STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (KDKA) — There was more national attention for the Steubenville rape case in Thursday as it was the focus of the “Dr. Phil” show.

Not only do two Steubenville High School football players face charges, but the entire town has been tossed into turmoil.

“Everybody’s judging our whole town,” said the mother of a football player who did not attend the party as she was engaged in a heated exchange with a former prosecutor on the “Dr. Phil” television show that aired Thursday.

Attorney Walter Madison, who represents one of the players charged, admitted his client was with the girl in question, but says there is a lot of misinformation about the case generated on the Internet.

Steubenville Police Chief Bill McCafferty defended his department’s investigation.

And Dr. Phil himself asked everyone, “Where the hell were the parents?”

It’s a question asked frequently about Steubenville since the juvenile court rape case put the town in the national spotlight. It’s a town accustomed to a simpler lifestyle than the prying eyes of a national stage requires.

“I just want to get it settled. I’m tired of it,” said Jim Pinnelo of Steubenville.

“I think they should do something about the person that raped her,” said Norma Taylor.

Keith Lyons, known as “The Rev” on a local YouTube commentary site, hopes the attention to the issue and to Steubenville shifts eventually.

“I just wonder what their next move is,” he said. “I think they’ve been able to bring some positive as well as some negative light to this issue, but what’s the next move? Is this just a one-hit wonder or are they going to go to other issues – discrimination, whatever?”

Steubenville City Manager Cathy Davison declined an on camera interview, but told KDKA’s Harold Hayes the Dr. Phil show on Steubenville was generally positive.

RELATED LINKS:
New Details Emerging In Steubenville Rape Investigation (1/7/13)
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