The people are outraged — and rightfully so!
After Brock Turner was sentenced to just six months in jail after he was convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman back in January of last year, many are crying out for justice.
And they’re starting with the judge…
Related: See Rapist Brock Turner’s Mugshot HERE
Santa Clara (Calif.) County Judge Aaron Persky handed out an unusually light six-month sentence to the former Stanford University swimmer, despite sentencing recommendations stating the 20-year-old should face up to 14 years in prison.
The judge cited Turner’s ‘clean’ criminal record, and wrote that a harsh punishment would leave a ‘severe impact’ on him, which, come on — he’s obviously already left a very severe impact on his victim, so how is that overly severe?!
Now, an online petition on Change.org has already garnered nearly 300,000 signatures in support of having Persky recalled!
According to the petition’s mission statement, the arbiter failed to do his job and bring adequate justice to this case:
“Judge Persky failed to see that the fact that Brock Turner is a white male star athlete at a prestigious university does not entitle him to leniency. He also failed to send the message that sexual assault is against the law regardless of social class, race, gender or other factors.”
Persky — a graduate of Stanford, where Turner had been attending as a competitive swimmer when the crime occurred — does have some supporters, though.
Related: MMA Fighter Kimbo Slice Dead At 42
That includes Barbara Miller, a criminal defense attorney who has appeared in Persky’s court before, in saying:
“He considers all facts and is very thorough. He plays it right down the middle.”
Hmm… really???
Persky is also running unopposed to be reelected for his position in California’s state-wide elections today, as Twitter users have been pointing out (below):
Aaron Persky, the judge who gave #BrockTurner 6 months for brutal rape, is running unopposed tomorrow. https://t.co/nvtr30qmQI
— Sarah Thyre (@SarahThyre) June 6, 2016
Ugh.
Related: Demi Lovato Shares A Powerful Post About Victims Of Rape & Sexual Assault
While Persky will undoubtedly be re-elected by virtue of the fact that it was far too late to mount an opposition on him now, hopefully something will come of this petition, and maybe somebody will get it right with this horrible, horrible case.
You can sign the petition HERE!
[Image via YouTube/Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.]
