Judge won't separate trials in Naval Academy rape case

A U.S military judge Sunday refused to separate the trials of three former Naval Academy football players charged with rape. Navy Cmdr. Robert Monahan refused a defense request to halt the current proceedings against the trio in favor of separate trials for each defendant. The Washington Post said Monahan made his ruling prior to the resumption of testimony from the alleged victim, a senior midshipman who alleged the three defendants assaulted her at an alcohol-fueled off-campus party in 2012. The victim has testified she was drunk at the time and did not recall having sex with the defendants; however she was the subject of campus rumors to that effect in the following days. The judge agreed Sunday to adjourn no later than 6 p.m. EDT. The woman, whose name was not released, had been on the stand for 20 hours prior to Sunday's proceedings and was complaining of exhaustion, the Post said.