YOU KNOW WHAT ERKS ME

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

update on the previous post

Click here to read the full article
This is ridiculous. The state's attorney is appealing the decision to release Genarlow Wilson, which means until it is settled, this young man will remain in prison. I couldn't imagine the emotional roller coaster this boy has gone through. He has a 3.2 gpa in school, was an active member of the community, was college bound, never had been in trouble, when his life was yanked away from him. Too bad under the law, the so called 'vicitm' is protected. I wonder what she would say if questioned.

Story Highlights
• Prosecutors appeal ruling to throw out Genarlow Wilson's sentence
• Appeal means Wilson will stay behind bars
• Judge earlier voided Wilson's 10-year prison term Monday
• Wilson in prison for consensual oral sex at age 17 with 15-year-old girl

11 comments:

Nicole said...

When C.C. and I discussed this last week, I said it was crap. The very laws that were established are infact punishing the very same people they were supposed to be protecting.

There have got to be changes made. Sometimes I think that these laws are in place as it is the religious right's way of trying to prevent pre-marital sex and gay sex from happening. The old...call it illegal and it is, way of thinking.

As for where were the parents..El, you think back to being 15, 16. Could your parents have really stopped you? As parents we need to be supportive to our children. We may not always agree with or like their decisions but we need to support them and be for them no matter what. I feel so sorry for this kid in the clink. It would be one thing if he was an adult, but they are 2 years apart.

Justice once again has not been served, IMO.

Nicole said...

Paris drives drunk and has how many violations inregards to her charges , could ahve killed or injured other people and gets 45 day sentence ( HA!) and this kid is suppiosed to rot in jail for consensual teenage sex??????

EJL said...

I must have missed that Nic. I would have been all over this topic. I think I might email my local radio station.

Southern (in)Sanity said...

First, I'm not sure that 15 is an age that can "consent."

Second, oral sex in general is illegal in Georgia.

A few years ago, a man and his ex-wife got together one evening. They had dinner, a few drinks and slept together. The next morning, she was talking about getting back together - and he wasn't interested.

She went to the police and charged him with rape.

At trial, his attorney advised him to tell the truth - every detail.

He did. He was acquitted. As soon as the verdict was read, the judge ordered the bailiffs to take the man into custody.

Why?

During the course of telling everything, he told the court they had oral sex. The judge charged him. He went to trial on that charge, and he was convicted.

EJL said...

RWA, do you think at 17...he knew he was breaking the law?

I am not sure if you are in support or against the law.

Nicole said...

Well, I am not impressed to hear that a 15 year old was consenting to this either, but the facts are the facts. If he is charged then so should she be. There should be accountability all the way around then.

Ellie even admitted herself that she had sex at age 15. While she may regret it, she at least owned up to it. To me this would be more of an issue if the "guilty" partner in this was over the age of 18. There is a 2 year age difference. It is rare to find couples that are exactly the same age. Plus we have to consider other factors. Mental age compared Chronological age as well as Psychological age. Some kids are more mature at age 15 then others are at 20.

When there are criminals getting off for rape, drugs, murders, hate crimes etc, I think this kid is more of a victim then a criminal.

The laws in Georgia sound out-dated and sorry...stupid. Like I said...they seem to be catering to the right, sounds like the kind of laws Falwell would have been endorsing...and we all are aware about what kind of man the 'dear' reverend was.

EJL said...

I feel like he is a victim too Nic.
I agree completely about the age comment too. Is justice really being served? I emailed his governor.

ps...I had sex at 16...I was 15 dating a 19 year old..waited a year to be intimate.

Nicole said...

oops sorry..but do you see how people do that? How one number can "pretty it up". Would it have made a difference to the judge if the girl in question had done this on her 16th Bday...one day off of being 15?

As the parent of the girl, if I was in that situation, I would be trying to find out why my daughter was acting out in a promiscous way, instead of the boy taking all the heat.

Southern (in)Sanity said...

The law in Georgia, as it relates to minors, has been changed since this young man was convicted and sentenced.

Just Dave said...

Sodomy laws in general were enacted to punish homosexuals as, when the laws were passed, no legislator could imagine that a "normal" person would engage in such audacious behavior. State Supreme Courts around the country are generally throwing these laws out, mainly because they are selectively enforced.

This young man has my sympathy. His life should not be ruined by this one act. If he was white and rich, he would still be in school. This is a true injustice and I'm surprised the ACLU hasn't gotten involved, especially since there is publicity.

e.Craig Crawford said...

I can't help but wonder if this is all political and the young man is a pawn in the situation.

Is there a 17 year old boy alive who would be thinking about the law while his girlfriend is unzipping his fly? I can understand the law protecting a young girl who could easily be influenced by an older more worldly-wise boy. But, such was not the case here as I understand it.

Girls today are experiencing sex at a much earlier age than they were 40 years ago according to what I have read. And many girls engage in oral sex as a safe way to satisfy a boy's sexual urges, sometimes as a way to keep him as a boyfriend.

I understand the need for laws to protect the innocent, but common sense tells me that, under the circumstances of his sexual encounter, and the fact that the law has changed, this young man has been punished long enough for his "crime."