La Voz

Media Credit: Chris Marks De Anza soccer players April Grolle (left) and Lauren Chief Elk say they witnessed the rape of a 17-year-old girl by members of the De Anza baseball team. The women say they support the Attorney General taking over the case.

The State of California Attorney General's office agreed to review the rape case of a 17- year-old girl after Santa Clara County District Attorney Dolores Carr received heavy criticism for not pressing charges against members of De Anza College's baseball team.

"I want to let you know that I applaud the district attorney's decision," said De Anza College President Brian Murphy in an e-mail to campus faculty and staff. "The college welcomes the attorney general's review and another venue to ensure a full and fair resolution to this case."

Lauren Chief Elk and April Grolle, De Anza women's soccer team players, are two of the three women who witnessed and helped the victim during the night the alleged rape occurred. In an interview with La Voz Weekly, they said that they were very excited the case is moving forward.

"I think it's a good decision," said Grolle. "They also have new pieces of evidence that can be brought into the case a second time." The third witness, Lauren Breayans, is in a study abroad program in France, and was unavailable for an interview.

In early March, the women took the teenager to a hospital after they found her laying down, partially clad, unresponsive and surrounded by men at a party in San Jose.

The De Anza community, the district attorney and women's rights' organizations praised the women's actions as "brave and courageous."

"At first it was not like that though," said Grolle. "People were harassing us saying 'stop lying' and 'shut your mouth' and 'I want to see what kind of car you're driving,' because they thought we were lying to try to get people in trouble."

"And this came from people like our peers, friends and some people we didn't even know," said Chief Elk. "The police had to be called because we were getting threatened so much." Despite the ordeal and harassment, the women refused to back down. "We really didn't care because we knew what we were doing was right," said Chief Elk.

Grolle and Chief Elk also said they disagreed with a comment made by Spencer Maltbie in an interview with La Voz Weekly in April. Maltbie, one of eight players suspended from the baseball team after the party, confirmed that the party was for his birthday, and said "I don't drink or smoke." But Grolle and Chief Elk said they saw him consume alcohol during that night at the party.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Attorney General Jerry Brown's office can ask Carr to re-evaluate the case if his office determines there was an error. If Carr continues not to press charges, then Brown's office may file charges in a state court.

Whatever the outcome, Grolle and Chief Elk said they will not give up as long as the victim wants to keep moving forward. Their bond strengthened over the months and they consider the victim as "a little sister."

Although the two women missed two weeks of school, became overwhelmed with the media attention and lost personal relationships, they said they will not stop doing the right thing. "From day one, we said we would do this. And we'll keep doing it as long as she wants," said Grolle.

"We lost friends and boyfriends, too, but even though I lost these people it doesn't matter because the most important thing to me is April, Lauren and the victim," said Chief Elk.

During the May 30 protest outside of the DA's office, the alleged victim released a statement asking for the attorney general's office to intervene.

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