What’s Next For Kaitlyn Hunt, The Teen Charged With A Felony For Same-Sex Relationship With Classmat

[DonViejo]

What’s Next For Kaitlyn Hunt, The Teen Charged With A Felony For Same-Sex Relationship With Classmate

On Friday night, 18-year-old Kaitlyn Smith and her family went public with their story: Kaitlyn was charged with a felony stemming from a relationship she had with a 15-year-old girl at her high school. The response in the 48-hours that followed, Kaitlyn’s father Steven Hunt told ThinkProgress in an interview, was “extraordinary.”

Already, nearly 40,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Assistant State Attorney, Brian Workman, to drop the case. On Facebook, more than 13,000 people have joined a group — Free Kate — in support of the family.

Last week, her father said, Workman offered Kaitlyn a plea bargain. She could plead guilty to child abuse, a felony, and spend two years under house arrest. The judge would determine if she would have to register as a sex offender. They were given a deadline of May 24th to accept the offer or face trial.

Kaitlyn’s father suggests his daughters arrest — and the substantial sentence sought by the prosecutor — are motivated by anti-gay bias. He told ThinkProgress that the younger girl’s parents have told teachers at the high school that “their daughter will NOT be gay.”

So what’s next for Kaitlyn?

full article
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/05/19/2034111/next-for-kaitlyn-hunt/

[RC]

1. Our sex laws are so screwed up in this country.

How can an ongoing relationship become illegal because of a birthday? The were together for a year or more and everything was legal. No legal problem. One had a birthday and with a single tick of the clock, she suddenly is a sex offender worthy of being put on a predatory sex offender list for the rest of her life? And don't forget the possible prison time?
Fucked up doesn't even begin to describe this. The same goes for when the same thing happens to a heterosexual couple in the same predicament too. Equally fucked up.

[geomon666]

2. Geez that mugshot, she looks terrified.

Not that I blame her. Her whole life could be ruined over this crap.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. What breaks my heart is thinking about that 15-year-old girl who is having decisions made

for her. From the facebook page, it's been made clear that she doesn't support this and has begged her parents to let it go. Imagine having to live in that house? Imagine watching someone you love go through this and feeling as if it was your fault (which it isn't)? I cannot begin to imagine the pain both of the kids are going through right now.

[TransitJohn]

4. Is she facing the same penalty she would if she were male?

Or a black male? I think so.

[madville]

5. The same thing happened to a guy at my high school

He was dating a freshman and shortly after he turned 18 her parents pressed charges against him. I just checked the state sex offender database and he is in there for it, pretty much the same scenario as this one. I don't agree with it in either case, the law should be changed to protect against cases like this.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. If it helps, her parents are very vocal about changing the law to cover all high school students...

regardless or race or sexual orientation.

It's sad to see this being skewed as just a GLBT thing. It's not. It's a "do the right thing where all children are concerned" thing.

[dsc]

8. In more than a few states it is only an LGBT thing

in many states the age of consent is lower for opposite sex sex, than for same sex sex. Also many states have Romeo and Juliet laws but not Romeo and Romeo or Juliet and Juliet laws.

[ScreamingMeemie]

9. Agreed. But her parents have come under extreme fire for this, and they are only

Last edited Mon May 20, 2013, 09:33 AM - Edit history (1)

trying to take care of their daughter. As a mother, I can understand that.

FWIW, there are Romeo and Juliet laws in FL, but they won't cover Kate.

On edit, "her parents" being Kaitlyn's mother Kelley and her father Stephen.

[zerosumgame0005]

11. total nonsense

they are trying to manipulate and force their daughter to be "normal". THEY are the ones abusing their child. Not to mention unjustly trying to jail another young person for daring to be herself.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. Please read my post again... I am talking about Kaitlyn's parents.

Thank you.

[zerosumgame0005]

17. keep in mind in this case

saying "her" can easily apply to both parties...

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. Not when read in context with a calm demeanor...

[zerosumgame0005]

22. ah the good old

"Sniff, I am the only person who is right EVER" defense.

[ScreamingMeemie]

24. Really? Are you going to argue the point?

Holy cow. Context is everything. Wow.

[Ganja Ninja]

26. That's not really quite the same.

If this were an 18 year old gay man having sex with a 15 year old boy he would be facing an extended jail sentence. And he probably wouldn't be getting as sympathetic a reaction around here either.

Just saying that's all.

[davidn3600]

15. Thats not the point...

The law is crap and needs to be changed...that's the point. It's being selectively enforced.

You want to arrest every high school senior that has sex with an underclassmen? You better be ready to pony up more tax dollars to build more jails.

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. +1

[aquart]

7. The 14-year old is in desperate trouble.

"Our daughter will NOT be gay!" terrifies me. Her parents are giving her no options and no support.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. I know. And the fallout (community outrage at her parents)

will only deepen the pain. I am so worried about that kid.

[zerosumgame0005]

12. to bad her parents aren't

they are only concerned with their "reputation"

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. I think you need to reread my posts.

Her parents are scum, but she doesn't deserve this.

Take a breath.

[zerosumgame0005]

18. then stop saying just "her"

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. There was no need to in context.

A graceful backtrack would be nice here.

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. A message from Kaitlyn's mother...

snip-

It's been a crazy morning already. Its EXTREMELY important to me that everything is above board and truthful. I know with anything that goes viral, the facts will be twisted or confused. Clarity is important. Kate and her gf met, were friends, acquaintances, whatever you want to call it when they were 14 and 17. Kate turned 18 once her senior year began, and her gf was 2 months shy of 15. Those ages and time frames are really petty to me personally because bottom line there is a 3 year 7 month age difference period, the girls were both in high school period, the relationship was consensual and mutual period. To charge fellow classmates that are dating or sexually active is wrong GAY OR STRAIGHT. I want to go on record saying if Kate was a MALE i would feel the EXACT same way i do now. THIS IS NOT RIGHT! Its not about sexual preference, although that's is what has fueled the opposing side, its about what is right. The laws need to change! These laws are to protect children from adults predators, not their same age classmates!

-snip

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FreeKate/?hc_location=stream

This family is amazing, in my own opinion.

[HappyMe]

23. That's good.

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. The crazy conservatives have been trying to frame this, and--so far--the family has been successful

in maintaining their position.

[HappyMe]

27. It fits right in with their anti-LGBT agenda

and their weird anti-sex (or something) agenda.

Kids in high school have sex. They don't always have sex with somebody in their class. If everybody that had sex in high school with somebody a bit younger than them went to jail, they would have to empty an entire state to build a mega jail.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

28. What's next?

Ask the ACLU to get involved. This is absolute insanity.

[ScreamingMeemie]

29. I believe they have... and the family has gotten several responses from attorneys.

I am still just utterly amazed that this is allowed to go on.

The sheriff's press conference this afternoon was a joke.