A group of Jane Doe supporters stood outside the Jefferson County Justice Center linked arm and arm anxiously waiting for Judge Thomas Lipps’ decision Sunday morning.

Many cried in relief and hope after a mix of emotions leading up to the final moment.

"I'm happy. I'm so ecstatic. These boys deserve everything that they are going to get coming," said Shantella Colson, a student at Indian Creek High School and Jane Doe supporter.

Since the hacktivist group, Anonymous, got involved in January, its mission was to make a change.
The rallies have been peaceful, but words spoken after the decision and sentence were announced spoke volumes to the supporters’ passion.

"This is good, this is good. This is something we did not expect. We expected, 'Oh they'll walk.' We were ready to be that angry mob," said Sable Foster, of East Liverpool. "I want them to be marked with that letter, that letter 'R,' a scarlet letter."

To the supporters, Sunday was the culmination of efforts in the case to unveil a stigma attached to violence and rape while celebrating human dignity and respect.

"(I feel) a sigh of relief, very good … that's a very good thing. It sends a message out saying you can't get away with this in Steubenville," said Anonymousphere, the local rally leader.

Many of the supporters said they believe the defendants should have been tried as adults. But they said they are satisfied that the judge will require the two defendants to register as sex offenders.

"We believe that this is a positive day. Even if it's only juvenile court, which none of us are happy about, we believe that it was an adult crime and have adult time. But this is significant," said an anonymous Jane Doe supporter.