Calling a rape victim "promiscuous", a Texas judge sentenced a convicted rapist to 45 days of imprisonment and 5-year probation.
Sir Young, 20, confessed to raping a 14-year-old girl in their Booker T Washington High School, Dallas. He was 18 then.
However, for Judge Jeanie Howard, Young was "not your typical sex offender." Those present in the courtroom were shocked as she announced a 5-year probation including 45 days of jail term. She also excluded him from standard sex-offender restrictions, such as staying away from children, attending sex offender treatment, undergoing evaluation or refraining from watching pornography.
Defending her verdict, Howard told The Dallas Morning News that her verdict was based on medical records that showed that the girl previously had three sexual partners and had given birth. She added that the victim "wasn't the victim she claimed to be."
The decision was certainly not welcomed by people. Moreover, the critics noted that the verdict would discourage the victims from reporting sexual assault. "We're certainly concerned about the message that's being sent to victims of sexual assault," said Andrea Moseley, chief prosecutor for the Dallas County District Attorney's Office.
"We expect that our victims will be protected and that their reputations will be protected and that they will feel safe in coming forward and reporting these crimes."
Howard ordered Young to serve 250 hours of community service at a rape crisis center. But, the center said he will not be taken. "Just having a criminal defendant in the office could be a triggering affect for many of our clients," Bobbie Villareal, director of the Dallas Rape Crisis Center, told CNN affiliate WFAA. "It's just not appropriate."
Federal law does not allow evidence that a victim involved in other sexual behavior from being admitted in civil and criminal proceedings. "What we expect is that a victim's background is not relevant to a guilty verdict or to what the sentence should be," said prosecutor Andrea Moseley.
