Last Wednesday, suspects accused of taking part in the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl last year between appeared in state district court in Liberty, Texas for updates on the status of their cases.

The incidents of sexual assault reportedly took place in a small town about 45 miles northeast of Houston by the name of Cleveland between September and December last year.

Authorities launched an investigation into the crimes after a friend of the victim told a teach that she had seen a graphic cell phone video showing the girl being raped inside and abandoned trailer.

The investigation later revealed that the girl had been sexually assaulted on at least five separate occasions by up to eight males at a time. The suspects were 14 men and 5 juvenile males ranging from middle school age to 27-years-old. Two of the adults involved had criminal records, and two of them were star athletes at a local high school.

Sources said most of the adult suspects now face charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and four of them face a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child. The majority of them have pleaded not guilty. One of the adults was charged with the sexual assault of another female in another case.

The Prosecutor in the case asked for the cases to be delayed until DNA testing evidence is fully prepared by the Texas Department of Public Safety, which could be up to six more weeks.

Source: CBS News, "DNA testing delays cases of Texas men accused of gang raping 11-year-old," Casey Glynn, 6 July 2011.