Wilson Free After 2 Years in Prison
Posted on October 27, 2007 by Jennifer Caraballo |
This morning I learned that Genarlow Wilson was finally released from a prison in Georgia. From what I remember…
A video tape surfaced of teens engaged in sex acts at a party. Wilson was accused of having sex with a 17 year old girl (shown on the tape) who later accused him of rape. He also engaged in oral sex with a 15 year old. Wilson, who was 17 years old, had no prior criminal past.
He was acquitted of raping the older girl but convicted of “Aggravated Child Molestation” for oral sex with the 15 year old (who repeatedly stated the oral sex was consensual) . He was sentenced to eleven years (10 years in prison and 1 year of probation) and will also have to register as a sex offender after release.
After Wilson’s sentence, Georgia passed a new “Romeo and Juliet” law which says that teens prosecuted for consensual sex with another teen cannot be sentenced for more than 12 months. They will also not be mandated to register as a sex offender. This did not apply for Wilson as he was already in prison, even though the jury found the oral sex to be consensual.
As reported yesterday, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Wilson’s sentence was “cruel and unusual punishment” and finally released him. He was in prison for two years.
This situation made me think of how problematic it is that each state has varying degrees of identifying or punishing prosecuted sex offenders. As the USA has the highest rape rate in the world (compared to other countries who publish this information– found by National Victim Center) , does this weigh on anyone else?
While Wilson sat in a Georgia prison, a judge in Vermont sentenced a 34 year old, Mark Hulett, to only 60 days in prison for repeatedly raping a 10 year old girl (starting when she was 6!). A crime Hulett pleaded guilty for!
The judge in the case stood by his ruling saying Hulett needed treatment and not jail time. He said this ruling should apply for other offenders as well if they cannot get the treatment they need in prison. However, if they fail to live up to the conditions of their release (i.e. re-offend), they can be returned to prison for up to a year. Rest your heads, moms and dads. The rape of your child was not just any rape. It was a reoffense and this criminal will finally get jail time.
Some persecute people who support a national sexual offenders registry. Well, maybe if consistent sentences were given at a national level, this would not be the only thing parents would feel they had to cling to.
Something has to be done. Consistency from state to state does not only sound like the smart thing to do but completely necessary.
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7 Responses to “Wilson Free After 2 Years in Prison”
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I think it is disgusting that people want to give birth control to 11 year old behind their parents backs and then send a 17 year boy to jail for having sex with a 15 year old girl.
I’m glad Genarlow is out of prison, I only hope the State of GA will at least try to repay him for destroying his life.
I agree the birth control (specifically the pill) is a scary issue. However, the school’s ruling was the clinic must get parents consent- its not behind parents backs.
The thing that is most scary to me about giving the pill to 11 year olds is the health risk.
I understand there is a real problem with kids having sex. I was at an ELEMENTARY school in NYC where they had to lock the bathrooms because 4th and 5th graders were engaging in sex acts there. OMG! I didnt even know what sex was in 5th grade and I grew up in Trenton!!!
My best friend who is studying medicine always warns me about the possible health risks of taking the pill– including cancer. At 26, I am still scared of it. If these health risks are proven, I hate to think of these poor girls who started taken this medicine at 11 years old.
Thay can give birth control to 11 year old girls behind their legal guardians’ backs however they need consent from the same to give the 11 year old an Aspirin. Outrageous!
Genarlow was treated unfairly.
I think if someone rapes a young girl and it results in a pregnancy. The rapist should be charged with the murder of the unborn child should the girl decide to have an abortion.
I just read through some articles and realize that the birth control IS given without the parents knowledge. I read information earlier stating the opposite.
Now, the thing is, teen sex is usually behind a parents back because not many parents would support their teen having sex at such a young age.
I personally think that having sex at 11 is something that should be prevented not protected. These kids are only just developing and for their physical and mental heath, that childs parents should be made aware. The embarrasment or fear of punshment from parents may sway that child to not have sex.
But, then again more realistically, if a child is determined to have sex at 11, they arent gonna ask for help if they know their parents will find out.
I think the school is forgetting the moral issues of parental rights, health risks, etc and is just trying to help prevent teen pregnancy. We are so angry at the thought of an 11 year old (and maybe OUR 11 year old) having sex. We should look at the parenting more than what this school is trying to do.
I had sex education and resources available to me at 11 years old in Trenton without my mom knowing. But, it didn’t make me want to use them and thats because I had such strong parenting.
In this issue, parenting should be at the fore- front not blaming the school.
If some school nurse gave my 11 year old daughter birth control behind my back I would kick in the office door and shove those pills down her throat until I was satisfied her lungs would never again draw a breath! WAY OVERBOARD on this issue.
Seriously, I am already swimming with the sharks on this issue. I also, find giving children birth control pills at school, behind parents’ backs to be truly outrageous. In regards to the sentencing of Wilson, I can’t believe a 34 year old can rape a girl from ages 6-10 and then only get sentenced for 60 days. Thats a tragedy! No matter how psychologically unfit and no matter how insane an offender might be, that person is definitely not fit for public entry and probably will never be.
I agree. He received jail time less than the amount of years he raped that little girl! And, far less than the amount of years it will take this little girl to get over what was done to her!
One of my thesis papers in high school dealt with Megan’s law and the idea of reforming a sex offender. As I researched and read countless statements from many offenders, they kept saying that no one and nothing would stop them from reoffending accept themselves. Although I cannot discount that their may be a chance to psychologically “fix” child molesters, I don’t think they shouldn’t get jail time for such a horrible crime.
If it was my 6 year old, you better believe that person receive punshment! And, it better not be 60 days in jail because he wouldnt live to see the 61st day out on the street.