2014 University of Minnesota rape case

The 2014 University of Minnesota rape case gained national attention due to inadequate police responses to sexual assault victims. The victim, 19-year-old Abby Honold, was raped by Daniel "Dan" York Drill-Mellum, a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity member, in November 2014. After escaping the attack, Honold reported the incident and sought medical attention, where her severe injuries shocked hospital staff. Initial charges were dropped after a secretly recorded phone call between Drill-Mellum and Honold was played for the prosecutor, who mistakenly interpreted her response to a question about consent as corroborating the defendant's alibi. In December 2015, University of Minnesota police detective Kevin Randolph reopened the case following a review of the recording. Drill-Mellum was later charged with two counts of rape after another victim came forward, accusing him of raping her on Halloween 2014. On August 31, 2016, he was sentenced to 74 months in prison but was released on September 29, 2020. Honold's case highlighted systemic failures in law enforcement handling of sexual assault cases. She advocated for federal funding to improve training for officials and first responders, leading to the introduction of the Abby Honold Bill by Senator Amy Klobuchar in 2017. The bill was enacted into law on March 15, 2022, as part of a $1.5 trillion budget bill. It provides federal grants to law enforcement agencies and establishes a two-year program to train officers on conducting interviews without re-traumatizing victims. The case also received significant media attention, including an episode of *Dr. Phil* in November 2016 ...