Judge Sorry for Comments on Teen Rape Victim

[Liberal_in_LA]

Judge Sorry for Comments on Teen Rape Victim
Billings judge said girl, who later committed suicide, was partly to blame

(Newser) – A Montana judge has apologized for comments he made about a 14-year-old female rape victim that seemed to take the "blame the victim" approach to a new level. "I don't know what I was thinking or trying to say," Judge G. Todd Baugh tells the Billings Gazette. "It was just stupid and wrong." In ordering a former high school teacher to spend just 30 days in jail for raping a student, Baugh explained on Monday that she was "older than her chronological age" and was "as much in control" as teacher Stacey Rambold. The girl committed suicide with the criminal case pending.

"What I said is demeaning of all women, not what I believe and irrelevant to the sentencing," Baugh wrote in a letter to the newspaper. "My apologies to all my fellow citizens." He also promised to explain his sentencing decision in more detail. (Baugh had previously said that this wasn't "forcible beat-up rape," notes the Missoulian.) Outrage continues to build over the comments, with a protest outside the courthouse scheduled for tomorrow, reports the AP. Also, MoveOn has an online petition calling for Baugh's resignation. Prosecutors had wanted Rambold to spend 10 years in prison.

http://www.newser.com/story/173340/judge-sorry-for-comments-on-teen-rape-victim.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=united&utm_campaign=rss_top

[LiberalAndProud]

1. "It's not what I believe."

I think that is an egregious lie. If it's not what he believes, those words would have never come from his mouth. How do judges get recalled in Montana? This one needs to go.

[Robb]

2. I bet he is, all right.

[Orrex]

3. So, in His Honor's view, it was a legimate rape?

He'd better hope that no one thinks that "he's partly to blame" for any retaliation that may blow his way.


What an ugly human being.

[magical thyme]

4. She was 14 years old. She was not a woman. She was a girl.

She was not "older than her chronological years." She was a girl in puberty. Not sure how to grow up, experiencing hormonal surges for the first time, trying to be independent but still very dependent. In need, like *all* children in puberty, of protection from herself and her own confused feelings.

It wouldn't matter if she humped his leg begging for it. As a child, she needed protection from her own feelings pumped up by hormones.

As an adult, and especially as an adult in a position of responsibility, he was charged with protecting her from her confused feelings, not taking advantage of her vulnerability and exploiting them.

What a fucked up, ignorant jerk of a judge. He should be removed.

[MineralMan]

5. Resign at once, you mindless twit!

If you don't know what you were thinking, what were you doing on the bench?

[Bluenorthwest]

6. He did not expect national attention to his horrific words.

He should be fired.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. nope. Now he's trying to backtrack. But the damage is done, he sentenced rapist to 30 days

I guess he's pro rape

[riqster]

7. Another rape-enabling judge.

Jail him for life, alongside the perp. That would send a clear message that rape is a heinous fucking crime.

But that wasn't the message the judge wanted to send, was it?

[DreamGypsy]

9. He didn't mean to say it, but he meant what he said.

Last edited Thu Aug 29, 2013, 02:16 PM - Edit history (4)

Misogyny doesn't make liars, it just makes jerks, fools, and bad judges.

(paraphrasing a line James McMurtry's song Too Long in the Wasteland)




Here's the link to the MoveOn.org petition: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/resign-judge-g-todd-baugh?source=s.icn.tw&r_by=138789 ..... already 12,000+ signatures with a goal of 15,000.

On edit(4)): 31,304 signatures, with a goal of 40,000.

[seabeyond]

10. signed. thank you. nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. 18,000 plus signatures now and they want 20K

[HardTimes99]

11. He's only sorry he got caught. AKA: False contrition - nt

[WI_DEM]

12. yeah, but you still sentenced a child rapist to only 30-days! You stupid twit.

[sufrommich]

13. What a pig. He needs to lose his job. nt

[johnp3907]

14. "I don't know what I was thinking or trying to say,"

Yeah, that's the kind of clear-headed thinking we need on the bench!

[myrna minx]

15. That fact that he's a judge is chilling. n.t