Yahoo Lifestyle Madison Brooks news – live: Suspect in LSU student case arrested for alleged rape three years ago
Attorneys for the men accused of raping Madison Brooks have reiterated claims that the LSU student was not too impaired to have sex with two of the suspects.
In a press conference on Friday, attorneys Joe Long and Ron Haley questioned the accuracy of body alcohol level (BAC) results stating that 19-year-old Brooks was nearly four times over the legal limit at the time of her death.
“The evidence we’ve seen so far of Ms Brooks running across the street from Reggie’s undermines the police’s version of events, and until our experts can look at what happened, we believe that the BAC is inaccurate,” Mr Long said.
Mr Long represents 18-year-old Casen Carver, who is facing principal to rape charges. Mr Haley represents Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and Everett Lee, 28, charged with third-degree rape and principal to rape, respectively.
A 17-year-old, whose name has not been released because he is a minor, is also accused of raping Brooks. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office said that the men dropped Brooks off along a roadway where she was later fatally hit by a car.
The three adult suspects have since been released on bond.
Key points
LSU student Madison Brooks was allegedly raped before being killed by car
Four men charged with LSU student’s rape
Surveillance footage shows Brooks leaving bar
Bar denies serving Brooks, 19, alcohol on last night
Prosecutors vow to upgrade rape charges
Judge says footage meant to prove innocence actually shows crime occurred
Suspect in Brooks attack faces second rape charge for alleged 2020 assault of minor — report
19:36 , Richard Hall
One of four suspects charged in the rape of LSU student Madison Brooks — who was fatally hit by a car after the alleged assault — has been arrested in connection with a second rape dating back to 2020.
Kaivon Washington, 18, was charged this week with third-degree rape in the 15 January incident involving Ms Brooks, then posted bond on Thursday and was released in Baton Rouge. On Friday, he turned himself in to authorities in Livingston Parish, about a half hour away, where he was booked on a count of first-degree rape stemming from an incident three years ago, according to The Advocate.
Arrest documents show that a 12-year-old girl told police Washington had raped her at a pool party in Walker in May 2020, the newspaper reported. He allegedly followed her into a room at her apartment, pulled off her towel, threw her on the bed and raped her while covering her mouth, according to the affidavit.
“After me saying no about four or five times, he pushed me, he pulled my towel off and he pushed me onto the bed and he raped me for almost an hour,” the sobbing victim told local journalist Kiran Chawla.
Read more from Sheila Flynn here: Madison Brooks suspect faces second rape charge for alleged 2020 assault of minor
Series of incidents at Reggie’s Bar reported prior to Madison Brooks’ alleged rape and death
19:00 , Andrea Blanco
A bar where 19-year-old Lousiana State University student Madison Brooks met three underage males accused of participating in her rape has a history of previous violent incidents.
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announced on Tuesday that it was issuing an emergency suspension for Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the tragic death of Brooks on 15 January.
According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, four men Brooks had met at the bar allegedly raped her before dropping her off in a severely intoxicated state along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway.
It has since emerged that it is not the first that Reggie’s – located in the area dubbed Tigerland – has come under fire over violent events.
The Daily Mail reports that the popular bar also had its license suspended in 2017 after police executed a raid and found minors drinking inside.
In May last year, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot outside the bar, while another woman was wounded.
Before that, a woman was allegedly raped in the parking lot and a man pointed a loaded gun at patrons, according toThe Advocate. In 2016, LSU tight end Dillon Gordon was allegedly stabbed at the bar.
Video taken by suspect shows them ‘having a conversation with Madison Brooks’
17:00 , Andrea Blanco
In a press conference on Friday, attorneys Joe Long and Ron Haley clarified that the video taken inside the car showed the defendants engaging in a conversation with Brooks, but did not depict them having sex, as was previously reported.
Mr Long represents 18-year-old Casen Carver, who is facing principal to rape charges. Mr Haley is the attorney for Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and Everett Lee, 28, charged with third-degree rape and principal to rape, respectively.
The video will not be released at this time, the legal team said.
The attorneys had hoped that the video would exonerate the men, but Judge Brad Myers said it only showed the suspects “callously” laughing at Brooks as she slurred her words, reported local outlet WAFB.
They also said on Friday that another video of Brooks leaving the vehicle “unharmed” will also be released at a later date. It is unclear whether that footage was obtained from surveillance cameras or recorded by the suspects.
From Baton Rouge bar to alleged rape and death, what happened to the LSU student?
15:00 , Andrea Blanco
Brooks, 19, was allegedly sexually assaulted in a car on 15 January after a night of drinking in a Baton Rouge bar before being left on a dark road in the early hours of the morning, at which point she appears to have been struck by accident by a passing car, dying later in hospital of her injuries.
On 23 January, Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who has not been named because of his age were charged with third-degree rape.
Mr Washington’s uncle, Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were also charged with principal to rape.
Here is a timeline of everything we know about the case so far:
Madison Brooks timeline: From Baton Rouge bar to alleged rape and death
LSU student Madison Brooks was given CPR by two strangers after being struck by car
13:00 , Andrea Blanco
In a statement to The Independent, the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office confirmed that 19-year-old Brooks died from multiple traumatic injuries secondary to a “motor vehicle versus pedestrian collision” that she suffered in the early morning hours of 15 January.
Authorities have said that the driver was not impaired when the accident took place and that they stopped the vehicle and contacted emergency services immediately upon realising that Brooks was hit, Fox News reported.
Two good samaritans then administered CPR on Brooks in the heavy rain before she was taken to a hospital where she later died.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office revealed on Monday that a severely intoxicated Brooks was dropped off along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway after she was allegedly raped.
LSU students slam university’s response to Madison Brooks’ alleged rape and death
11:00 , Andrea Blanco
In a statement published on Monday, LSU’s Feminists in Action decried president William F Tate’s response to the alleged sexual assault that 19-year-old Brooks suffered before being dropped off by the suspects along a roadway and fatally hit by a car on 15 January.
The group demanded that Mr Tate use his “energy to fix the sexual violence our community faces instead of using alcohol as a scapegoat.” Mr Tate had previously said that the university plans to investigate why the establishment where 19-year-old Brooks met the men accused of raping her was serving alcohol to minors.
“While students are grieving the loss of our peer and fearing for our safety and well-being, your administration directs its attention to the underage consumption of alcohol. This response is inexcusable,” the group said.
The statement added: “These four individuals were arrested for ‘third-degree rape’ and ‘principle to rape’; not underage drinking nor driving under the influence.”
Madison Brooks rape suspects’ lawyers are denying police claims that she was drunk
09:00 , Andrea Blanco
Laywers representing Madison Brooks’ alleged rapists have denied that the LSU student was in a drunken stupor when two of the accused had sex with her.
In a press conference on Friday, attorneys Joe Long and Ron Haley questioned the accuracy of body alcohol level (BAC) results showing that 19-year-old Brooks was nearly four times over the legal limit at the time of her death, ABC affiliate WBRZ reports.
The Independent has the story:
Madison Brooks suspects’ lawyers are denying police claims that she was drunk
Suspects in Madison Brooks’ alleged rape ordered not to make social media posts about the case while out on bond
07:00 , Andrea Blanco
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18; a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age; Everette Lee, 28; and Casen Carver, 18, were charged on Monday with the sexual assault of 19-year-old Brooks.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office said that a severely intoxicated Brooks was callously dropped off along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway after two of the suspects allegedly raped her in the early morning hours of 15 January.
Brooks was hit by a vehicle and died hours later in the hospital.
On Wednesday, Mr Lee and Mr Carter, who are facing charges of principal to rape, were released after posting bonds of $75,000 and $50,000, respectively, local news station WBRZ reported.
Mr Washington also posted bail on Wednesday.
Under the bond terms, the released suspects were ordered not to make social media posts about the case or make contact with Brooks’ family, to submit for random drug testing and be placed on house arrest and to wear an ankle monitor. The 17-year-old’s bond hearing has been postponed to February.
Who are the four men charged with rape and principal to rape LSU student Madison Brooks?
05:00 , Andrea Blanco
Nineteen-year-old Madison Brooks was killed on 15 January after a ride-share driver hit her while she was standing in a dark roadway in Baton Rouge.
Brooks was dropped off near the site of the crash by four men now accused of participating in or witnessing her rape moments before.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who was not identified because he is a minor have since been charged with third-degree rape.
Meanwhile, Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were charged with principal to rape, an arrest warrant obtained by KSLA stated.
New surveillance footage shows Madison Brooks leaving bar before her death and alleged rape
02:00 , Andrea Blanco
Newly released surveillance footage showed Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks leaving a bar allegedly with the four men accused of raping her on the night she was also fatally hit by a vehicle.
According to the footage, Brooks could be seen crossing the street with four people near Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge and moving towards the parking lot, reported CBS affiliate WAFB.
Brooks reportedly met the four men, now facing rape charges, at Reggie’s on 14 January.
Authorities said that Brooks - who was visibly intoxicated - was sexually assaulted by the suspects in a car after leaving Reggie’s.
LSU student body, parents demand justice for Madison Brooks
00:20 , Andrea Blanco
Madison Brooks alleged rape and subsequent death have sparked outrage in the community of Baton Rouge, with fellow LSU students, mothers and the university’s president demanding justice for the student.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Rachel Sharp report:
Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men are charged with rape
Prosecutors seek to upgrade charges against four men accused of LSU student Madison Brooks’ rape
Friday 27 January 2023 23:40 , Andrea Blanco
Prosecutors have vowed to upgrade the charges against the four men accused of raping Louisiana State University (LSU) student Madison Brooks.
On the evening of 14 January, Ms Brooks reportedly met the four men now facing rape charges at Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge.
Authorities say Ms Brooks - who was visibly intoxicated - was sexually assaulted by the suspects in a car after leaving Reggie’s. The suspects then allegedly dropped her off along a dark stretch of road in the early hours of 15 January. She was struck by a rideshare vehicle and killed soon after.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male, unnamed because he’s a minor, have been charged with rape in the third degree. Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, have been charged with principal to rape and were released on bond on Wednesday.
At a bond hearing, prosecutor Stuart Theriot said the prosecution will attempt to boost the charges against the suspects to first-degree rape. The prosecutor also indicated intent to convene a grand jury in the case.
Madison Brooks ‘was pure joy and light,’ family says
Friday 27 January 2023 22:53 , Andrea Blanco
In the wake of her sudden and tragic death, tributes have poured in from loved ones of Brooks.
LSU’s Alpha Phi chapter paid tribute to its sorority sister in a post on the group’s Facebook page.
“Madison was a sophomore and made a lasting impact on all of us,” the statement read.
“She was also a hero and was able to donate her heart and kidneys to save others. We send our deepest sympathies to her family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. And we respectfully ask for time and space so we may support each other in our healing process. AOE”
In the wake of her sudden and tragic death, Brooks has been remembered as a bright and joyful young woman
Brooks’ grandfather Kert LeBlanc also issued a heartfelt statement on his Facebook profile.
“She was pure joy and light. She made us so very proud. We will miss her terribly. Please keep our family in your prayers as we navigate through this difficult time,” Mr LeBlanc wrote.
Tiffani Carlini Roberston, the mother of a female student at LSU, wrote in a touching post that Brooks’ memory “is in the heart of every woman attending LSU as well as their mothers.” Ms Roberston said Brooks’s story had resonated with many in the local community and made them realise that there is a bigger conversation to be had.
“We may never rid the world of sexual assault, but Madi’s beautiful life is bringing awareness of sexual assault to a generation that till now has kept their pain to themselves,” she told The Independent. “Our hearts are breaking for this family we’ve never known.”
Footage from Reggie’s shows Madison Brooks was ‘very unstable on her feet, not able to keep her balance’ before alleged rape
Friday 27 January 2023 22:04 , Andrea Blanco
Footage from the bar where Madison Brooks met her alleged attackers shows the student – who at 19 is underage – falling over several times, according to an arrest warrant.
Investigators said that Brooks’ blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of her death.
She fell in front of at least one of the suspects before they left the business, the footage allegedly shows.
Suspect Casen Carver, 18, said Brooks was “very unstable on her feet, was not able to keep her balance, and was unable to speak clearly without slurring her words”, according to the warrant.
But, despite her state of intoxication, two of the suspects proceeded to have sex with her inside the car, Mr Carver told police. He later told police that he “felt uncomfortable and hated it.”
When asked by investigators if he believed Brooks was too impaired to consent, Mr Carver reportedly said, “I guess.”
Local official calls for change in Baton Rouge bars
Friday 27 January 2023 21:08 , Andrea Blanco
A local official has joined calls for a crackdown on Baton Rouge bars in response to the death of Madison Brooks.
Denise Amoroso, who represents District 8 on the Baton Rouge Metro Council in Louisiana, told WBRZ that all options should be on the table from fines to a total bar ban for people under the age of 21.
“When you are looking at a $500 fine, that is nothing,” she said.
“The bars, they have licenses to serve, but they also have to remember it is not a right but a privilege to have a license.”
Bar where Madison Brooks met alleged rapists denies serving 19-year-old alcohol on night she died
Friday 27 January 2023 20:39 , Andrea Blanco
The bar along the infamous Tigerland strip in Baton Rouge where Madison Brooks met her alleged attackers has denied serving the 19-year-old alcohol on her last night.
Reggie’s Bar had its liquor license suspended this week by state regulators following the death of Brooks.
At 19, Brooks was under the legal drinking age – as are three of the men now charged with her alleged rape.
On Thursday, the bar released a statement saying that Brooks was not served alcohol by staff inside the bar and that she had used a fake ID to get in.
“Even though she entered the bar with false identification, she wasn’t served nor did she consume any drinks at least during the last hour she was at Reggie’s,” the statement read.
“Reggie’s has voluntarily turned over all video surveillance footage to EBRSO and has fully cooperated with EBRSO investigators since they were first contacted and requested to assist on Sunday, January 15.
“Also, Reggie’s has reached out directly to LSU President Tate in response to his call for action and look forward to meeting with him and his team soon to work together to address the issues raised in his recent press release.”
LSU freshman creates initiative following Madison Brook’s tragic death
Friday 27 January 2023 19:50 , Andrea Blanco
Following Madison Brook’s death earlier this month, an LSU student has created an initiative for fellow females to have a safer way to get home after a night out.
“If you go to LSU or have a daughter, friend, family member or any GIRL that goes to LSU, I’ve taken the initiative to make a groupme for girls to reach out to other girls for a ride home or just help getting out of an uncomfortable situation,” Alisha Ortolano, a pre-vet student at LSU, wrote in a Facebook post.
Mr Ortolano encouraged students to get in touch with her to join the group. Only those with an LSU email account can sign up and join the GroupMe chat.
They can then offer to give rides to women who find themselves in “any uncomfortable situations.”
“Feel free to message me and ask for my phone number to put in your contacts if you ever need a ride. Please share this. I want this to reach as many LSU girls as possible!” she added.
It comes as nineteen-year-old Brooks was killed on 15 January after a ride-share driver hit her while she was standing in a dark roadway in Baton Rouge.
On Monday, local news station KSLA reported that Brooks was dropped off near the site of the crash by four men now accused of participating in or witnessing her rape moments before.
Reggie’s Bar denies serving 19-year-old alcohol on night she died
Friday 27 January 2023 18:17 , Andrea Blanco
The bar along the infamous Tigerland strip in Baton Rouge where Madison Brooks met her alleged attackers has denied serving the 19-year-old alcohol on her last night.
Reggie’s Bar had its liquor license suspended this week by state regulators following the death of Brooks.
At 19, Brooks was under the legal drinking age – as are three of the men now charged with her alleged rape.
On Thursday, the bar released a statement saying that Brooks was not served alcohol by staff inside the bar and that she had used a fake ID to get in.
“Even though she entered the bar with false identification, she wasn’t served nor did she consume any drinks at least during the last hour she was at Reggie’s,” the statement read.
“Reggie’s has voluntarily turned over all video surveillance footage to EBRSO and has fully cooperated with EBRSO investigators since they were first contacted and requested to assist on Sunday, January 15.
“Also, Reggie’s has reached out directly to LSU President Tate in response to his call for action and look forward to meeting with him and his team soon to work together to address the issues raised in his recent press release.”
WATCH: Surveillance footage shows Madison Brooks on her final night
Friday 27 January 2023 17:50 , Andrea Blanco
Newly-released surveillance footage has captured Madison Brooks’ movements on her last night, before the Louisiana State University (LSU) student was allegedly raped and then struck and killed by a car.
In the footage, the 19-year-old Alpha Phi sorority sister and her four alleged attackers are seen leaving Reggie’s Bar in Baton Rouge at around 1.50am on 15 January.
What happened to Madison Brooks?
Friday 27 January 2023 17:16 , Andrea Blanco
Police investigating the tragic death of Louisiana State University (LSU) student Madison Brooks have arrested and charged four suspects with rape.
Brooks, 19, was allegedly sexually assaulted in a car on 15 January after a night of drinking in a Baton Rouge bar before being left on a dark road in the early hours of the morning, at which point she appears to have been struck by accident by a passing car, dying later in hospital of her injuries.
On 23 January, Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who has not been named because of his age were charged with third-degree rape.
Mr Washington’s uncle, Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were also charged with principal to rape.
“Madison was a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a classmate and a friend... By all accounts, she was an amazing young woman with limitless potential,” LSU president William F Tate said in a statement.
“She should not have been taken from us in this way. What happened to her was evil, and our legal system will parcel out justice.”
Video suspects claimed proved their innocence backfires
Friday 27 January 2023 16:45 , Andrea Blanco
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18; a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age, Everette Lee, 28; and Casen Carver, 18; have been charged with the rape of 19-year-old student Madison Brooks, before she was struck by a car and killed.
Brooks, a 19-year-old Alpha Phi sorority sister, had spent the night of 14 January at Reggie’s Bar in Baton Rouge where she allegedly met her attackers.
The three adult suspects appeared in court on Tuesday. At the bond hearing, 19th Judicial District Judge Brad Myers said that he had watched a video filmed by one of the four suspects inside the car with Brooks.
The judge said that the video shows the suspects “callously” laughing at the drunk 19-year-old woman as she slurred her words, reported local outlet WAFB.
The judge concluded that – based on the two videos and statements made by Mr Carver to investigators – he said it was clear that a crime had occurred that fateful night.
“The evidence to me is clear,” he said.
LSU student body, parents demand justice for Madison Brooks
Friday 27 January 2023 16:15 , Andrea Blanco
Madison Brooks alleged rape and subsequent death have sparked outrage in the community of Baton Rouge, with fellow LSU students, mothers and the university’s president demanding justice for the student.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Rachel Sharp report:
Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men are charged with rape
LSU student group issue statement over university president’s response to Madison Brooks alleged rape
Friday 27 January 2023 15:42 , Andrea Blanco
In a statement published on Monday, LSU’s Feminist in Action decried the university president’s response to the alleged sexual assault that Madison Brooks suffered before being hit by a car on 15 January.
LSU President William F Tate had previously said that the university plans to investigate why the establishment where 19-year-old Brooks met the men accused of raping her was serving alcohol to minors.
“While students are grieving the loss of our peer and fearing for our safety and well-being, your administration directs its attention to the underage consumption of alcohol. This response is inexcusable,” the group wrote in the statement.
“Your email stated that ‘police arrested four individuals following an investigation into the events preceding the death of LSU student Madison Brooks, who was struck by a vehicle’ but then continues that we must have a ‘focus on any establishment that profits off our students by providing alcohol to underage individuals.’”
The statement added: “These four individuals were arrested for ‘third-degree rape’ and ‘principle to rape’; not underage drinking nor driving under the influence.”
Who are the four men charged with her rape?
Friday 27 January 2023 15:00 , Rachel Sharp
Four men have been arrested for allegedly raping Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks before dropping her off in a dark street, where she was fatally hit.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who was not identified because he is a minor have been charged with third-degree rape.
Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were also charged with principal to rape.
LSU has confirmed that none of the four alleged attackers are students at the college.
Madison Brooks timeline: From Baton Rouge bar to alleged rape and death, what happened to the LSU student?
Friday 27 January 2023 14:31 , Rachel Sharp
Police investigating the tragic death of Louisiana State University (LSU) student Madison Brooks have arrested and charged four suspects with rape.
Brooks, 19, was allegedly sexually assaulted in a car on 15 January after a night of drinking in a Baton Rouge bar before being left on a dark road in the early hours of the morning, at which point she appears to have been struck by accident by a passing car, dying later in hospital of her injuries.
On 23 January, Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who has not been named because of his age were charged with third-degree rape.
Mr Washington’s uncle, Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were also charged with principal to rape.
“Madison was a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a classmate and a friend... By all accounts, she was an amazing young woman with limitless potential,” LSU president William F Tate said in a statement.
“She should not have been taken from us in this way. What happened to her was evil, and our legal system will parcel out justice.”
Here is a timeline of everything we know about the case so far:
Madison Brooks timeline: From Baton Rouge bar to alleged rape and death
LSU student Madison Brooks was given CPR by two strangers after being struck by car
Friday 27 January 2023 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
Lousiana State University student Madison Brooks was given CPR by two good samaritans who found her at the site where a vehicle hit her after she was dropped off there by four men now charged with her rape.
In a statement to The Independent, the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office confirmed that 19-year-old Brooks died from multiple traumatic injuries secondary to a “motor vehicle versus pedestrian collision” that she suffered in the early morning hours of 15 January.
Authorities have said that the driver was not impaired when the accident took place and that they stopped the vehicle and contacted emergency services immediately upon realising that Brooks was hit, Fox News reported. Two good samaritans then administered CPR on Brooks in the heavy rain before she was taken to a hospital where she later died.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office revealed on Monday that a severely intoxicated Brooks was dropped off along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway after she was allegedly raped.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age have been charged with third-degree rape. Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, are charged with principal to rape — they have since been released on bond, local news station WBRZ reported.
Local official calls for change in Baton Rouge bars
Friday 27 January 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp
A local official has joined calls for a crackdown on Baton Rouge bars in response to the death of Madison Brooks.
Denise Amoroso, who represents District 8 on the Baton Rouge Metro Council in Louisiana, told WBRZ that all options should be on the table from fines to a total bar ban for people under the age of 21.
“When you are looking at a $500 fine, that is nothing,” she said.
“The bars, they have licenses to serve, but they also have to remember it is not a right but a privilege to have a license.”
LSU freshman creates initiative following Madison Brook’s tragic death
Friday 27 January 2023 13:00 , Andrea Blanco
Following Madison Brook’s death earlier this month, an LSU student has created an initiative for fellow females to have a safer way to get home after a night out.
“If you go to LSU or have a daughter, friend, family member or any GIRL that goes to LSU, I’ve taken the initiative to make a groupme for girls to reach out to other girls for a ride home or just help getting out of an uncomfortable situation,” Alisha Ortolano, a pre-vet student at LSU, wrote in a Facebook post.
Mr Ortolano encouraged students to get in touch with her to join the group. Only those with an LSU email account can sign up and join the GroupMe chat.
They can then offer to give rides to women who find themselves in “any uncomfortable situations.”
“Feel free to message me and ask for my phone number to put in your contacts if you ever need a ride. Please share this. I want this to reach as many LSU girls as possible!” she added.
It comes as nineteen-year-old Brooks was killed on 15 January after a ride-share driver hit her while she was standing in a dark roadway in Baton Rouge.
On Monday, local news station KSLA reported that Brooks was dropped off near the site of the crash by four men now accused of participating in or witnessing her rape moments before.
Reggie’s Bar denies serving 19-year-old alcohol on night she died
Friday 27 January 2023 12:30 , Rachel Sharp
The bar along the infamous Tigerland strip in Baton Rouge where Madison Brooks met her alleged attackers has denied serving the 19-year-old alcohol on her last night.
Reggie’s Bar had its liquor license suspended this week by state regulators following the death of Brooks.
At 19, Brooks was under the legal drinking age – as are three of the men now charged with her alleged rape.
On Thursday, the bar released a statement saying that Brooks was not served alcohol by staff inside the bar and that she had used a fake ID to get in.
“Even though she entered the bar with false identification, she wasn’t served nor did she consume any drinks at least during the last hour she was at Reggie’s,” the statement read.
“Reggie’s has voluntarily turned over all video surveillance footage to EBRSO and has fully cooperated with EBRSO investigators since they were first contacted and requested to assist on Sunday, January 15.
“Also, Reggie’s has reached out directly to LSU President Tate in response to his call for action and look forward to meeting with him and his team soon to work together to address the issues raised in his recent press release.”
LSU students demand condemnation of ‘rape culture’
Friday 27 January 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco
In a statement published on Monday, LSU’s Feminist in Action decried the university president’s response to the alleged sexual assault that Madison Brooks suffered before being hit by a car on 15 January.
LSU President William F Tate had previously said that the university plans to investigate why the establishment where 19-year-old Brooks met the men accused of raping her was serving alcohol to minors.
“While students are grieving the loss of our peer and fearing for our safety and well-being, your administration directs its attention to the underage consumption of alcohol. This response is inexcusable,” the group wrote in the statement.
“Your email stated that ‘police arrested four individuals following an investigation into the events preceding the death of LSU student Madison Brooks, who was struck by a vehicle’ but then continues that we must have a ‘focus on any establishment that profits off our students by providing alcohol to underage individuals.’”
The statement added: “These four individuals were arrested for ‘third-degree rape’ and ‘principle to rape’; not underage drinking nor driving under theinfluence.”
WATCH: Surveillance footage shows Madison Brooks on last night
Friday 27 January 2023 11:30 , Rachel Sharp
Newly-released surveillance footage has captured Madison Brooks’ movements on her last night, before the Louisiana State University (LSU) student was allegedly raped and then struck and killed by a car.
In the footage, the 19-year-old Alpha Phi sorority sister and her four alleged attackers are seen leaving Reggie’s Bar in Baton Rouge at around 1.50am on 15 January.
Judge says video of alleged rape of LSU student shows suspects ‘callously’ laughing at the victim
Friday 27 January 2023 11:00 , Andrea Blanco
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18; a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age, Everette Lee, 28; and Casen Carver, 18; have been charged with the rape of 19-year-old student Madison Brooks, before she was struck by a car and killed.
Brooks, a 19-year-old Alpha Phi sorority sister, had spent the night of 14 January at Reggie’s Bar in Baton Rouge where she allegedly met her attackers.
Investigators said Brooks was then sexually assaulted by the four men – aged 17 to 28 – in a car before they dropped her off along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway in the early hours of 15 January. A driver then hit the 19-year-old and she died hours later in the hospital.
The three adult suspects appeared in court on Tuesday. At the bond hearing, 19th Judicial District Judge Brad Myers said that he had watched a video filmed by one of the four suspects inside the car with Brooks.
The judge said that the video shows the suspects “callously” laughing at the drunk 19-year-old woman as she slurred her words, reported local outlet WAFB.
He also reviewed footage taken from Reggie’s Bar which showed Brooks falling over and struggling to stand in front of at least one of the suspects before they left the bar together.
Her blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of her death and her autopsy shows injuries from a sexual assault, according to an arrest warrant.
The judge concluded that – based on the two videos and statements made by Mr Carver to investigators – he said it was clear that a crime had occurred that fateful night.
“The evidence to me is clear,” he said.
New surveillance footage shows Madison Brooks leaving bar before her death and alleged rape
Friday 27 January 2023 10:30 , Rachel Sharp
Newly released surveillance footage showed Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks leaving a bar allegedly with the four men accused of raping her on the night she was also fatally hit by a vehicle.
According to the footage, Brooks could be seen crossing the street with four people near Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge and moving towards the parking lot.
The Independent’s Namita Singh has the full story:
New surveillance footage shows Madison Brooks leaving bar before her death
Madison Brooks was killed by a car. A week later, four men were charged with her alleged rape
Friday 27 January 2023 10:00 , Andrea Blanco
When Madison Brooks was struck and killed by a car on 15 January, very few details were revealed about the circumstances surrounding her death.
But as her loved ones reeled from the sudden loss, the case took an unimaginable turn on 23 January when the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office announced the tragedy was not arbitrary, as initially thought.
The department accused four men of directly participating in or witnessing an alleged sexual assault of a very impaired and unable-to-consent Brooks before dropping her off on a dark side of the roadway where she would later be fatally injured.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Rachel Sharp report:
Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men are charged with rape
From Baton Rouge bar to alleged rape and death, what happened to the LSU student?
Friday 27 January 2023 09:00 , Andrea Blanco
Police investigating the tragic death of Louisiana State University (LSU) student Madison Brooks have arrested and charged four suspects with rape.
Brooks, 19, was allegedly sexually assaulted in a car on 15 January after a night of drinking in a Baton Rouge bar before being left on a dark road in the early hours of the morning, at which point she appears to have been struck by accident by a passing car, dying later in hospital of her injuries.
On 23 January, Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who has not been named because of his age were charged with third-degree rape.
Mr Washington’s uncle, Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were also charged with principal to rape.
“Madison was a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a classmate and a friend... By all accounts, she was an amazing young woman with limitless potential,” LSU president William F Tate said in a statement.
“She should not have been taken from us in this way. What happened to her was evil, and our legal system will parcel out justice.”
Here is a timeline of everything we know about the case so far:
LSU President issues statement following alleged rape, death of LSU student
Friday 27 January 2023 08:00 , Andrea Blanco
LSU President William F Tate said that the university plans to investigate why the establishment where 19-year-old Madison Brooks met the men accused of raping her was serving alcohol to minors.
“Madison was a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a classmate, and a friend to many of you. By all accounts, she was an amazing young woman with limitless potential,” Mr Tate said in a statement.
“She should not have been taken from us in this way. What happened to her was evil, and our legal system will parcel out justice.”
He continued: “In the coming days, we will call a meeting with these business owners to discuss how their responsibilities directly impact the safety of our students. We will work openly against any business that doesn’t join us in efforts toward creating a safer environment for our students. Enough is enough.”
Liquor license suspended at bar where LSU student met alleged attackers before death
Friday 27 January 2023 07:00 , Andrea Blanco
The bar where an underage Louisiana State University (LSU) student met her alleged rapists before she was hit by a car and killed has had its liquor licence suspended.
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announced on Tuesday that it was issuing an emergency suspension for Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the tragic death of 19-year-old Madison Brooks.
The agency cited “the seriousness of the allegations and the potential threat to public safety”.
“This action immediately suspends the service or sale of alcoholic beverages at these locations,” it said in a statement.
The state agency said that an emergency hearing will be held in February to determine what penalties, if any, should be imposed “following a presentation of the evidence”.
Brooks, a 19-year-old Alpha Phi sorority sister, spent her last night – 14 January – at Reggie’s bar and met her four alleged attackers there.
Investigators said Brooks was then sexually assaulted by the four men – aged 17 to 28 – in a car before they dropped her off along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway in the early hours of 15 January.
A ride-share driver then struck the 19-year-old and she died hours later in the hospital.
Who are the four men charged in rape of LSU student Madison Brooks?
Friday 27 January 2023 06:00 , Andrea Blanco
Four men have been arrested for allegedly raping a Louisiana State University student before dropping her off in a dark street, where she was fatally hit.
Nineteen-year-old Madison Brooks was killed on 15 January after a ride-share driver hit her while she was standing in a dark roadway in Baton Rouge. On Monday, local news station KSLA reported that Brooks was dropped off near the site of the crash by four men now accused of participating in or witnessing her rape moments before.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who was not identified because he is a minor have since been charged with third-degree rape. Meanwhile, Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were charged with principal to rape, an arrest warrant obtained by KSLA stated.
According to investigators, the victim and the four suspects met at a bar on 14 January before she allegedly asked them to drop her off. Mr Carver told authorities that Mr Washington and the unidentified minor asked the victim to have sex with them but admitted she was intoxicated, stumbling and slurring her words.
The men then dropped her off in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway. While standing in a dark portion of the roadway around 3am, Brooks was hit by a vehicle and died hours later in the hospital.
Reggie’s vows to cooperate with investigation into Madison’s Brooks’ alleged rape and death
Friday 27 January 2023 05:00 , Andrea Blanco
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announced on Tuesday that it was issuing an emergency suspension for Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the tragic death of 19-year-old Madison Brooks.
The agency cited “the seriousness of the allegations and the potential threat to public safety”.
“This action immediately suspends the service or sale of alcoholic beverages at these locations,” it said in a statement.
Kris Perrett, an attorney for the bar, told The Independent: “The owners of Reggie’s will continue to cooperate with state and local authorities, as we have done since their first request for assistance in their investigations of this incident.”
“We look forward to meeting with State ATC and East Baton Rouge ABC officials as soon as possible to address their concerns and to insure they have all of the complete and accurate facts and all information they require to complete their investigation.”
Two suspects charged with rape of LSU student Madison Brooks are freed on bond
Friday 27 January 2023 04:00 , Andrea Blanco
Two men accused of participating in the alleged rape of Lousiana State University student Madison Brooks before dropping her off on a roadway where she was later fatally struck by a car have been released on bond.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18; a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age; Everette Lee, 28; and Casen Carver, 18, were charged on Monday with the sexual assault of 19-year-old Brooks.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office said that a severely intoxicated Brooks was callously dropped off along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway after two of the suspects allegedly raped her in the early morning hours of 15 January. Brooks was hit by a vehicle and died hours later in the hospital.
On Wednesday, Mr Lee and Mr Carter, who are facing charges of principal to rape, were released after posting bonds of $75,000 and $50,000, respectively. Mr Washington and the underage suspect, accused of rape in the third degree, remain in jail, local news station WBRZ reported.
Under the bond terms, the released suspects were ordered not to make social media posts about the case or make contact with Brooks’ family, to submit for random drug testing and be placed on house arrest and to wear an ankle monitor. The 17-year-old’s bond hearing has been postponed to February.
The case has sparked outrage in the community of Baton Rouge and calls for the suspects to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. On Tuesday, the defence’s claim that video of the attack showed Brooks had “consented” to the sexual acts backfired when a judge determined that if anything, the tape reinforced their disregard for Brook’s life and violation of her rights.
Madison Brooks called ‘hero’ for donating her organs to save others
Friday 27 January 2023 03:00 , Andrea Blanco
Madison Brooks’ sorority has called her a hero for arranging to have her organs donated in the event of her death.
The Louisiana State University chapter of Alpha Phi released a statement last week that read: “We are grieving the sudden and tragic loss of our sister, Madison Brooks, following the accident that took her life.”
The statement continues by saying that she made a lasting impact on the members of the chapter, adding: “She was also a hero and was able to donate her heart and kidneys to save others.”
Madison Brooks ‘was pure joy and light,’ family says
Friday 27 January 2023 01:00 , Andrea Blanco
In the wake of her sudden and tragic death, tributes have poured in from loved ones of Brooks.
LSU’s Alpha Phi chapter paid tribute to its sorority sister in a post on the group’s Facebook page.
“Madison was a sophomore and made a lasting impact on all of us,” the statement read.
“She was also a hero and was able to donate her heart and kidneys to save others. We send our deepest sympathies to her family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. And we respectfully ask for time and space so we may support each other in our healing process. AOE”
In the wake of her sudden and tragic death, Brooks has been remembered as a bright and joyful young woman
Brooks’ grandfather Kert LeBlanc also issued a heartfelt statement on his Facebook profile.
“She was pure joy and light. She made us so very proud. We will miss her terribly. Please keep our family in your prayers as we navigate through this difficult time,” Mr LeBlanc wrote.
Tiffani Carlini Roberston, the mother of a female student at LSU, wrote in a touching post that Brooks’ memory “is in the heart of every woman attending LSU as well as their mothers.” Ms Roberston said Brooks’s story had resonated with many in the local community and made them realise that there is a bigger conversation to be had.
“We may never rid the world of sexual assault, but Madi’s beautiful life is bringing awareness of sexual assault to a generation that till now has kept their pain to themselves,” she told The Independent. “Our hearts are breaking for this family we’ve never known.”
What happened to Madison Brooks?
Friday 27 January 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco
Madison Brooks and the four suspects in her rape met at Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge on 14 January. Footage from the bar shows Brooks falling over several times, stumbling and struggling to stand in front of at least one of the suspects before they left the bar together, according to an arrest warrant obtained by KSLA.
Before the group left the bar, Mr Carver alleged in a police interview, Brooks asked them to drop her off.
Mr Carver told authorities that Mr Washington and the unidentified minor defendant asked Brooks to have sex.
Although Mr Carver said that Brooks consented to engage in intercourse, he admitted that she was “very unstable on her feet, was not able to keep her balance, and was unable to speak clearly without slurring her words.”
When asked by investigators if he believed Brooks was too impaired to consent, Mr Carver reportedly said: “I guess.”
Mr Washington and the minor then allegedly proceeded to rape Brooks in the car while Mr Lee, the only adult in the group, stepped out of the vehicle, according to an arrest affidavit. Mr Carver later told police that he “felt uncomfortable and hated it”.
The men then dropped Brooks off in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway. While standing in a dark portion of the roadway around 3am on 15 January, Brooks was hit by a vehicle and died hours later in the hospital.
Her blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of her death and her autopsy shows injuries consistent with a sexual assault, authorities said.
Footage from Reggie’s shows Madison Brooks was ‘very unstable on her feet, not able to keep her balance’ before alleged rape
Thursday 26 January 2023 23:00 , Andrea Blanco
Footage from the bar where Madison Brooks met her alleged attackers shows the student – who at 19 is underage – falling over several times, according to an arrest warrant.
Investigators said that Brooks’ blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of her death.
She fell in front of at least one of the suspects before they left the business, the footage allegedly shows.
Suspect Casen Carver, 18, said Brooks was “very unstable on her feet, was not able to keep her balance, and was unable to speak clearly without slurring her words”, according to the warrant.
But, despite her state of intoxication, two of the suspects proceeded to have sex with her inside the car, Mr Carver told police. He later told police that he “felt uncomfortable and hated it.”
When asked by investigators if he believed Brooks was too impaired to consent, Mr Carver reportedly said, “I guess.
A tragedy, definitely not a crime,’ claims suspects’ attorney
Thursday 26 January 2023 22:30 , Andrea Blanco
An attorney for two of the suspects accused of raping Madison Brooks has claimed that what happened to her was “a tragedy” but “definitely not a crime”.
Ron Haley, an attorney for Kaivon Deondre Washington and the unidentified 17-year-old suspect, claims that video of Brooks shows she “was intoxicated” but not to point that she could not “lawfully give consent or answer questions” during sex with the suspects.
He claimed it proves she was in a “coherent state” and consented to the acts, before leaving the vehicle after an “argument”.
“Absolutely not a rape. Listen this is a tragedy, definitely not a crime,” Mr Haley told KSLA.
“Can you tell, that she was intoxicated, yes. To the point under the law that you say you’re in a drunken stupor, to the point that you cannot lawfully give consent or answer questions, absolutely that was not the case.”
Mr Haley also said that Brooks allegedly told the suspects that she was going to order an Uber after an argument unfolded.
“Based on a disagreement, she got out of the vehicle. She indicated she was getting an Uber,” Mr Haley alleged. “I want the public to know, these young men or really the driver of the vehicle and the young men that were in there, did not put her off on the side of the road.”
Bar where Madison Brooks met alleged rapists has come under fire over violent events before
Thursday 26 January 2023 22:00 , Andrea Blanco
It has emerged after Madison Brooke’s death that it is not the first that Reggie’s – located in the area dubbed Tigerland – has come under fire over violent events.
The Daily Mail reports that the popular bar also had its license suspended in 2017 after police executed a raid and found minors drinking inside.
In May last year, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot outside the bar, while another woman was wounded.
Before that, a woman was allegedly raped in the parking lot and a man pointed a loaded gun at patrons, according toThe Advocate.
In 2016, LSU tight end Dillon Gordon was allegedly stabbed at the bar.
LSU freshman creates initiative following Madison Brook’s tragic death
Thursday 26 January 2023 21:05 , Andrea Blanco
Following Madison Brook’s death earlier this month, an LSU student has created an initiative for fellow females to have a safer way to get home after a night out.
“If you go to LSU or have a daughter, friend, family member or any GIRL that goes to LSU, I’ve taken the initiative to make a groupme for girls to reach out to other girls for a ride home or just help getting out of an uncomfortable situation,” Alisha Ortolano, a pre-vet student at LSU, wrote in a Facebook post.
Mr Ortolano encouraged students to get in touch with her to join the group. Only those with an LSU email account can sign up and join the GroupMe chat.
They can then offer to give rides to women who find themselves in “any uncomfortable situations.”
“Feel free to message me and ask for my phone number to put in your contacts if you ever need a ride. Please share this. I want this to reach as many LSU girls as possible!” she added.
It comes as nineteen-year-old Brooks was killed on 15 January after a ride-share driver hit her while she was standing in a dark roadway in Baton Rouge.
On Monday, local news station KSLA reported that Brooks was dropped off near the site of the crash by four men now accused of participating in or witnessing her rape moments before.
Judge says video intended to clear suspects in LSU student rape actually shows crime occurred
Thursday 26 January 2023 20:37 , Andrea Blanco
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18; a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age, Everette Lee, 28; and Casen Carver, 18; have been charged with the rape of 19-year-old student Madison Brooks, before she was struck by a car and killed.
Brooks, a 19-year-old Alpha Phi sorority sister, had spent the night of 14 January at Reggie’s Bar in Baton Rouge where she allegedly met her attackers.
Mr Washington and the 17-year-old have been charged with third-degree rape. Mr Lee, who is Mr Washington’s uncle, and Mr Carver, 18, are charged with principal to rape.
The three adult suspects appeared in court on Tuesday where their bond was set and prosecutors vowed to upgrade charges against them.
At the bond hearing, 19th Judicial District Judge Brad Myers said that he had watched a video filmed by one of the four suspects inside the car with Brooks.
The judge said that the video shows the suspects “callously” laughing at the drunk 19-year-old woman as she slurred her words, reported local outlet WAFB.
He also reviewed footage taken from Reggie’s Bar which showed Brooks falling over and struggling to stand in front of at least one of the suspects before they left the bar together. Her blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of her death and her autopsy shows injuries from a sexual assault, according to an arrest warrant.
The judge concluded that – based on the two videos and statements made by Mr Carver to investigators – he said it was clear that a crime had occurred that fateful night.
“The evidence to me is clear,” he said.
LSU student Madison Brooks once worked at bar where she met alleged rapists – but was let go in summer
Thursday 26 January 2023 20:07 , Andrea Blanco
Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks once worked at the bar where she met the four men accused of raping her shortly before her death, The Independent has learned.
On the evening of 14 January, Ms Brooks was at Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge, where she reportedly encountered the men now facing rape charges.
Authorities say Ms Brooks - who was visibly intoxicated - was sexually assaulted by the suspects in a car after leaving Reggie’s. The suspects then allegedly dropped her off along a dark stretch of road in the early hours of 15 January. She was struck by a rideshare vehicle and killed soon after.
The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has the story:
LSU student Madison Brooks once worked at bar where she met alleged rapists
Attorney for men accused of raping LSU student Madison Brooks claim video they took of her ‘proves their innocence’
Thursday 26 January 2023 19:37 , Andrea Blanco
An attorney for two men accused of raping a Lousiana State University student before dropping her off on a roadway where she was later fatally struck by a car has claimed that video of the alleged sexual assault proves she was in a “coherent state” and consented to the acts.
Madison Brooks, 19, died on 15 January after a vehicle hit her while she was standing in a dark roadway in Baton Rouge. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office has since arrested four men for allegedly raping or witnessing the rape of Brooks before dropping her off near the site of the crash.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who was not identified because he is a minor are facing third-degree rape in the case, while, Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were charged with principal to rape, an arrest warrant obtained by KSLA stated.
Ron Haley, an attorney for Mr Washington and the minor, has challenged the charges, claiming that video of the incident showed Brooks “was intoxicated” but not to point that she could not “lawfully give consent or answer questions” during intercourse with the suspects. Mr Haley said she exited the vehicle after an “argument.”
“Absolutely not a rape. Listen this is a tragedy, definitely not a crime,” Mr Haley told KSLA. “Can you tell, that she was intoxicated, yes. To the point under the law that you say you’re in a drunken stupor, to the point that you cannot lawfully give consent or answer questions, absolutely that was not the case.”Mr Haley also said that Brooks allegedly told the suspects that she was going to order an Uber after an argument unfolded.
“Based on a disagreement, she got out of the vehicle. She indicated she was getting an Uber,” Mr Haley alleged. “I want the public to know, these young men or really the driver of the vehicle and the young men that were in there, did not put her off on the side of the road.”
Brooks’ blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of her death.
Men accused of Madison Brooks rape claim video proves their innocence
Prosecutors seek to upgrade charges against four men accused of LSU student Madison Brooks’ rape
Thursday 26 January 2023 19:17 , Andrea Blanco
Prosecutors have vowed to upgrade the charges against the four men accused of raping Louisiana State University (LSU) student Madison Brooks.
On the evening of 14 January, Ms Brooks reportedly met the four men now facing rape charges at Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge.
Authorities say Ms Brooks - who was visibly intoxicated - was sexually assaulted by the suspects in a car after leaving Reggie’s. The suspects then allegedly dropped her off along a dark stretch of road in the early hours of 15 January. She was struck by a rideshare vehicle and killed soon after.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male, unnamed because he’s a minor, have been charged with rape in the third degree. Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, have been charged with principal to rape and were released on bond on Wednesday.
At a bond hearing, prosecutor Stuart Theriot said the prosecution will attempt to boost the charges against the suspects to first-degree rape. The prosecutor also indicated intent to convene a grand jury in the case.
Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men who left her on the road are charged with rape
Thursday 26 January 2023 18:57 , Andrea Blanco
Madison Brooks alleged rape and subsequent death have sparked outrage in the community of Baton Rouge, with fellow LSU students, mothers and the university’s president demanding justice for the student.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Rachel Sharp report:
Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men are charged with rape
Two suspects charged with rape of LSU student Madison Brooks are freed on bond
Thursday 26 January 2023 18:37 , Andrea Blanco
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18; a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age; Everette Lee, 28; and Casen Carver, 18, were charged on Monday with the sexual assault of 19-year-old Madison Brooks.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office said that a severely intoxicated Brooks was callously dropped off along a road in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway after two of the suspects allegedly raped her in the early morning hours of 15 January.
Brooks was hit by a vehicle and died hours later in the hospital.
On Wednesday, Mr Lee and Mr Carter, who are facing charges of principal to rape, were released after posting bonds of $75,000 and $50,000, respectively. Mr Washington and the underage suspect, accused of rape in the third degree, remain in jail, local news station WBRZ reported.
Madison Brooks called a ‘hero’ after she was able to donate her organs
Thursday 26 January 2023 18:17 , Andrea Blanco
Madison Brooks’ sorority has called her a hero for arranging to have her organs donated in the event of her death.
The Louisiana State University chapter of Alpha Phi released a statement last week that read: “We are grieving the sudden and tragic loss of our sister, Madison Brooks, following the accident that took her life.”
The statement continues by saying that she made a lasting impact on the members of the chapter, adding: “She was also a hero and was able to donate her heart and kidneys to save others.”
Who are the suspects charged with Madison Brooks’ alleged rape?
Thursday 26 January 2023 17:46 , Andrea Blanco
Nineteen-year-old Madison Brooks was killed on 15 January after a ride-share driver hit her while she was standing in a dark roadway in Baton Rouge. On Monday, local news station KSLA reported that Brooks was dropped off near the site of the crash by four men now accused of participating in or witnessing her rape moments before.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who was not identified because he is a minor have since been charged with third-degree rape. Meanwhile, Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were charged with principal to rape, an arrest warrant obtained by KSLA stated.
According to investigators, the victim and the four suspects met at a bar on 14 January before she allegedly asked them to drop her off. Mr Carver told authorities that Mr Washington and the unidentified minor asked the victim to have sex with them but admitted she was intoxicated, stumbling and slurring her words.
The men then dropped her off in a neighbourhood near Pelican Lakes Parkway. While standing in a dark portion of the roadway around 3am, Brooks was hit by a vehicle and died hours later in the hospital.
Reggie’s Bar: Series of incidents reported before Madison Brooks’ alleged rape and death
Thursday 26 January 2023 17:14 , Andrea Blanco
A bar where 19-year-old Lousiana State University student Madison Brooks met three underage males accused of participating in her rape has a history of previous violent incidents.
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announced on Tuesday that it was issuing an emergency suspension for Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the tragic death of Brooks on 15 January.
Andrea Blanco has the story.
Series of incidents at bar where Madison Brooks met alleged rapists
Madison Brooks died from multiple traumatic injuries after being hit by a car
Thursday 26 January 2023 16:43 , Andrea Blanco
In a statement to The Independent, the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office said Brooks had died from multiple traumatic injuries secondary to a “motor vehicle versus pedestrian collision.”
Two good samaritans attempted to give CPR to the 19-year-old before she was taken to a hospital where she died, Fox News reported. Authorities have said that the driver was not impaired when the collision took place and that they stopped the vehicle immediately.
Investigators said Brooks was then sexually assaulted by the four men in a car before they dropped her off along a road in the early hours of 15 January.
The outraged Baton Rouge community demands justice for LSU student
Thursday 26 January 2023 15:57 , Andrea Blanco
The city of Baton Rouge has been shaken by the alleged rape of Madison Brooks that led to her tragic death when she was struck by a car. Fellow LSU students, mothers and the university’s president demand justice for her, as Andrea Blanco and Rachel Sharp report.
Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men are charged with rape
Prosecutors vow to upgrade charges in Madison Brooks case
Thursday 26 January 2023 15:40 , Andrea Blanco
Prosecutors in the Madison Brooks case have vowed to upgrade the charges against the alleged attackers.
Prosecutor Stuart Theriot said at Tuesday’s bond hearing that the state would seek upgraded charges of first-degree rape and planned to convene a grand jury in the case.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who has not been named due to his age have been charged with third-degree rape. Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, are charged with principal to rape.
Mr Washington had his bond set by 19th Judicial District Judge Brad Myers at $150,000. Mr Lee was given a $75,000 bond and Mr Carver was given a $50,000 bond.
The 17-year-old’s bond hearing has been postponed to February.
Both Mr Lee and Mr Carver were released from jail under house arrest on Wednesday morning.
Series of incidents at Reggie’s Bar reported prior to Madison Brooks’ alleged rape and death
Thursday 26 January 2023 15:28 , Andrea Blanco
A bar where 19-year-old Lousiana State University student Madison Brooks met three underage males accused of participating in her rape has a history of previous violent incidents.
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announced on Tuesday that it was issuing an emergency suspension for Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the tragic death of Brooks on 15 January.
It has since emerged that it is not the first that Reggie’s – located in the area dubbed Tigerland – has come under fire over violent event
The Daily Mail reports that the popular bar also had its license suspended in 2017 after police executed a raid and found minors drinking inside.
In May last year, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot outside the bar, while another woman was wounded.
Before that, a woman was allegedly raped in the parking lot and a man pointed a loaded gun at patrons, according toThe Advocate.
In 2016, LSU tight end Dillon Gordon was allegedly stabbed at the bar.
LSU student Madison Brooks once worked at bar where she met alleged rapists
Thursday 26 January 2023 15:11 , Andrea Blanco
Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks is reported to have once worked at the bar where she met the four men accused of raping her.
The men are alleged to have abandoned Ms Brooks, 19, on a dark road, where she was struck by a rideshare vehicle and killed.
On the evening of 14 January, Ms Brooks was at Reggie’s Bar in Baton Rouge, where she reportedly encountered the men accused of raping her.
Gustaf Kilander has the story:
LSU student Madison Brooks once worked at bar where she met alleged rapists
Earlier: Two suspects freed on bond
Thursday 26 January 2023 14:28 , Andrea Blanco
Two men accused of participating in the alleged rape of Lousiana State University student Madison Brooks before dropping her off on a roadway where she was later fatally struck by a car have been released on bond.
Andrew Blanco is following the case and filed this report.
Two suspects charged with rape of LSU student Madison Brooks are freed on bond
Liquor licence suspended at bar where LSU student met alleged attackers
Thursday 26 January 2023 14:00 , Rachel Sharp
The bar where an underage Louisiana State University (LSU) student met her alleged rapists before she was hit by a car and killed has had its liquor licence suspended.
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announced on Tuesday that it was issuing an emergency suspension for Reggie’s bar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the tragic death of 19-year-old Madison Brooks.
The agency cited “the seriousness of the allegations and the potential threat to public safety”.
Read more here:
Bar loses liquor licence over LSU student Madison Brooks alleged rape and death
Who are the four men charged with her rape?
Thursday 26 January 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp
Four men have been arrested for allegedly raping Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks before dropping her off in a dark street, where she was fatally hit.
Kaivon Deondre Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old male who was not identified because he is a minor have been charged with third-degree rape.
Mr Washington’s uncle Everette Lee, 28, and Casen Carver, 18, were also charged with principal to rape.
LSU has confirmed that none of the four alleged attackers are students at the college.
