Witness for all the Victims – Rape at Stanford
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
June 8, 2016
If ever there was a time to reach into the screen –
either the computer where you are reading this column, or the television where
you get most of your news, to grab hold of a trio of smarmy, maladjusted
cretins and pound their idiotic faces into hash, this is certainly that time.
There is something afoul within the justice system of the
United States – so disgraceful and repugnant that all Americans must take
notice and act – if not on their own behalf, then on behalf of the decent law
abiding people who may one day become victims or have their lives affected by
their association with victims.
Two people’s lives have been inalterably affected by the
actions of one – one person made a choice, the other a victim of that choice. Victim
and perpetrator will be inexorably linked in perpetuity. In January 2015 Brock
Allen Turner, then a freshman attending Stanford University, sexually assaulted
an unconscious, half-naked 23 year old woman. The crime was discovered and the
woman rescued by two bicycling graduate students. Both victim and attacker had
been drinking – and yes, that matters.
But for now, what matters most is that on Thursday, June 2,
the judge, Stanford alumnus Aaron Persky, sentenced Turner, now 20, to a mere
six months in county jail followed by probation instead of a maximum of 14
years in state prison for being found guilty of three felonious counts of
sexual assault. The jury was unanimous in their January 2016 verdict regarding
Turner’s sexual assault and bodily violation of an unconscious woman. Even 14
years is far too minimal a sentence for the heinousness of the crime in
question.
I am not going to waste time condemning the defense team
for zealously defending their client – that is what they get paid handsomely
for in the first place. They played it smart by going after the victim, who
admitted her memory was faulty for overindulging in alcohol.
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge, the not so
honorable Aaron Persky, opined in his pathetic ruling that a longer sentence
would have a “severe impact” on Turner, a champion swimmer with Olympic
aspirations. “Severe impact?” Isn’t that the purpose of punishment? Shouldn’t
the reparations with which Turner is saddled have a severe impact? This isn’t
swim camp after all, this is prison for violating an innocent woman. Making
matters worse, is that Turner showed no remorse for his crime, and instead
blamed it on the alcohol. If alcohol is to be a collaborator in Turner’s
heinous act, then should not alcohol be rendered illegal?
And what about the severe impact Turner’s crime has on
the victim? Not had, as in past tense, has, as she must live with the emotional
and physical scars for the rest of her days. The victim’s impact statement, while
lengthy, roughly 7,200 words, is absolutely worth reading. Hers is an anguish
that will undoubtedly outlast the six month gift of a sentence handed to
Turner. (https://www.buzzfeed.com/katiejmbaker/heres-the-powerful-letter-the-stanford-victim-read-to-her-ra?utm_term=.mqNnAkrvD#.rt8OgQzK3)
Adding insult to injury, Turner’s father, Dan Turner, is
exhibit “A” why his son demonstrated no remorse for his crime. Dan Turner said
of his son’s life, “it will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked
so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out
of his 20-plus years of life.”
“Action?” What a piece of work this father is. No doubt he
is up for father of the year. Turner sounds like a four year old who doesn’t
understand right from wrong, and is calling his son’s sexually assaulting an
unconscious woman “20 minutes of action.” Should James Holmes’ shooting and
murder barrage in an Aurora, CO movie theater in 2012 be called five minutes of
action and summarily dismissed? Is the amount of time it took to commit the
crime actually relevant when determining the sentence?
And what about the dreams of the victim? They are
shattered – even if temporarily, when they should not have been at all. She is
now living a life of fear, trepidation, loathing, sleepless nights, and with a
lack of trust – none of which is by her own choosing. Those 20 minutes manifestly
changed her life.
Dan Turner also reported that his precious, privileged,
progeny hasn’t been able to eat and enjoy his rib eye steaks the way he used
to. No doubt the victim is not enjoying her meals or her life as she once did,
but hey, Brock Turner’s ability to enjoy his steaks is what matters. Both Dan
and Brock Turner are a pair of obsequious weasels.
One might suggest were it not for the alcohol there might
not be a victim or a perpetrator. That might be true. Perhaps a conscious potential
victim could have fought off her attacker. Perhaps the attacker might not have
sought to violate an unconscious woman had he not been under the influence. But
how inebriated does one need be to sexually assault an unconscious woman and
still maintain the faculties necessary to perform in such a manner? Yes, Turner
was drunk. But the victim was unconscious and unable to grant consent to
anything. If Turner was able to violate her person, he was capable of making a
decision – he chose wrongly and for that, should spend more time in jail than a
mere six months. Turner must also register as a sex offender for the remainder
of his life. Perhaps one day when women refuse his requests for dates because
he is a vicious sex offender will Turner understand what the words personal
responsibility mean, but from the excuses offered for his actions, don’t hold
your breath.
As for the dishonorable Judge Persky, he was up for
reelection on Tuesday, June 7, but did not appear on the ballot for his six
year term as he faced no opposition. Perhaps smugness led him to make such a
disastrous ruling. Recall efforts are in effect. An on-line petition at www.change.org has garnered more than 600,000
signatures – mine will be one of them – demanding Persky’s removal from the
bench. A formal printed petition requiring roughly 70,000 signatures would
place Persky’s name on the November ballot for recall.
Persky’s decision is an ignominy, a mockery of the
judicial system, and an insult to every victim of rape and sexual assault.
Clearly the blindfold was stripped off of Lady Justice. Persky is a capricious
worm who should be removed from the bench and disbarred. Hold Aaron Persky
accountable for not holding Brock Allen Turner accountable.
Sanford D. Horn is
a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
