Prosecutors weigh appeal of 30-day rape sentence in Montana

[seabeyond]

Prosecutors in Billings, Montana are looking for legal standing to fight a 30-day sentence handed down to a teacher who admitted to raping his 14-year-old student. "This case is very important. As I've said before, this resulted in the loss of one of our young people in my community," said Scott Twito, a prosecutor with the Yellowstone County attorney's office. "We take these charges very seriously. And we fight for those victims."

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In the letter, attorneys argue the relevant statue was "misapplied and the minimum sentence that could be imposed in Rambold's case was two years."

As prosecutors weigh a possible appeal, hundreds of protesters rallied at a Billings courthouse Thursday, demanding the judge step down. The protest was organized in part by the National Organization for Women. Demonstrators waved signs and called for a review of Baugh's prior caseload, a reporter from CNN affiliate KTVQ said.

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"The demand and goal of this is to ask the judge to resign. The broader message is to really unite as a community against victim-blaming," said protest organizer Sheena Davis, adding that the protest aimed to address "a larger issue on how we protect children from rape in this justice system."

So far, more than 33,000 people have signed a petition at MoveOn.org, demanding that Baugh resign.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/justice/montana-teacher-rape-sentence/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[gopiscrap]

1. I signed that also

[seabeyond]

3. me, too. and thank you... yea you. nt

[Bay Boy]

2. On the plus side...

...there appears to be only two people who agree with this sentencing. The judge and the rapist.

[seabeyond]

5. and the defense but... that is hardly a reality.

in one thread alone i was in, in GD, we had two, three men tell us it was not really rape, you know not violent, forced rape. and that it should be handled differently because it blurs the reality of rape. so no, it is not a mere two that agreed with the sentencing.

oh and one man suggest we feel sorry for the rapist because he must feel bad about what he did.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/justice/montana-teacher-rape-sentence/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

this was just one of the half a dozen threads that i saw.

[Bay Boy]

7. I would quess that the defense

was as much surprised at the verdict as anyone.
They, of course, couldn't publicly say anything.

[seabeyond]

8. really? how trusting. cause they argued exactly that and the judge granted. but, wtf...

[Bay Boy]

9. Sorry...

...I didn't follow the case as closely as you did so I will take go with your take on it.

[BainsBane]

4. I didn't think prosecutors had a right of appeal in the US justice system

[Bay Boy]

6. Not appealing the verdict but

the sentencing.