Prison-free rape is becoming the norm in the news. It’s actually been the norm for decades — just never has gotten so much press. So there is that.
A sexual rape/sexual assault case hit social media Monday afternoon. Former Massachusetts high school student David Becker was convicted of two counts of rape and one assault and battery charge of two unconscious women during a house party. His prison sentence for the crimes? Zero. And it gets worse.
Becker, a three-sport athlete at the school, will be permitted to serve probation in Ohio, where he plans to attend college, and will not be required to register as a sex offender.
“He can now look forward to a productive life without being burdened with the stigma of having to register as a sex offender,” said his attorney, Thomas Rooke. “The goal of this sentence was not to impede this individual from graduating high school and to go onto the next step of his life, which is a college experience.”
The sentence also states that no conviction will appear on his record if he complies with the terms of his probation. Becker denied having sexual contact with one of the victims and as for the other victim, he figured she wanted it because she didn’t stop hm. That woman said she had heard Becker had similarly assaulted other girls in the past — earning him the nickname “David the rapist.”
The judge reportedly took the recommendations of Becker’s attorney, Thomas Rooke. Well, of course he did.
“We all made mistakes when we were 17, 18, 19 years old, and we shouldn’t be branded for life with a felony offense and branded a sex offender,” Rooke said. “Putting this kid in jail for two years would have destroyed this kid’s life.”
The things I want to say …
This seems surreal, but it’s quite real and happens all too often. This summer has reeked with similar cases, one seemingly worse then the last. In June there was Brock Turner, 20, in California who got three months in a county jail for rape/sexual assault. Then there was Austin Wilkerson, 20, in Colorado, who was sentenced to some jail for sexual assault but is allowed to leave jail (Otis style) on a work program. And now we have David Becker, 18, in Massachusetts who not only gets no prison time, his crimes may be erased from records.
The victims? Oh, don’t worry about them. They matter not to judges these days. That is going to change as social media exposes more and more of them.
Read the full story here.
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If you or someone you know is, or has ever been, a victim of rape/sexual assault, you are not alone and it’s never too late to seek help. You can find free support via the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and/or by visiting the Rape, Abuse Incest National Network/online.RAINN.org. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. You do not have to live with guilt and shame. You are not alone. It’s not your fault.
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