UPDATE: 760,000+ Urge CA Commission on Judicial Performance to Remove Judge Aaron Persky From The Bench Over Brock Turner’s Rape Sentence
UltraViolet Members Condemn Persky’s Decision to Sentence Stanford Athlete Brock Turner to Only Six Months in Jail for Sexual Assault
CALIFORNIA — More than 760,000 people have joined with UltraViolet, a national women’s advocacy organization, in demanding that the California Commission on Judicial Performance remove Judge Aaron Persky from his position on the bench following his decision to sentence Brock Turner, a convicted-rapist, to a mere six months in jail, despite requests from the survivor and prosecutor for a longer term.
In his decision, Persky suggested that a long prison sentence would have “a severe impact on him [Turner]” and that Turner “would not be a danger to others.”
Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of UltraViolet, explained:
“Instead of standing with a survivor of a horrific rape, Judge Persky chose to put the well-being of a rapist ahead of the woman he assaulted. As a result he has no place on the bench and must be removed immediately.
“This isn’t the first time that Persky, as a Stanford alumni athlete, has sided with a star athlete over a survivor of sexual assault either. While prison has a “severe impact” on anyone sentenced, with one-in-four women sexually assaulted in college, Persky’s decision sends the wrong message that if you’re wealthy, white and an athlete at a prestigious school, your life matters more than the life of the woman you raped.
“The California Commission on Judicial Performance must move swiftly to remove Judge Persky from the bench and send a clear signal that rape apologists will not be tolerated as part of the criminal justice system.”
The UltraViolet petition has been signed by more than 635,000 people since launching two days ago – and similar petitions from UltraViolet on MoveOn.org and the Daily Kos have received an additional 125,000 signatures – bringing the total number of people calling for Judge Persky’s removal to over 760,000.
UltraViolet is an online community of over 700,000 women and men who want to take collective action to expose and fight sexism in the public sector, private sector and the media. Find out more at WeAreUltraViolet.org.
