SALEM — A former Salem High football player was sentenced to 61/2 to 8 years in state prison yesterday for his role in the gang rape of a classmate in 2008.
Rafael Nina-Brito, now 22, of Lynn, told a Salem Superior Court judge that he is sorry.
“I never intended to do anything bad to her,” he told the court.
But his victim was not present to hear that apology. Prosecutor Greg Friedholm told Judge John Lu that she was still too upset over the response of Nina-Brito’s family to the verdict in March, when Nina-Brito was found guilty on a charge of rape.
Police had to be called to the courthouse on the afternoon of March 30 after Nina-Brito’s mother and sisters launched into a vulgar tirade both inside and outside the court following the verdict. The victim was taunted, and Nina-Brito’s mother yelled, “We’ll take care of this another way.”
