Brock Turner, a former Stanford University student, was sentenced to just six months in jail with probation after being unanimously found guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman.
The sentence, which falls short of Californian guidelines on minimum sentencing and is an offensively small fraction of the maximum sentencing of four years, has been the source of much controversy.
Judge Aaron Persky continues to come under fire for his decision to hand convicted rapist Brock Tuner an infuriating 6-month sentence, which Turner is expected to only serve half off.
In the weeks since the trial took place, letters have emerged from the Turner’s father, friends, and ex-girlfriend, all rallying around the convicted rapist.
In the most recent bid to show solidarity with the Turner, who has been banned from USA swimming for life, a ‘Family Support’ page has been set up on Facebook.
The description of which reads:
‘They are dealing with a monumental life-changing and tragic situation and their expenses continue to mount!’
The first pictures shared on the page on June 12th were a Turner family portrait profile photo and a cover image of Brock swimming.
It is not the fact that this page exists that is not boding well with people online, it is the disgusting content being shared on the page.
This ‘who’s the real victim’ vile post is pinned to the top of the Facebook page:
The post refers to the victim as a ‘coward’ and ‘a liar’.
“It has been months and the accuser has yet to publicly come forward to face our son. Instead she chose only to read a victim impact statement in the courtroom like a coward. Embarrassing our son before his friends and family. She refuses to put a name and a face to her story for the world to see. Why? She is terrified that the world will See her for who she truly is. A liar. She is terrified what may be unearthed if someone were to dig deep enough into her relationship history. She is terrified that the world will find out she is a co-conspirator in labeling our son a criminal. A co-conspirator in keeping him from achieving his dreams.”
The most recent post, which depicts a sleeping woman accompanied by text that reads ‘If you’re unconscious how can you be scarred for life?’ was uploaded and edited to include this line:
‘It is physically impossible to be scarred for life by events that transpired while you are blissfully unaware of the euphoric feelings of consensual petting’.
‘Blissfully unaware of the euphoric feelings of consensual petting’.
Disgusting.
Judge Aaron Persky has defended the minimal sentence by stating that he believes Turner showed evidence of sufficient remorse in his impact statement.
The sentence has been particularly controversial because of a powerful letter from the victim claiming she believed Turner failed to accept responsibility for his crimes.
Turner’s ex-girlfriend Lydia Pocisk penned was the latest person to pen a letter in support which circulated online.
In the letter she portrays Turner as a kind and caring individual writing:
“Brock and I have been friends for a bit over 8 years, first meeting in junior high when our two elementary schools converged.”
“After meeting through this, we quickly became friends through mutual friends and then began a closer friendship after he started swimming with me at the Dayton Raiders.
“Through our 8 years of friendship, 2 of which we spent dating (our junior and senior year of high school), I have spent countless enjoyable hours with him, alongside family, and alongside friends.”
Pocisk attempted to convince Judge Persky that Turner is a decent human, recalling a conversation the pair had years previously.
“I asked why he had gotten so good at everything he did, and his answer surprised me. He simply said, ‘It’s not as fun to not be successful or not work hard.’ He worked harder than any person I know, in the water, out of the water and in the classroom. With this, it sounds like he could not have possibly made adequate time for a girlfriend, but I strongly beg to differ.
“He ensured that l was okay and happy in all that I was doing, he helped me learn a lot about myself and about the person I could be. He never once pressured me into any situation or any decision that I didn’t feel true in myself in”.
“The fact I am even writing this letter is something I never saw coming, or could ever imagine, this in itself l believe to speak numbers. You would think a close friendship of 8 years could predict something like this happening, but the type of person Brook is could never deserve this or do anything he has been convicted of in a thousand of his lives.”
She concluded by expressing her anger at God for “for instilling such pain on such an undeserving soul.”
If you haven’t read the victim impact statement provided by the woman Brock Turner raped, you can do so here. It is something everyone should read.
