Accused rapist gets plea deal

Ex-Baylor frat president indicted on 4 counts of sex assault won't go to prison
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/11/us/ba...ion/index.html

Quote:

Even though Jacob Walter Anderson was indicted on four counts of sexual assault, the ex-fraternity president won't spend a single day in prison. Instead, a plea agreement allowed the former Baylor University student to plead no contest to a lesser charge of unlawful restraint. That means if the 24-year-old successfully completes three years of deferred probation and pays a $400 fine, his criminal record will be wiped clean of the charge, "This guy violently raped me multiple times, choked me, and when I blacked out, he dumped me face down on the ground and left me to die. When I woke up aspirating up my own vomit, my friends immediately took me to the hospital." The victim's attorney, Vic Feazell, was also livid. "In my 40 years of practicing law, I've never seen a sweetheart deal like this," Feazell said. Feazell, a former McLennan County district attorney, said he can't understand why a prosecutor would allow such a shocking plea deal.

It seems there were no other witnesses to the rape.

Quote:

LaBorde, the assistant district attorney, said she worried a jury wouldn't convict Anderson because the prosecutor had recently lost a similar case. In that case, LaBorde wrote, she thought the jury "was looking for any excuse not to find an innocent looking young defendant guilty. They engaged in a lot of victim blaming -- and the behavior of that victim and [this victim's] is very similar. It's my opinion that our jurors aren't ready to blame rapists and not victims when there isn't concrete proof of more than one victim."

When I was on various juries I always dreaded being a part of finding an innocent person guilty of a crime. But each case I was a part of had witnesses and physical evidence. I was very relieved when one defendant actually admitted on the stand that he might have taken a swing at the police officer trying to arrest him. Easy vote to convict.

The victim is of course very upset. She has some words for the District Attorneys
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/11/us/ba...ent/index.html

Quote:

I have to live with the fact that after all these years and everything I have suffered, no justice was achieved. I have to live with the fact that my rapist will go home smiling and happy and laughing at me. He stole my body, virginity and power over my body and you let him keep it for all eternity. (Assistant District Attorney) Hilary Laborde (where are you Ms. Laborde? Are you here in the courtroom? No?) and you (District Attorney) Abel Reyna (where are you? Are you here? No?) If I had the courage to come back to Waco and face my rapist and testify you could at least have had enough respect for me to show up today. You both will have to live with this decision to let a rapist run free in society without any warning to future victims. I wonder if you will have nightmares every night watching Jacob rape me over and again.

Ranb

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