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Hundreds rally to protest Montana judge over 31-day rape sentence
Source: Reuters
Hundreds rally to protest Montana judge over 31-day rape sentence
By Laura Zuckerman
Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:13pm EDT
(Reuters) - Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on Thursday outside the offices of a Montana judge to protest a one-month sentence he gave an ex-teacher convicted of raping a 14-year-old student who later killed herself and the judge's remarks suggesting the victim was partly at fault.
District Judge G. Todd Baugh has come under harsh criticism since sentencing former Billings high school teacher Stacey Rambold on Monday to 15 years in prison, then suspending all but 31 days of that term, for the 2007 rape of Cherice Moralez. Rambold, 54, also received credit for one day served.
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The judge, who apologized for his remarks on Wednesday, made an appearance at the protest but did not speak, said Marian Bradley, president of the Montana chapter of National Organization for Women and co-organizer of the rally. Auliea Hanlon, the dead girl's mother, also attended the rally, which organizers said drew 500-700 people.
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By Laura Zuckerman
Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:13pm EDT
(Reuters) - Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on Thursday outside the offices of a Montana judge to protest a one-month sentence he gave an ex-teacher convicted of raping a 14-year-old student who later killed herself and the judge's remarks suggesting the victim was partly at fault.
District Judge G. Todd Baugh has come under harsh criticism since sentencing former Billings high school teacher Stacey Rambold on Monday to 15 years in prison, then suspending all but 31 days of that term, for the 2007 rape of Cherice Moralez. Rambold, 54, also received credit for one day served.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
The judge, who apologized for his remarks on Wednesday, made an appearance at the protest but did not speak, said Marian Bradley, president of the Montana chapter of National Organization for Women and co-organizer of the rally. Auliea Hanlon, the dead girl's mother, also attended the rally, which organizers said drew 500-700 people.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/29/us-usa-montana-rape-idUSBRE97S1AP20130829
19 replies
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Todd Baugh, Mont. judge, defends handing down 30-day sentence to teacher in rape of student
In handing down the sentence, Baugh also said the 14-year-old victim was "older than her chronological age" and "as much in control of the situation" as the teacher. The girl's mother, Auleia Hanlon, stormed out of the courtroom yelling, "You people suck!," the Billings-Gazette reported.
Baugh told the newspaper Tuesday that he stood by his comments that the victim was a troubled youth who was older than her age when it came to sexual matters. That didn't make Rambold's sex with the teen any less of a crime, he said.
"Obviously, a 14-year-old can't consent. I think that people have in mind that this was some violent, forcible, horrible rape," Baugh told the paper. "It was horrible enough as it is just given her age, but it wasn't this forcible beat-up rape."
The victim's death complicated the case, Baugh said. The prosecution and defense reached an agreement after her death that Rambold would enter sexual-offender treatment...
VIDEO at the link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57600471-504083/todd-baugh-mont-judge-defends-handing-down-30-day-sentence-to-teacher-in-rape-of-student/
'Her death complicated the case:'
She's not here to argue the case. The judge said she was troubled, so no spilt milk anyway, huh?
Here's the lucky man who gets to have his cake and eat it too:
And our wise judge who just nullified the verdict of the jurors. He should be protested every single day until he's removed and have another judge send this guy away, if it's possible. It's not double jeopardy, he was found guilty already. He didn't do his treatment, and he'll do it again. If he hasn't already:
In handing down the sentence, Baugh also said the 14-year-old victim was "older than her chronological age" and "as much in control of the situation" as the teacher. The girl's mother, Auleia Hanlon, stormed out of the courtroom yelling, "You people suck!," the Billings-Gazette reported.
Baugh told the newspaper Tuesday that he stood by his comments that the victim was a troubled youth who was older than her age when it came to sexual matters. That didn't make Rambold's sex with the teen any less of a crime, he said.
"Obviously, a 14-year-old can't consent. I think that people have in mind that this was some violent, forcible, horrible rape," Baugh told the paper. "It was horrible enough as it is just given her age, but it wasn't this forcible beat-up rape."
The victim's death complicated the case, Baugh said. The prosecution and defense reached an agreement after her death that Rambold would enter sexual-offender treatment...
VIDEO at the link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57600471-504083/todd-baugh-mont-judge-defends-handing-down-30-day-sentence-to-teacher-in-rape-of-student/
'Her death complicated the case:'
She's not here to argue the case. The judge said she was troubled, so no spilt milk anyway, huh?
Here's the lucky man who gets to have his cake and eat it too:
And our wise judge who just nullified the verdict of the jurors. He should be protested every single day until he's removed and have another judge send this guy away, if it's possible. It's not double jeopardy, he was found guilty already. He didn't do his treatment, and he'll do it again. If he hasn't already:
