I don't see it as RMS defending his friend. He was purely concerned with making the correct accusation. Some people considers that as "defending", which might have never been his intention.
Why would he be concerned with such details if not for defending Minsky? He is weird, and pendatic. But that we knew for a long time.
He's insufferable, you mean. They don't give a rat's ass what he actually said or thought, they wanted him out for so long they couldn't believe their luck he decided to publicly redefine the morality of statutory rape on a corporate mailing list.
Some people do software, like Linus Torvalds, other linger for decades doing nothing and discuss the value of rape. Hope we'll hear less of his nonsense in the future.
Why would he be concerned with such details if not for defending Minsky? He is weird, and pendatic. But that we knew for a long time.