A new video has been released showing Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks minutes before she was hit and killed by a car – as one of the teenagers accused of her rape is now to be tried as an adult.
A grand jury upgraded charges against Desmond Carter, 17, to a charge of first-degree rape, which carries a sentence of life in prison without parole, and third-degree rape, according to WBRZ.
Kaivon Washington, 18, was also charged with third-degree rape, which according to state law is sexual intercourse that “is deemed to be without the lawful consent of a victim”.
Two other suspects, Casen Carver, 18, and Everett Lee, 28, were allegedly in the front seats of the car when the alleged rape took place and have been charged with principal to third-degree rape.
Prosecutors say that Brooks, 19, was raped in the car following a night of drinking at Reggie’s bar in the Tigerland area of Baton Rouge.
The LSU student was then fatally struck by another vehicle after being let out of the car near her home in the early hours of 15 January.
According to Fox News, court documents show that Mr Washington was arrested for alleged rape in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, in 2020, and in the same area of Baton Rouge in October 2022.
In 2020 Mr Washington was 16 and his alleged victim was 12, according to court documents.
The victim in the 2022 case reported the alleged sexual assault to police on 25 January, the day after he and the other three men were arrested in the Brooks case.
Meanwhile, a defence lawyer in the case, Ron Haley, released a cellphone video of Brooks inside the car with the four men after it is alleged she was raped.
In the video, taken by one of the suspects, Brooks and her alleged attackers appear to be arguing in the car as the student slurs her words.
“I’m sorry that I offended you that bad,” she is heard saying.
One of the men is heard saying: “Take her home.”
Brooks then asks Desmond Carter to “get out of the car” so that she can take an Uber on her own.
“Get out, get out. I will Uber on my own,” she says.
She gets out of the car. Moments later, she was struck amd killed by a car.
Mr Haley has previously claimed that the sex was consensual, while prosecutors say that Brooks was too drunk to be able to give her consent.
Toxicology reports showed that Brooks had a blood alcohol level of .319, nearly four times the legal drink driving limit.
