The lawyer representing the grief-stricken mother of Madison Brooks, 19, has been “blown away” by claims made by a suspect’s representative. Ms Brooks was allegedly raped by two teenagers before she was hit by a car and killed earlier this month. Kerry Miller, the Louisiana attorney representing Brooks’ mother, Ashley Baustert, said he is speaking out “in limited circumstances” in an effort to ensure the US college student “is not blamed as a victim”.
“She was raped. Rape is rape,” Mr Miller told Fox News Digital.
“It’s just a horrific, terrible situation. And to the extent that those involved with the alleged rapist want to blame the victim and show up at press conferences and say things … we’re standing up for Maddie. That’s not right.”
He added: “She was a victim of a horrific rape, which led to her death.”
Ms Brooks was killed on January 15 when she was hit by a car after allegedly being sexually assaulted by 18-year-old Kaivon Washington and a 17-year-old male in the US city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
READ MORE: Man accused of raping US student, 19, arrested for alleged rape of girl, 12, in 2020
Joe Long, who represents another one of the suspects, was more direct, telling reporters “if Ms Brooks was alive, this would not be a crime”.
Mr Long added: “She would not have complained about it at all.
“The only reason it’s there is because the understandable anger in the community wants someone to pay for her death. And we understand that, but our clients did not do that.”
Mr Miller said he was “blown away” by the comment and added that the suspects’ own statements to police contradict that claim.
READ MORE: Uni president accused of ‘victim blaming’ after death of student Madison Brooks, 19
This detail has been used by attorney’s representing Brooks’ family to pick holes in the accusers’ defence.
The rival attorneys have denied that Brooks was too drunk to consent.
“To come out to mention evidence that they have and don’t show it, to contradict a gold standard blood alcohol test and not say on what basis they are doing it, it is a made-up smear campaign, absolutely shameful,” Mr Miller told WAFB in an interview Saturday.
Express.co.uk has contacted attorney Kerry Miller and Joe Long’s legal office for comment.
