BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Parents of two women who accused former IU student John Enochs of raping them in separate incidents, one in 2013 and one in 2015, have released a joint statement in response to a plea agreement.
Enochs reached a plea deal with Monroe County prosecutors in which two rape charges were dropped, and Enochs plead guilty to battery against the woman in the 2015 case. He will serve one year probation and no prison time
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“These last few days have been extremely painful and frustrating for our daughters,” read the statement provided to Call 6 Investigates. “As with all victims of sexual assault, it took tremendous strength and courage for them to come forward. Despite understanding the high burden the State faces in a criminal trial and knowing the additional emotional pain trials would cause, our daughters were resolute that a jury would eventually hear and see all of the evidence and then decide Mr. Enochs’ fate.”
Enochs was not criminally convicted in the 2013 rape case.
“Our daughters were in frequent contact with the prosecuting attorneys throughout the criminal litigation process,” read the families’ statement. “They both fully cooperated with everything that was asked of them. They were never told a plea agreement was even being discussed with Mr. Enochs’ attorneys.”
The families of the women who accused Enochs of rape said they were shocked to learn of the “insignificant” plea.
“They learned of these outcomes not from the prosecuting attorneys, but second-hand,” read the statement. “It was only when we contacted the prosecuting attorneys that we were told. What is even more troubling is that the prosecuting attorney’s recent public statement presents the evidence only in a light most favorable to Mr. Enochs.”
As Call 6 Investigates reported, Monroe County prosecutors said there were evidentiary problems with the case, including witness testimony, video, photos and DNA.
“Our daughters are determined and resolute to seek justice, not only for themselves, but also in the hope that other victims of sexual assaults will not be discouraged from coming forward,” read the families’ statement. “Our daughters appreciate the support being expressed to them by thousands of people they do not know and will likely never know.”
Both women have filed separate civil suitsin an attempt to get justice.
Jeff Herman, the 2015 victim’s attorney, also took exception to the prosecutor’s statement about problems with the DNA evidence found on the victim.
“The comments about other DNA are disappointing,” said Herman. “It amounts to nothing more than victim shaming. The only relevant question is whether the accused perpetrator’s DNA is present. Both of these young women should be applauded for their bravery in coming forward.”
Monroe County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Bob Miller released a response to the families’ statement Thursday.
“We made numerous attempts to communicate with the victim from the 2015 case in the month preceding the plea without success,” said Miller. “In the days prior to the plea we also attempted to contact the victim in the dismissed case without success. We proceeded with the plea because we were under a deadline.”
It is RTV6 policy to not identify rape victims unless they give permission to do so.
Enochs' defense attorney Kitty Liell said her client was not willing to be interviewed on camera, but said Enochs did not rape anyone and should never have been charged with the offenses:
"As the Monroe County prosecutors' office has acknowledged through their voluntary dismissal of the rape charges, John Enochs did not rape anyone and he should never have been charged with these offenses. Rather, due to the misconduct of the lead investigator who presented false and misleading evidence in her public probable cause affidavit – and failed to provide the Court with exculpatory evidence – John Enochs was charged with crimes he did not commit. After John Enochs presented evidence to demonstrate his innocence of the sensationalized and false charges, the prosecutor's office, on their own motion, dismissed both rape charges. John Enochs did admit to conduct in one instance that the Court found to be a misdemeanor. He is profoundly sorry for his lack of judgment and has apologized for his conduct. Issues of alcohol and sexual misconduct are serious issues on college campuses across the country, but such issues are trivialized when law enforcement misrepresents the true facts and fails to investigate the allegations fully and fairly."
Enochs did not graduate from IU, and left the university in May 2015. However, it’s unclear if he was expelled or if he left on his own.
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In the 2013 case, the woman alleged Enochs raped her at the Delta Tau Delta house while she was passed out.
