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Show 2 released, 1 bound on CC rape charges JL By BRUCE LEE Record Assoc. Editor Two Southern Utah State College football players had rape charges against them dismissed last week; while another was bound over to stand trial in Fifth District Court for the second-degree felony. Charges against Dale Loveland, 20, and Vao Petaia, 23, were dismissed in a preliminary hearing Friday by Ninth Circuit Court Judge Christian Ronnow, who told County Attorney James L. Shumate, who prosecuted the case, that he and the Cedar City police should have "sifted this out earlier." However, Michael J. Schiess, 19, was bound over for trial because of evidence presented that, according to Ronnow, amounted to probable cause. Schiess is out of the Iron County Jail now on $5,000 bail. The bail was reduced from an original $10,000 by Ronnow. In commenting on the charges against Loveland and Petaia, Ronnow said, "it was not rape, never was." He refused to comment on Scheiss and the evidence presented. In discussing his dismissal of the charge against the two after the hearing, Ronnow criticized Shumate on his holding of the two on the evidence that was presented in the hearing. "I couldn't see any evidence whatsoever what-soever of rape," he said. When Petaia and Loveland were told to leave the girl alone,- they did, he continued. Several unnamed sources at the Cedar City Police Department added that Shumate had not consulted with them concerning the case and therefore was not prepared. The hearing, which lasted most of the day, had just one witness testify, the alleged victim herself. Her name has not yet been released. Paul Griffin, a roommate of the three, was scheduled as a witness of the prosecution, but was never called into see CHARGE on pige A3 Charge continued from page A 1 the closed courtroom. Officers of the Cedar City Police Department arrested the three men after the 18-year-old girl reported she had been raped in their basement apartment at 294 S. 100 West. She said she had gone there seeking a friend at about 2 a.m. Saturday. The arrests took place on Main Street about two blocks from the students' apartment. The alleged victim was taken to the Valley View Medical Center for routine treatment and was released Saturday morning. According to investigating officer, Chuck Bauer, a search warrant was also served at the apartment where the alleged assault occurred, and a number of items were confiscated. Rape is a second degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in the State penitentiary and a $10,000 fine. |