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dalton99a

(81,068 posts)
Sun Nov 10, 2019, 11:57 AM Nov 2019

Judge proposes $150K payment to victim to reduce sentence for rapist

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/courts/article_5dbbe324-00d9-11ea-bfd3-2b4223269cf0.html

Judge proposes $150K payment to victim to reduce sentence for rapist; victim declines, says she is 'broken'
BY JOE GYAN JR. | Staff writer
Published Nov 7, 2019 at 4:30 pm | Updated Nov 7, 2019 at 7:21 pm

A judge in Baton Rouge told a convicted rapist he would consider reducing the man's 12-year sentence if he were to pay his female victim $150,000 and if the woman were in favor of such action.

"This will not be considered to be an extortionary offer," stressed ad hoc state District Court Judge Bruce Bennett, who labeled the 2003 sex crime reprehensible.

Outside the courtroom Thursday, the victim said she isn't interested in any amount of money from her attacker, 44-year-old Sedrick Hills.

"I don't think money is going to provide any restitution for what he's done," said the 31-year-old woman, who was 15 when she was raped.

Inside the courtroom shortly before the judge sentenced Hills, the woman said in her victim impact statement that "this experience has left me broken."

"This whole experience has been like a movie, but a bad movie, a horror movie," she said. "I've been fighting this over half my life. I'm tired. I'm angry. Stuff like this deteriorates a person. It deteriorates who I am. I'm still trying to figure out who I am."

She said Hills took at least 16 years of her life from her, and she asked the judge to take the same from him.

“We respectfully objected to the 12-year sentence,” East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said Thursday evening. “The victim wants jail time and no financial compensation from him.”

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Judge proposes $150K payment to victim to reduce sentence for rapist (Original Post) dalton99a Nov 2019 OP
So that judge thinks it ok for rapists to buy their way out of prison time Merlot Nov 2019 #1
Wow, if they can turn her from victim to whore (taking $ for sex) then the guy goes free? NightWatcher Nov 2019 #2
this is pretty strange, originating with the judge stopdiggin Nov 2019 #3

Merlot

(9,696 posts)
1. So that judge thinks it ok for rapists to buy their way out of prison time
Sun Nov 10, 2019, 12:41 PM
Nov 2019

I wonder what other crimes are "ok" for this judge to consider buying off? Would it only be crimes that affect women? Would he give the same proposal to a POC who sold drugs?

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)
2. Wow, if they can turn her from victim to whore (taking $ for sex) then the guy goes free?
Sun Nov 10, 2019, 12:47 PM
Nov 2019

I'd have the judge removed for that bullshit (or at least try).

Shameful

stopdiggin

(11,095 posts)
3. this is pretty strange, originating with the judge
Sun Nov 10, 2019, 02:15 PM
Nov 2019

rather the defendant's counsel (which would have been the way this more normally occurs). But .. occasionally there's some pretty strange people, and ideas, on the bench.

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