"Outrageous Injustice"

[coronax2]

<p>A clarification - from ABC News…</p>

<p>

The case has always been about much more than age or consent – it was also about race. Wilson is black and his sex partner is white. </p>

<p>“The good thing about this case is that at least it resolves the issue for Genarlow Wilson for the moment,” said Charles Ogletree, a professor at Harvard Law School. “But the fact that we continue to have these incidents remains for me a problem in trying to achieve racial justice in America.”

</p>

<p><a href=“Genarlow Wilson Freed - ABC News”>http://www.abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=3782694&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[jym626]

<p>I am not sure that is accurate, coronax. Interesting, though.</p>

[jym626]

<p>Here’s the reason for the confusion:

Wilson v. State was a Georgia court case brought about to appeal the aggravated child molestation conviction of Genarlow Wilson.</p>

<p>Wilson had been convicted of aggravated child molestation because, at the age of seventeen, he had engaged in oral sex with a consenting fifteen-year-old at a New Year’s Eve party. Wilson was African American as was the fifteen-year-old as reported by Georgia news outlets, The Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press[1][2][3][4] although ABC News reported that she was white.[5]

</p>

[coronax2]

<p>Thanks for the info jym…do you have a link? </p>

<p>I kept running into blog sites which aren’t reliable. The ABC News link was the only actual news source I found.</p>

[Atlmom]

<p>Being a Georgian…this is an embarassment. The INJUSTICE is that 5 other boys accepted a plea deal for the same crime and sit in jail now as convicted child predators for purposes of sex crime registrations. This will follow them for the rest of their lives.</p>

<p>The issue was the 15 year old was not legally OLD enough to consent to the oral sex (and she definitely wanted to do the act for some unknown reason?!?!?!) Because there was also an allegation of rape against a 17 year old that may have driven the prosecutor. There was video tape evidence.</p>

<p>The fortunate thing is that the law has been changed and he is out. WE now should be petitioning the Governor to have the other boys pardoned or commuted or whatever we can. Another law should be passed that is retroactive to eliminate the sexual offender status for crimes of this category.</p>

[jym626]

<p>coronax-
Ironically- its from <a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_v._State_of_Georgia[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_v._State_of_Georgia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[jym626]

<p>Atlmom-
Agreed, as an Atlantan, this is not our finest hour, but are you sure about the rest of your statement? Are the other boys(men) in jail? They all had prior legal problems, so perhaps some are incarcerated if they violated probation or something, but it was my understanding that they all pled out except for Genarlow, because he didnt want to have the sex offender label. Can you provide a reference/link to the status of the other party-goers? </p>

<p>The younger girls mom (her name is public record, so I will repeat it here- Veda Cannon, who was age 39 at the time of the trial) regrets that she allowed herself to be encouraged to press charges against the boys. If she had not, things might have been different. I suppose the State could still have pressed charges, and they had the video, but the young girl ( referred to as T.C.) never testified. By the way, I am adding the detail in here not to embarass anyone, but to avoid any further misinformation, as best as possible. The younger girl is now 19 and in the military.</p>

[jym626]

<p>Here is some additional info on the other participants, from the Wikipedia article

The other young males involved (including one charged for the same oral sex acts as Wilson) accepted plea bargains with the possibility of parole; they are required to register as convicted sex offenders.[8] Wilson had been offered, and rejected, a plea bargain for a five year sentence with the possibility of parole before the trial. After the jury had returned the guilty verdict, the prosecutor offered the same 5-year plea bargain again, and Wilson refused again. Another young man involved in the case had accepted a similar 5-year plea bargain and was paroled after two years.[9]

I do not know (though would have to do a little further research to confirm for sure) if any of the others are still in jail. Atlmom- do you have any documentation?</p>

[razorsharp]

<p>

Well, now that I’ve been portrayed as someone who pulls the race card, just look at the first few pages of this thread and they may shed some light (posts 10 & 12 to name a few). </p>

<p>For the record guys, you can consider me whatever you want, but I am not naive and I am no dummy. How the hell is this case not about race? Are you guys serious? C’mon already, that’s why this site is so awful, because of all the hidden agendas.

</p>

<p>datdude, after your baseless personal attack on me and then being asked to explain how this case is a case about race, this is all you have as your proof! Pathetic! Simply because the defendant is black, does not make this a case about race. Again, explain clearly why this case is about race?</p>

[jym626]

<p>With all due respect, razorsharp-
We have moved well beyond that issue from yesterday/early today, and had a perfectly appropriate, respectable discussion about that question this morning. If, after you read all the posts from this morning, you still feel you have questions about playing the race card, perhaps you can take it backchannel so as not to start another flame war?</p>

[razorsharp]

<p>With all due respect, we can move on as soon as datdude apologizes to me for his liabel against me and admits he was wrong about this case being about race. I really don’t appreciate his personal comments against me.</p>

[jym626]

<p>LOL!!! I won’t hold my breath. :)</p>

[poetsheart]

<p>“You are correct. I sometimes take positions that are opposite to my personal view if I think a logical argument can be made for the opposing view. I find the logic of arguments and the debate that follows to be interesting.”</p>

<p>This statement explains a lot. Razorsharp enjoys being the contrarian, and stirring the pot is a favorite among her CC pastimes. Got it. </p>

<p>So, the outraged demand for an apology from Datdude is probably more of the same…:rolleyes:</p>

[jym626]

<p>^^^poestheart-
Do you think this is the “outrageous injustice” to which the thread title refers? ;)</p>

[Hunt]

<p>I have to confess that my views about this case have shifted somewhat after reading more details about the event that gave rise to it. I still consider 10 years for the actual offense for which Wilson was convicted to be outrageously excessive–but the more detailed facts about the event, including two young girls and a group of men, alcohol, and videotaping–make me feel a good deal less sorry for him than I originally was. If those things are true, he certainly wasn’t a young man of good moral character, and I can’t feel all that bad about him losing his chances to be a privileged athlete at college. What’s more, if those details are true, it makes me less certain that this case is all about race. I’m not certain that a white student would have been treated differently. I’m still glad he’s out of jail, though.</p>

[poetsheart]

<p>I’ve seen a couple of interviews with Genlardow Wilson on the news shows recently, and he professes to have learned and grown a great deal from this experience. He hopes, he says, to help educate others about the consequences of thoughtless behavior, and encourage other young men to think before engaging in sexual acts. He comports himself well, and gives the impression of someone thankful for a second chance to live a good and successful life. He plans to go to college and earn a degree. I, for one, wish him every success toward that end. Whatever you may think of this young man, I believe few people would say that they’d rather he remain imprisoned, than educated, gainfully employed, and tax paying.</p>

[razorsharp]

<p>

I, for one, wish him every success toward that end. Whatever you may think of this young man, I believe few people would say that they’d rather he remain imprisoned, than educated, gainfully employed, and tax paying.

Actually, I would much rather see him in prison for a nice long time.</p>

<p>Ok, ok, I am just kidding. If he is out there paying taxes, especially income taxes and social security taxes, he will be a hero in my eyes.</p>

[jym626]

<h2>^^^Such a unique sense of humor…</h2>

<p>I would make a comment about Genarlow’s desire to be a Sociology major, and the lack of viable career opportunities with that major, but… nahhh. Wouldnt be funny/appropriate. Besides, he seems destined for the “motivational speaker” circuit. A much better plan.</p>

[Hunt]

<p>“Thoughtless behavior” is absentmindedly throwing down a piece of litter, or maybe fiddling with the radio while driving (which can have serious consequences). Videotaping, etc…I don’t know.</p>

[jym626]

<p>Hunt-
Maybe in this case, thoughtles behavior means the boys didn’t think the video would get out? ;)</p>