Judge apologizes for teen rape remarks, but defends sentence

http://www.lasvegassun.com ^ | Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013 | 10:30 p.m. | By Matt Volz and Matthew Brown, Associated Press

[IronJack]

Is it possible the girl consented? Or that she even initiated the act? Does the blame fall entirely on the male?

[autumnraine]

drunknsage on this thread said some controversial things about this girl.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3059843/posts

(Freeper etiquette requires pinging of drunknsage)

[popdonnelly]

He deserves to be off the bench. Anyone out there ready to lead the charge?

[Valpal1]

Yes, of a fourteen year old student who committed suicide at 16.

This is an elected judge, so the voters can remove him from the bench by recall or next year by voting for the other guy.

He was unopposed last time, I expect he will have opposition next year.

[Valpal1]

Is it possible the girl consented? Or that she even initiated the act? Does the blame fall entirely on the male? YES! Can you be so dumb as to not realize that an adult male as a duty as an adult to protect a child from exploitation by himself as well as others. When a needy, naive, emotionally messed up fourteen year old throws herself on you, you are supposed to stop her and get her help, not take advantage of her and use her for their own gratification. That is a totally douche bag question.

[ontap]

Sounds like he is under some pressure of maybe losing the birds nest on the ground job he has been holding down!!!

[jonno]

Apparently it wasn’t “rape” rape.

sigh...

[The Louiswu]

That’s one...got any more? You did use the plural, “Freepers”

[IronJack]

You probably could have just answered the question without the snark. I think you’re assigning me motives I don’t have.

[autumnraine]

No, as a matter of fact *I* didn’t. I am not the original Freeper you were talking to. I just happened to read the comments and gave an example I had seen. Go ask the person you were originally talking to for the plural ones.

[Sopater]

Is it possible the girl consented?

No, she was 14

Or that she even initiated the act?

Doesn't matter, she was 14 and her teacher was over 50!

Does the blame fall entirely on the male?

Yes, definitely.

[Valpal1]

What type of adult asks that question?

The type that want to blame the victim or the type that is unaware of their adult responsibilities toward children or the type that refuses to accept adult responsibility while exercising adult prerogatives.

i.e. douche bag

Seriously, what was your motive for asking the question?

[IronJack]

The distinction between forcible rape and statutory rape is a legal one, not one I invented.

[GeronL]

the rapist and judge do not belong in civilized society

[IronJack]

To play devil’s advocate ...
Does the fact that she was 14 mean she couldn’t consent? Does it mean she couldn’t initiate the act?

Would it have been more acceptable if she was 16 and her teacher was 30? How about if she was 17 and he was 25? How about if she was 17 and 364 days and he was 18 and 1 day? Where do you draw the age line? Or is age even the right criterion by which to judge sexual consent?

[Sopater]

Does the fact that she was 14 mean she couldn’t consent?

Yes, as a minor of age 14 she cannot legally consent.

Does it mean she couldn’t initiate the act?

It means it doesn't matter if she initiates the act or not, the 50-yr-old teacher is supposed to be the grown-up here.

Where do you draw the age line? Or is age even the right criterion by which to judge sexual consent?

Society draws the line where it likes, passes a law, and that's the line you don't cross. If you don't like the law, you work to change it or move somewhere that better suits you.

[Sopater]

Where do you draw the age line?

Also, wherever the line is "legally" drawn is not the definition between "right and wrong", only between "legal and illegal". Sometimes, that which is "legal" is "wrong", and that which is "illegal" is still "right". If you're going to do what's either wrong, illegal, or both, you'd better be prepared to suffer the consequences. It just sucks that this judge decided that there were no serious "legal" consequences for what this guy did, but it doesn't mean there won't be other consequences.

[IronJack]

So if “society” (whoever HE is) says the age of consent is 14? 13? Nonexistent? Then suddenly this rapist isn’t a criminal anymore?

I didn’t ask if the girl at age 14 could LEGALLY consent. I asked if she could consent.

[IronJack]

You’ve made part of my point. The age line is a LEGAL boundary (and an arbitrary one at that). It is not a MORAL boundary. It could be argued that this girl at 14 was more emotionally mature than other women at 30. And it could be argued that this man at 50+ is no more legally culpable for the act than his willing and informed partner.

It is arbitrary to assume that a 14-year-old is incapable of deciding whether she wants to have sex or not. And it is equally arbitrary to assume that the 50+-year-old man has a greater responsibility to safeguard her chastity than she herself does.

Again, in the interest of playing devil’s advocate.

[Sopater]

Do you work hard at being this dense, or does it come natrually for you?

In America, "society" elects legislators who makes laws. That's how society decides who's a criminal or not.

Since I'm differentiating between whats "legal" and "moral", and you are saying that you didn't ask if she could LEGALLY consent, you must be asking if it is MORALLY acceptable for a 50-yr-old teacher to sleep with his 14-yr-old student?!?!?!

God help us all...