Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2016/10/20/montana-judge-unrepentant-afte.html
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This is so sad and disgusting. But it does look like Trump has found his first SCOTUS nominee…
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I think Peter Thiel is first in line for Trump. (not a joke BTW)
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“In summing up, the judge concluded that the repeated assaults were all unrelated one-off incidents that did not indicate a pattern of behavior. He also stressed the importance of considering the effect that a custodial sentence might have on the man’s sons, who would suffer adversely if they were to grow up without a strong male role model, such as a predatory child rapist, in their lives. ‘Families need each other,’ Judge McKeown wrote. ‘The boys need their daddy, just as their daddy for some mysterious reason needed to get into bed with his twelve-year-old daughter every night.’ The judge also dismissed the idea that a sentence of just 60 days imprisonment including time already served was too lenient. ‘This man has suffered and will continue to suffer for his acts,’ he said. ‘Do you have any idea how awkward he’s going to feel at Thanksgiving Dinner this year?’”
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Holy shit 
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This sounds like a huge pile of (most likely white) male privilege.
But I do think that vindictive sentencing is bs and judges should way carefully between protecting victims and society and how sentencing would be influencing rehabilitation of the perpetrator.
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“I’ve already been publicly labeled a rapist. Isn’t that punishment enough?” said every rapist ever.
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Uh, isn’t letting dad go free more likely to negatively affect his sons? Does he go back to the same house as his daughter (seeing how mum even defended the guy). Talk about re-victimization. Sheesh.
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You might want to label that as satire. It’s a little too close to the truth for comfort.
Please be satire. Please be satire.
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C’mon guys, those rapes were just “locker room” rapes!
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Clearly, clearly, it was her fault.
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That poor girl. Someone get her out of that family.
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There are some who think that legal system punishments should be a bludgeon and a tool for vengeance. There are others who think that the purpose of the justice system should be reform and rehabilitation.
Personally I think the sentence does seem light. But some of the comments here make me wonder what it is they actually want.
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They should be sentenced for being accomplices. In addition to aiding and abetting the rapist against the victim in this situation, they’ve just admitted they fully support the rapist training the next generation of rapists.
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That’s the one thing I’m looking for, and can’t find.
I have to believe that they have removed the girl from that family before sending the father back to be with his family.
But I can’t find anything even suggesting that.
If this was the result of a treatable psychological condition, then I do believe the focus should be on fixing the person, not destroying him. But that rehabilitation can only take place within the community if it’s safe. I don’t see how it can be safe, physically or psychologically, for the victim to be living under the same roof as her rapist.
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So you think it’s OK that the rapist moves back in with his victim in 2 months?
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ITA, except that I think the sons will also be harmed by growing up with their father, and likely the women in their lives after that.
Whatever the treatment/sentence, he needs to not be around children at all, male or female.
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Huh, when did we start sentencing people based on what we think they might do in the future as opposed to what they did in the past? Can I get my traffic fines reduced if I promise not to do it again?
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I finally found something that gives me a bit of hope:
Those conditions applicable to the entire 30 year suspended sentence included, but are not limited to, compliance with the community-based sex offender treatment, regular contact with a probation officer and polygraph testing, approval of treatment providers and his probation officer prior to contact with victim or anyone under 18 years of age, no access to materials of sexual nature, limited access to computers and Internet, written approval of residence and before departure from an assigned district and open inspection of residence.
I’m not sourcing it, because the source I found lists the perpetrator’s name, and I’m going to follow the standard of not naming the father to protect the identity of the daughter.
It looks like he’s currently living with his mother and father-in-law, and his sentencing requires that he have permission before having contact with any children.
It’s not ideal, but it’s better than the zero reassurance that I previously had that he wouldn’t just move right back in with the daughter he raped.
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I haven’t seen anything to suggest the girl is safe. He’s not the first sexual predator to be let go, so he can go back to his family and victim. It’s not the first family to prioritize a criminal predator over a girl that’s been victimized.
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