IS THIS JUSTICE?

I live in a very much fundie state, Texas. There is not much that goes on here, politically, or judically that I agree with. Anyone getting convicted of a sex crime against a child has been given very long sentences the past couple of years. I have no problem with that, in fact, I agree with it. However, in today's paper, it tell about a man who at the age of 24 was given 10 yr. probated sentence for sexual relations with a 16 year old girl. The sex was conseual but she was underage by over almost two years. He has been a model probationer, attended all counseling sessions, and never broke any rules of his probation until his wife had a baby boy. The crime happened when he was 24, and now is 31. He got married several years after his "crime." He was given the choice of going to jail or moving out and never seeing his child until his probation is over. He is now trying to get supervised visitation rights and plans to live away from his wife. I just sighed and realized that that is what you get when you live in Texas.
Everything is seen as black or white, there are no gray areas.

It only applies to the "right" kind of families.

Makes me sick to my stomach to think government can have that much control over things sometimes. Just try to have someone take me away from my kids. Let them fucking try it.

I feel for this guy terribly.

On edit: Sorry, Welcome To DU!

:toast:

There seems to be more to this story.

Court rules against father
A dream came true for a Wichita Falls family when a baby was born last month, but this week the baby's father learned his own past will change the future he'd planned.

http://www.timesrecordnews.com/

Why do they feel the need to screw with this man's life and family? :mad:
I live in TX, too, so feel your pain.

And welcome to DU, sorrybushisfromtexas! :hi:

do with his wife having a baby?

I do, by the way, object to you putting the word crime in quotation marks. He was a 24 year old man, associating with a 16 year old girl, KNOWING it was against the law. apart from the sheer stupidity of it, I wonder about what goes on in the heads of adults getting involved with minors like that.

that's why it complicates the situation.

He is a convicted sex offender and what he did was a crime. 16 years old does not constitute maturity. It's why they have statutory rape laws in the first place. An adult can do a hell of a lot of damage to a teenager who doesn't have the knowledge, maturity or experience when it comes to sex. This I know for a fact.

As far as having to get visitation rights to see his child, he needs a lawyer who can help navigate the complexities of this situation.

in the same home as his child.

He was living in the same house.

judicial discretion from the justice system. Yes, there is a risk of uneven sentencing, but silly shit like this can be prevented from happening.

I can see why this guy shouldn't have teenaged girl babysitters around*, but to deny him the ability to know and care for his own child is absolutely insane. A judge with discretionary power would see that and rule accordingly.

*That applies to a lot of guys out there who don't have sex crime records, too.

.. for living in the same house as the fetus.. I mean.. unborn child.


:sarcasm: