Judge Is Suspended For Blaming 14 Year Old Girl for Rape

[doggie]

it is not much but it is a start and it is about time.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/24 ... e-culture/

Last year, a Montana judge decided that a 47 year old teacher should only serve a whole whopping 30 days in jail for raping a 14 year old student. Why? Because the girl was clearly asking for it and was “as much in control of the situation†as her rapist. You know how slutty those 14 year old chicks can be. Never mind that whole “kids can’t consent†thing, it was totally consensual. Oh and don’t worry about the fact Cherice Moralez, the not-really-a-victim, later committed suicide before the trial. Clearly she wasn’t a victim at all.

It was yet another depressing case of “blame the victim†rape culture. Most of the time, rape culture has its way and everyone involved except the victim and her family wander off whistling happily. But this time, the judge didn’t get away with it:

(Reuters) – The Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday censured a judge and suspended him for 31 days for improperly suggesting a 14-year-old girl was culpable in her rape and unlawfully sentencing the former teacher convicted of the crime to just a month in jail.

State District Judge G. Todd Baugh was silent after Montana’s chief justice read aloud a censure statement at a brief hearing Tuesday in Helena. Women’s rights activists have been seeking Baugh’s ouster for almost a year.

The courts ordered the rapist to be resentenced back in May as well. The minimum is two years but it could be longer depending on what prosecutors ask for.

The 31 day suspension may seem like a slap on the wrist but it sets a precedent, in Montana at least, that blaming underage victims for their rape will not be tolerated. Baugh has already said he will retire at the end of the year rather than seek reelection so, at the very least, a judge with extremely questionable judgement is off the bench.

There’s a long way to go before we overcome rape culture but even a small step forward is still progress.

[Chowder Head]

I do believe the slap on the wrist for this judge is almost another slap in the girls face. But atleast his is getting punished. However, I think maybe some counseling would be good for him to.

[doggie]

I Agree but it is a first really and the asshole is getting a new a sentence. Though a suspension for a judge may be more then it is for normal people.

[Curious]

While the 31 day suspension doesn't seem like much of a punishment, I wonder how much of a part, the whole investigation, sanction committee (or whatever vehicle is used for judges in MT) and the suspension played in this Judge deciding not to run again.

On the surface, it may not look like much, but in the grand scheme of things, it may have been the thing that got this guy off the bench.

[RosyDaisy]

Suspended for 31 days? Not good enough. He should be removed from the bench permanently, and banned from practicing law or ever holding a political position.... and that's just for starters.