Posted on 11/18/2021 10:31:48 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
A New York man who pleaded guilty to rape and sexual abuse for assaulting four teenage girls during parties at his parents' home will not face jail time after a judge on Tuesday sentenced him to eight years probation.
Niagara County Court Judge Matthew Murphy said he "agonized" over the case of 20-year-old Christopher Belter, who was accused of committing the crimes when he was 16 or 17. Belter pleaded guilty in 2019 to a series of felony charges that included third-degree rape and attempted first-degree sexual abuse, as well as two misdemeanor charges of second-degree sexual abuse.
Although Belter faced a maximum sentence of eight years in prison, Murphy concluded that jail time for the man "would be inappropriate" in a ruling that shocked the courtroom.
Steven Cohen, an attorney for one of the victims, denounced the judge's sentencing, saying to reporters on Tuesday, "Justice was not done here." He told The Washington Post on Wednesday that his client, who was joined by some of the other victims in the courtroom, was "deeply disappointed" in the sentencing.
"My client threw up in the ladies room following the sentencing," Cohen said. "If Chris Belter was not a White defendant from a rich and influential family, in my experience . . . he would surely have been sentenced to prison."
Barry Covert, Belter's attorney, declined to comment. After the sentencing was handed down, the defense attorney told reporters that Belter regretted what he did as a teen.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Future Democrat politician.
Next time he won’t leave a witness.
Ya send a helluva message to your community, Judge.
Resign.
Ya send a helluva message to your community, Judge.
Resign.
Unbelievable.
“Kennedyesque”
No, but the death penalty IS appropriate.
Of course, the lawyer has to bring race into it. *sigh*
It is now up to the families of the victims to see this punk will for the rest of his life wish he had been sent to prison.
> . “If Chris Belter was not a White defendant from a rich and influential family, in my experience . . . he would surely have been sentenced to prison.” <
I’m guessing that Judge Murphy will be coming into quite a bit of money soon.
Judges complain about mandatory minimums. Wonder why?
All of these kinds of stories lead me to wonder when the next Gary Plauch will step forward.
I guess that now makes him eligible for a Harvard Law school scholarship?
Poor God. The stupidity that He gets blamed for.
Interesting how the Left elites in Media and Academia denounce vigilantism in Kyle Rittenhouse but fail to see how rulings like this lead directly to it.
Why wouldn’t it be appropriate?
NYS is planning on closing 6 prisons.
There’s likely no place to put him thanks to that.
Time to remove that judge from the bench.
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