After an argument over a man, a woman filmed the rape of her unconscious friend, posted videos of the attack to Snapchat and even narrated the sexual assault, prosecutors said Thursday.
It all began on Aug. 24 when Beth Rae Harris, 36, and the victim got into a fight over a man at a party, Assistant State’s Attorney Nora Gill said during a bond hearing.
The fight “dissipated,” however, Gill said, and the two women made up and went on to a club and hotel afterparty together.
According to prosecutors, the 23-year-old victim drank heavily before eventually passing out in Harris’ apartment in the 7400 block of North Artesian Avenue.
It was there, Gill said, that Harris encouraged one or more males to rape the 23-year-old woman.
The victim did not wake up until the next morning, when she found herself completely naked and sore, prosecutors said.
Authorities have not yet identified the man or men involved in the assault. An investigation into the rape is ongoing.
Before the victim left Harris’ home, Gill said, Harris told the woman “that a man had sex with [her] while [she] was passed out.”
The woman went home, prosecutors said, and soon realized that Harris had used the victim’s phone to post multiple graphic videos of the rape to the victim’s Snapchat account.
The victim is unconscious in the videos.
Also posted to the victim’s Snapchat account is a video of Harris calling the victim derogatory names while claiming the woman slapped her, prosecutors said.
Multiple Snapchat users saw the videos, according to Gill. A witness was able to identify Harris as the woman ranting in a video and occasionally narrating the rape videos, authorities said.
According to her public defender, Harris has three children. She is charged with nonconsensual dissemination of sexual images.
Harris also has pending unrelated cases for criminal damage to property and violating probation, court records show.
She has previously been convicted of battery, reckless conduct, resisting arrest and aggravated battery to a peace officer.
Cook County Judge James Brown on Thursday set bail at $150,000.
