Denied Justice

‘I was just lost in the dark’

Women describe their experiences reporting sexual assaults to police in Minnesota – and how that has affected their lives.

Photos and video by Renée Jones Schneider • Star Tribune

Photos and video by
Renée Jones Schneider • Star Tribune

HEAR THEIR STORIES

Warning: May contain explicit content

Haleigh Ortmeier-Clarke

Katie Finch

Andrea Gram

Melissa “Rabbitt” Miyashiro

Abby Honold

Alissa Lien

Cherrelle McGowan

Brooke Morath

Sarah Ortega

Florkime Paye

Emily Schlecht

Melody Walton

Wendy Cushing

Amber Mansfield

Joanna Howe

Heather Vande Kieft

Mandi

KiloMarie Granda

Hannah Traaseth

Janessa Marquette

Emma Top

Rachel Radford

Jennifer

Catherine Davlin

Tiffany Boe

Katie Hirsch

Jordan Stockberger

Elise Williams

Mary Black

Casey Gillespie

Additional reporting by Brandon Stahl and Jennifer Bjorhus

The suspect in this case denied the allegations to the police.

The suspect in this case was not interviewed by police.

The suspect in this case was interviewed by police; the investigator declined to submit the case for charging.

The suspect in this case denied the allegations to police.

The man who raped Honold, Daniel Drill-Mellum, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years in prison

The suspect in this case denied the allegations to the police.

Following inquiries from the Star Tribune, police reopened this case.

The suspect in this case denied the allegations to police.

The suspect in this case would not discuss the allegations with police, but denied them to the Star Tribune.

The suspect in this case denied the allegations to police.

The suspect in this case would not discuss the allegations with police.

The suspect in this case was not interviewed by police.

Roseville police never interviewed the suspect. Lyft confirmed that it fired the driver after Howe reported what had occurred.

The suspect denied the rape and told police the sex was consensual.

The suspect in this case denied allegations to police.

The suspect in this case denied the allegations to police. After charges in the case were dropped, the suspect had the record expunged.

One of the suspects in this case denied ever being with Hannah; the other would not talk to police.

The suspect in this case did not appear to be interviewed by police, according to the case report.

A spokesman for Ramsey County John Choi said prosecutors reviewed video and photo evidence and could not prove that a sexual assault took place.

A Minneapolis police spokesman said the department is placing new emphasis on “procedural justice,’’ so that victims feel treated appropriately by police.

St. Cloud Police did not respond to comment on this case.

Minneapolis police said they could find no record of a complaint filed by Hirsch, and they encourage citizens to report unprofessional conduct by officers.

Prosecutors declined to comment on the status of her case.

Golden Valley police said video and photographic evidence supported the suspect’s account of the incident.

Haleigh Ortmeier-Clarke

“The police officer told me that I must come in for an interrogation. Not an interview, an interrogation.”

Haleigh Ortmeier-Clarke

“The police officer told me that I must come in for an interrogation. Not an interview, an interrogation.”

Katie Finch

“If something else happened I don’t know if I’d bother to report it.”

Katie Finch

“If something else happened I don’t know if I’d bother to report it.”

Andrea Gram

“I still feel fear just leaving my apartment.”

Andrea Gram

“I still feel fear just leaving my apartment.”

Melissa Miyashiro

“This is exactly why women don’t come forward. This is exactly why women don’t report rape and sexual violence.”

Melissa “Rabbitt” Miyashiro

“This is exactly why women don’t come forward. This is exactly why women don’t report rape and sexual violence.”

Abby Honold

“On campus I was ... a pariah.”

Abby Honold

“On campus I was ... a pariah.”

Alissa Lien

“I didn’t feel like I was a human being. I didn’t feel like I was listened to or respected or believed.”

Alissa Lien

“I didn’t feel like I was a human being. I didn’t feel like I was listened to or respected or believed.”

Cherrelle McGowan

“I felt like ending my life when it happened. I just wanted to die. But I didn’t. I just try to keep living.”

Cherrelle McGowan

“I felt like ending my life when it happened. I just wanted to die. But I didn’t. I just try to keep living.”

Brooke Morath

“It’s a terrifying, humiliating and defeating feeling. It shouldn’t be this hard for a victim.”

Brooke Morath

“It’s a terrifying, humiliating and defeating feeling. It shouldn’t be this hard for a victim.”

Sarah Ortega

“Being asked questions like why didn’t I scream, it makes you question, why didn’t I scream?”

Sarah Ortega

“Being asked questions like why didn’t I scream, it makes you question, why didn’t I scream?”

Florkime Paye

“I lost friends of a decade because they knew him and they wanted to believe him.”

Florkime Paye

“I lost friends of a decade because they knew him and they wanted to believe him.”

Emily Schlecht

“Nobody teaches you how to be a victim. Nobody teaches you what you have to do in that situation.”

Emily Schlecht

“Nobody teaches you how to be a victim. Nobody teaches you what you have to do in that situation.”

Melody Walton

“All of the little things that they could have done better, or could have done at all.”

Melody Walton

“All of the little things that they could have done better, or could have done at all.”

Wendy Cushing

“Nobody had my back, nobody protected me, nobody looked out for my best interests and I felt alone. I felt scared.”

Wendy Cushing

“Nobody had my back, nobody protected me, nobody looked out for my best interests and I felt alone. I felt scared.”

Amber Mansfield

“To them I was probably just some crack whore.”

Amber Mansfield

“To them I was probably just some crack whore.”

Joanna Howe

“How could I consent if I don’t remember anything?”

Joanna Howe

“How could I consent if I don’t remember anything?”

Heather Vande Kieft

“I remember they were all laughing. I remember saying no.”

Heather Vande Kieft

“I remember they were all laughing. I remember saying no.”

Mandi

“I would like justice, but I feel like I’ve almost gotten past that part.”

Mandi

“I would like justice, but I feel like I’ve almost gotten past that part.”

KiloMarie Granda

“Like I was worth less than garbage.”

KiloMarie Granda

“Like I was worth less than garbage.”

Hannah Traaseth

“I didn't deserve what happened to me.”

Hannah Traaseth

“I didn't deserve what happened to me.”

Janessa Marquette

“I literally just crumbled to the floor.”

Janessa Marquette

“I literally just crumbled to the floor.”

Emma Top

“It made me question every single relationship.”

Emma Top

“It made me question every single relationship.”

Rachel Radford

“I was told I was lucky it was even being charged.”

Rachel Radford

“I was told I was lucky it was even being charged.”

Jennifer

“If my story can drive any sort of change … that’s why I’m here.”

Jennifer

“If my story can drive any sort of change … that’s why I’m here.”

Catherine Davlin

“I was left to fend for myself.”

Catherine Davlin

“I was left to fend for myself.”

Tiffany Boe

“How can you let a rapist walk free?”

Tiffany Boe

“How can you let a rapist walk free?”

Katie Hirsch

“We feel heard, for once.”

Katie Hirsch

“We feel heard, for once.”

Jordan Stockberger

“It’s important to know how broken our system is so we can do something about it.”

Jordan Stockberger

“It’s important to know how broken our system is so we can do something about it.”

Elise Williams

“I got PTSD whenever I saw that blue condom.”

Elise Williams

“I got PTSD whenever I saw that blue condom.”

Mary Black

“I want to help other people.”

Mary Black

“I want to help other people.”

Casey Gillespie

“I wasn’t believed.”

Casey Gillespie

“I wasn’t believed.”

Haleigh Ortmeier-Clarke
Katie Finch
Andrea Gram
Melissa “Rabbitt” Miyashiro
Abby Honold
Alissa Lien
Cherrelle McGowan
Brooke Morath
Sarah Ortega
Florkime Paye
Emily Schlecht
Melody Walton
Wendy Cushing
Amber Mansfield
Joanna Howe
Heather Vande Kieft
Mandi
KiloMarie Granda
Hannah Traaseth
Janessa Marquette
Emma Top
Rachel Radford
Jennifer
Catherine Davlin
Tiffany Boe
Katie Hirsch
Jordan Stockberger
Elise Williams
Mary Black
Casey Gillespie

Denied Justice

‘I was just lost in the dark’

Women describe their experiences reporting sexual assaults to police in Minnesota – and how that has affected their lives.

HEAR THEIR STORIES

Warning: May contain explicit content

More from this series

“Denied Justice” is a series examining how Minnesota’s criminal justice system often fails victims of rape and sexual assault.

1

When rape is reported and nothing happens

Chronic errors and failings plague most rape investigations.

2

How repeat rapists slip by police

Police have closed rape investigations without basic investigating.

3

How alcohol foils rape investigations

Minnesota law offers few protections if you are sexually assaulted when drunk.

4

Police overwhelmed and undertrained

High turnover, thin staffing, poor training plague investigations.

5

Rejected by the prosecution

Half of sex assault cases police send to prosecutors never result in charges.

6

A victim heard, justice served

What happened when a victim was taken seriously from the start.

7

Convicted for rape, free from prison time

Felons spend less time in prison here, and the state says that's by design.

8

A better way to investigate rape

New training, improved outcomes led to statewide reform.

9

When rape is reported and something happens

As dozens more share their stories, reforms are underway in Minnesota.