3 in India Rape Case to Plead Not Guilty

In India, three of the five defendants charged in the gang rape and murder of a female grad student are expected to plead not guilty this week. The trio's lawyer was quoted by Bloomberg as saying that he had never heard of a "respected lady" being raped.

The victim, an unnamed woman, died from organ failure after sustaining multiple injuries when several men raped and beat her on a moving bus in New Delhi on Dec. 16. 

Manohar Lal Sharma said his clients will plead not guilty to all charges tomorrow when they make their next court appearance. His comments come as Indians have reacted with outrage to the opinions of politicians and a religious preacher who have accused westernized women of inviting sexual assaults. Sharma said the male companion of the murdered 23-year-old was "wholly responsible" for the incident as the unmarried couple should not have been on the streets at night.

"Until today I have not seen a single incident or example of rape with a respected lady," Sharma said in an interview at a cafe outside the Supreme Court in India's capital. "Even an underworld don would not like to touch a girl with respect."

Sharma's comments highlight frequently aired attitudes toward women in India. Activists say reporting of sex crimes and police investigations of rape are hindered by a tendency to blame the victim for not following the traditional, conservative social roles ascribed to women.

Read more at Bloomberg.

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