $125,000.
