“I know I can impact and change people’s attitudes towards the culture surrounded by binge drinking and sexual promiscuity that protrudes through what people think is at the core of being a college student,” Brock Turner said to the judge.
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office via AP
Getty
Turner, 20, was convicted on three counts of sexual assault. Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky sentenced him to six months — three in the county jail and three on probation — saying that a longer sentence in prison would "severely impact" the college swimmer's life.
A letter read aloud by the victim to her assailant during the trial has been read by millions of people across the world since BuzzFeed News published it on Friday.
Turner's statement, which was read aloud in court and included to a court file obtained by The Guardian, was a plea to the judge for a shorter sentence and probation.
"During the day, I shake uncontrollably from the amount I torment myself by thinking about what has happened," Turner wrote. "I wish I had the ability to go back in time and never pick up a drink that night, let alone interact with [the victim]."
"I've lost two jobs solely based on the reporting of my case," Turner continued, explaining about the ways in which is life was "ruined" by this case. "I wish I never was good at swimming or had the opportunity to attend Stanford, so maybe the newspapers wouldn't want to write stories about me."
Tuner said he regretted causing the victim harm and promised to use his experience to "change people's attitudes towards the culture surrounded by binge drinking and sexual promiscuity that protrudes through what people think is at the core of being a college student."
He also asked to be placed on probation.
"I've been shattered by the party culture and risk-taking behavior that I briefly experienced in my four months at school," he said in the conclusion of his statement.
Judge Persky handed down the light sentence based on Turner's statement, the suggestion of a probation officer, and a number of "character letters" defending Turner, one of which was written by his father that has since garnered outrage online.
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1UfDWOR
No comments:
Post a Comment