When consent is impossible

New York is one of 35 states without a law banning sex between police officers and individuals in their custody, even though it explicitly bars such contact for parole and corrections officers. We are reminded of this obscene and absurd fact because former Detectives Eddie Martins and Richard Hall are presently on trial for rape for what they claim was a consensual encounter with 18-year-old Anna “Chambers” (that’s her social media screen name). What’s not in dispute: In Brooklyn one night last September, Chambers and two male friends were caught with marijuana by the detectives. Martins and Hall released her friends, then drove Chambers away, handcuffed, in their unmarked police van. Prosecutors say what happened next was rape. The cops say it was consensual. We shouldn’t even be having this conversation. Change the law.