This is a despicable thing to write and talk about, but here’s how this awful, awful story goes. In 2000, two 15-year-old water ice vendors who worked inside the Vet were convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl in the parking lot. Many fans pointed to the lack of parking lot security as something that could have hindered the assault but didn’t.

It’s a terrible thing to have happened, and you’d think the Phillies, as an organization, would do whatever they could to make the victim’s life easier and to keep their name out of things. You’d have thought wrong.

Back in 2005, the Phillies were defendants in a civil suit pertaining to the rape. The Phillies’ lawyers at the time – no idea if they’re still the same council – argued that the girl consented to the sex, at age 11. The trial judge allowed the Phillies’ lawyers to present that argument, and the Phillies were off the hook. This led to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania hearing, in 2008, if that should be allowed. Justice Michael Eakin – currently embroiled in all of that #PornGate email stuff – sided with the trial judge and said “the Phillies and other defendants in cases like this one should be able to show that the 11-year-old had the capacity to consent.”

Luckily, the Supreme Court decided against the Phillies’ lawyers and disallowed the argument that an 11-year-old, legally unable to give consent, gave consent in a case where her two attackers were convicted in a court of law. This isn’t an indictment of the Phillies as much as it is that lawyers for big money organizations are often ruthless and awful and the world is a gross, terrible place.

[h/t Dan McQuade]