Residents rally to demand change, accountability after Rockville HS gang rape (Video+photos)

Hundreds of residents gathered in front of the Montgomery County Council Building in Rockville yesterday to demand elected officials and MCPS be held accountable for their roles in the alleged gang rape of a 14-year-old girl at Rockville High School. Protesters held signs demanding MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith resign, and against Montgomery County sanctuary policies that allowed the girl's alleged attackers to live here and enroll in 9th grade despite being much older. The rape allegedly took place in a bathroom at the school on March 16.

Speakers and notable attendees included Montgomery County Executive candidate Robin Ficker, Montgomery County Council District 2 candidate Edward Amatetti, and Brigitta Mullican, a Rockville resident who has been one of the leading critics of the effort to officially declare Rockville a sanctuary city.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO: Rally highlights

A small group of counter-protesters
were kept separate across the street
by Montgomery County police

A small group of less than 20 counter-protesters set up across Maryland Avenue from the protest, and attempted to shout down speakers throughout the event, despite lacking the numbers to do so. The poor showing was likely due to the fact that very few in the county believe the accused rapists should have been in the 9th grade. And to the mass outrage over the security lapses that facilitated the alleged suspects' brutal bathroom attack, during which they allegedly repeatedly raped and sodomized the victim, as she screamed for help that never came.

Robin Ficker is mobbed by
fans after lowering the boom
on the County Council and MCPS
in his speech

In a speech to the crowd, Ficker ripped County elected officials and MCPS for their mishandling of the Rockville H.S. rape, and of crime in their schools in general. Ficker cited recent reports of violent crimes that occurred at the school just weeks before the gang rape, and were covered up by administrators. In one, a girl was beaten and kicked in the head three times, he said - yet parents were never informed this happened. These were warning signs that should have resulted in tighter security weeks ago, Ficker said.

Ficker suggested the county move 9th grade back to junior high, and leave grades 10, 11 and 12 at the high school level, arguing that kids are being forced to grow up too fast. He noted that, while Rockville H.S. had more than 100 security cameras, no one was monitoring them.

Amatetti paused during his speech to ask the crowd to "pray real, real hard for the young, brave girl" who was the victim in this case. He said the school system and the county have "real problems" that need to be addressed.

Ficker poses with a large
contingent of legal Asian
immigrants

The crowd was diverse, including Asians, African-Americans and Latinos. One attendee was overheard noting that the counter-protesters across the street were whiter than the crowd they were counter-protesting against.

Several immigrants who had legally achieved citizenship through great effort and cost, or were seeking to do so legally, decried the county's effort to give those who haven't followed the rules special status. Lucas, a resident of Kensington who did not wish to give his last name, said he has been in the U.S. for 3 years on a student visa. Now he has applied for citizenship, and has been told the process will take 3 to 5 years. It's "unfair," he said, for those who broke the rules to gain the rewards of citizenship in Montgomery County before those who play by the rules.

Mullican called it "unfair for the legal immigrants who waited their turn and came here through the system." She emigrated legally to America from Germany with her family in 1956, and had to wait until 1968 to become a citizen. "I understand the immigration process, and the privilege of being a U.S. citizen," she said.

Several attendees carried signs demanding the resignation of MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith, Smith has so far declined to comply with the growing calls locally and nationally for him to step down. He has gained national notoriety for seeming more concerned about immigration politics than about the rape victim. Smith "speaks far more harshly about xenophobia than he does about sexual assault of a child," said Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson.

Bethesda resident Jerry Cave
was master of
ceremonies for the rally

Montgomery County
Young Republicans VP
Dan McHugh

Parents want
Smith out

Vehicle burglarized in Green Acres, assault on Crossfield Ct. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on March 23, according to crime data:

Theft from vehicle. 7700 block Woodmont Avenue.

Theft. 7500 block Old Georgetown Road.

Collision/property damage. 4800 block Cordell Avenue.

Theft. 5100 block Acacia Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Yorktown Road (Green Acres).

Theft. 5300 block Western Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 00 block Pooks Hill Road.

Drug arrest. 8600 block Woodbrook Road.

Vehicle burglary. 8500 block Meadowlark Lane.

Theft from vehicle. 10400 block Old Georgetown Road.

Assault. 11300 block Woodglen Drive.

Assault. 5100 block Crossfield Court.

Bethesda demolition update: Steamers (Photos)

Demolition continues at the site of the vacant Steamers, located at the corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues in downtown Bethesda. The property will be redeveloped with The Claiborne, a 10-story luxury condo building. At least one tree was cut down, as the tree trunk chunks in these photos attest.

These property owners declined
to sell to the developer of
The Claiborne, which will
be built on the Steamers site

Marbles closes at Westfield Montgomery Mall, Voorthuis coming soon, Yum Crepes is....? (Photos)

Marbles: The Brain Store, as expected, has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, perhaps reflecting the lower academic standards adopted by Montgomery County Public Schools in 2015. Apparently, we're just not smart enough anymore for a brain store, nor for Smart Toys, which also closed a few months ago.

In other mall news, Yum Crepes is closed again in the Dining Terrace. What that means is unclear. The kiosk has been closed every day I have been to the mall this past week, including Saturday. However, it is not cleared out, and Yum has done this before, only to open a few days later. Stay tuned.

Finally, Voorthuis Opticians has put up some "coming soon" signage at their new mall space.

Burglary on Bayard Blvd., assault on Democracy Blvd. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on March 22, according to crime data:

Theft. 7800 block Woodmont Avenue.

Theft. 4800 block Battery Lane.

Liquor arrest. Leland Street at Connecticut Avenue.

Burglary. 4700 block Bayard Boulevard.

Theft from vehicle. 10600 block Weymouth Street.

Assault. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Assault. 12000 block Parklawn Drive.

Citizens to rally Sunday for MoCo Council/MCPS accountability after Rockville HS gang rape

Community outrage over the alleged gang rape of a 14-year-old student in a bathroom at Rockville High School last week has spawned a rally planned for tomorrow, Sunday, March 26, at 4:00 PM, in front of the Montgomery County Council building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. Speakers will include community activists and organizations, and political candidates who will be running in 2018.

While emotions are running high over the gang rape, rally organizers say they're asking attendees to protest with a "firm but calm demeanor" - and to create and bring their own signs.

Many blame the County Executive, County Council and Montgomery County Public Schools for policies and security lapses which they feel allowed the bathroom assault to occur. Those officials' decision to wait several days to comment publicly, their often tone-deaf response, and the sense that they were angrier about criticism directed at them than about the rape itself, further outraged county residents. MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith was blasted for an inept response, and pilloried online for calling parents racists and xenophobes. A petition is now calling for Smith's resignation. It has 1387 signatures at press time.

Bethesda construction update: uBreakiFix (Photos)

uBreakiFix looks just about ready to open. Once open, they will fix everything you broke from cell phones to tablets to video game systems, with a 90-day warranty on repairs. uBreakiFix is located at 8019 Wisconsin Avenue, in the old Potter Violin space.

Drug bust on River Rd., pedestrian struck in Pike District + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on March 21, according to crime data:

Disorderly conduct. 8300 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. 5400 block W. Cedar Lane.

Drug arrest. River Road at Goldsboro Road.

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft from vehicle. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft. 11300 block Rockville Pike.

Pedestrian struck. Rockville Pike at Nicholson Lane.

Theft. 5400 block McGrath Boulevard.

Collision/property damage. 6300 block Montrose Road.

Attorney for Rockville HS gang rape suspect says incident was "not a rape in any sense"

Henry Sanchez

Promises defense will

put 14-year-old victim's

"character into play"

A lawyer with the law firm representing one of the two alleged assailants in the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl at Rockville High School last week outlined the defense his team will pursue last night on Fox News. His client, 18-year-old Henry Sanchez, is an illegal immigrant who was enrolled as a "freshman" at the school.

Graphic details in the police report suggest a violent, bloody scene, with the victim screaming for help as she was allegedly assaulted, raped and sodomized by Sanchez and Jose Montano, 17. But according to Sanchez's defense attorney, David Moyse, "This was a consensual encounter, not a rape in any sense."

Appearing on Tucker Carlson Tonight last night, Moyse asserted that there is no evidence to suggest the incident was "in any way illegal." Despite being an attorney, Moyse was apparently unaware that any sexual encounter between an adult and a 14-year-old is, in fact, illegal. Even if all parties claim it was consensual, it is still statutory rape.

Moyse hinted that his team will potentially trash the victim in court. "I'm sure there could be a number of questions asked about all three of the people involved," he told Carlson. Moyse said the defense will put her "character into play."

Some have questioned how Sanchez can afford a respected defense team to represent him, while Montano has only a public defender. Pressed by Carlson on who is paying for the firm's services, Moyse declined to answer.

Bethesda Target store loading in inventory for opening (Photos)

If you've been to Trader Joe's at the Shops of Wisconsin in recent days, you may have spotted a familiar 18-wheeler in the loading dock. Target is now moving inventory into its new store, which is scheduled to open April 9. It's kind of hard to be inconspicuous in a Target semi, though. No word if the truck drivers find parking at the shopping center any easier than customers do.

On to Rockville?

Top photo: Justin Fidler
Bottom photos: Robert Dyer

Sex assault on Wisconsin Ave., Huntington Terrace area rocked by vehicle break-ins + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on March 20, according to crime data:

"Other sexual offense." 8100 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. 7100 block Woodmont Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Battery Lane.

Vehicle burglary. 8200 block Maple Ridge Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Glenwood Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5400 block Huntington Parkway.

Vehicle burglary. 8200 block Custer Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5400 block Glenwood Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5400 block Glenwood Road.

Vehicle burglary. 8200 block Moorland Lane.

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Charlcote Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Glenwood Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Northfield Road.

Vehicle burglary. 4600 block N. Park Avenue.

Burglary. 12200 block Rockville Pike.

Burglary. 12300 block Twinbrook Parkway.

Domestic violence assault. 11100 block Powder Horn Drive.

Theft. 7100 block Natelli Woods Lane.

Rockville rape suspect "confident he will be exonerated" in brutal Rockville High School assault

Henry Sanchez, one of two illegal immigrants charged in the vicious gang rape of a 14-year-old girl at Rockville High School last Thursday, says he is "confident he will be exonerated," his attorney told the Washington Post Wednesday. Despite the tremendous physical evidence of rape detailed in a police report, Sanchez, 18, is now claiming he and fellow defendant Jose Montano had consensual sex with the victim in a school bathroom.

While Montano, 17, is being represented by a public defender, Sanchez mysteriously has been able to lawyer up with criminal defense attorney Andrew Jezic. It's hard to believe any respectable attorney would want to get anywhere near a couple of toxic defendants like these. Interestingly, the Post closed the comment section on its article reporting Sanchez's 100%-not-guilty stance. The only good news about Sanchez's bizarre legal strategy is that it will increase the chance of him receiving a life sentence, by not seeking a plea deal in what should be a slam-dunk case.

Meanwhile, Montgomery County elected officials who were stone silent on the brutal rape for days now have a lot to say about outrage over their appalling handling of the incident expressed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. Roger Berliner, who delivered a tone-deaf, belated response to the gang rape three days later, lashed out at Hogan. So did Delegate Eric Luedtke (D - District 14).

Here's what's interesting: Much like Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith, who is now the subject of a citizen petition calling for his removal, Berliner sounds angrier when he talks about critics of the Council and MCPS for their role in this rape, than when he speaks about the rape itself.

Also interesting: Check out Del. Luedtke's Facebook feed. He is exploding with rage against his own constituents, Hogan and the White House for their criticism of all who bear responsibility for this attack at the county level. But scroll back several days to Friday, when the gang rape was publicly announced. On none of those days did Luedtke lash out against the accused rapists, or even mention the rape at all!

I scrolled and scrolled, and could find no Friday post by Luedtke condemning the accused rapists, nor expressing concern for the victim. Saturday? Nope. Sunday? Nada. Monday? Zippo. The first mention of the rape case on Luedtke's feed was on Tuesday, and it was attacking Hogan.

Luedtke was not moved to respond with horror for the victim's ordeal, nor with anger against the "alleged" perpetrators. Only after justified criticism started being aimed at Montgomery County's "leadership" did Luedtke feel compelled to respond, and address this gang rape on Facebook. It's beyond belief.

Not only has the response by our county elected officials been weak, empty, and with no palpable feeling behind it, but it seems that only some actual "adult supervision" by officials at the state and federal level will result in any meaningful and necessary policy changes within MCPS and Montgomery County. Hogan and the U.S. Justice and Education Departments may well have to pull the proverbial car to the side of the road, and "come back there," if MoCo's childish leaders can't get a grip on one of the most horrific events in MCPS history.