Students May Face Life Terms in Rapes
Two high school football stars accused of preying on drunken girls at parties could face life in prison under the recently passed Proposition 21.
The pair, now 18, face more than a dozen counts of rape, sexual battery and other sex crimes dating back to last year and involving seven victims.
Brandon McMullen and Jack Soberal were being held at the Contra Costa County jail in Martinez on $1-million bail each.
Proposition 21 gives prosecutors the ability to file charges against juveniles 14 and older in adult court if they are charged with sex crimes or violent felonies.
Neither defendant has a prior criminal record, but both could face life in prison if convicted.
Lawyers for both deny the allegations and say the case has been overcharged and blown out of proportion.
Authorities said most of the alleged assaults occurred at parties in homes where parents were present.
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