Brock Turner — now 20 years old — was recently found guilty of three felony sexual assault counts related to an attack on an unconscious woman that happened a little over a year ago. Two of his fellow students said they saw him in the act, stopped him, pinned him down.. and held him there until he was arrested.
A jury found this man guilty. No outrage there. But he could have been sentenced to up to 14 years behind bars. Instead, prosecutors recommended six years, a probation officer recommended six months, and the judge went with that. Six months in county jail.
Jim fully disclosed that he is outraged by this, as are many others, who are calling for the judge in the case to be recalled.
Retired Judge Maria Lopez comes from a very different place in all this. Lopez was that judge back in 2000, who sentenced Charles "Ebony" Horton to a year of house arrest and five years probation after Horton pleaded guilty to kidnapping, assault with intent to rape a child, and other assault charges. The victim there was an 11-year-old boy.
Lopez started her position on the issue by saying that according to California law, sexual assault is not rape. She finds the sentencing of Brock Turner to be reasonable. “We over incarcerate, to begin with. I’d like anybody to do six months in a prison and see what they think about the experience,” Lopez added.
Lopez also considered the drinking to be a mitigating factor. Both Turner, and the anonymous victim were both intoxicated. Plus, Turner was a 19-year-old at the time, and Lopez takes consideration that he is not full mature.
When it comes to incarceration, Lopez states three purposes for incarcerating an individual:
Lopez has been in a position of public scrutiny. She finds that the media is doing the public a disservice by reporting only part of the situation without knowing the nuances of the case. Because of this Lopez believes cameras should not be allowed in the courtroom.
