Sentenced To a Month...For Raping a 14 Year Old

Read the full report at the Billings Gazette Website

I don't know how this can be real. Stacey Dean Rambold, a senior high school teacher raped a 14 year old student. We know this because he confessed. He confessed to targeting a student in his school for, "sexual intercourse without consent," in 2008. The young woman took her own life a few weeks before her 17th birthday. A tragic result of her death was that her voice wouldn't be heard in trial. The deferred prosecution and eventual agreement the prosecution made with Rambold is horrible:

The agreement called for prosecutors to put the case on hold for three years. The charges would be dismissed, the agreement stated, if Rambold completed a sex offender treatment program and complied with other conditions.

He complies with a treatment program and they drop the charges of the rape of a 14 year old, who was so scarred that she killed herself. I believe in redemptive justice, but that’s really hard to swallow.

In December 2012 the courts learned that Rambold FAILED TO FINISHE THE PROGGRAM! In fact, he got kicked out of the program, when it was learned that he had been having unsupervised visits with minors, had not informed his counselors of a new sexual relationship, and missed meetings.

Rambold's attorney, argued Monday for the suspended sentence. He said Rambold lost his career, his marriage and his home and has suffered a "scarlet letter of the Internet" as a result of publicity about the case.

His client is being shamed on the internet, so he shouldn’t have to go to jail? Yup. That makes sense.

The judge’s response:

Judge Baugh said he listened to recorded statements given by Morales before her death and believes that while she was a troubled youth, she was "as much in control of the situation" as Rambold. […]The judge also said Morales was "older than her chronological age."

I am sick inside of my soul.

The judge went on to sentence Rambold to 15 years in prison, with all but 31 days suspended.

Translation: He will serve 31 Days for the rape, leading to the suicide of a fourteen year old girl.

You can read the full story in the Billings Gazette. And, check there for updates.