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Disparity in sentencing is shocking

Let's see. Let me get this straight.

A middle-aged school teacher rapes one of his students who later kills herself. He is sentenced to serve 30 days.

A 15-year-old boy rapes young girl. The boy throws himself off a third-floor courthouse rotunda rather than face a court appearance where he was to be sentenced to 60 years and would have to serve 30 years.

Thirty days vs. 30 years! This is what we call equal justice in the state of Montana? I can hardly believe it.

Linda Rawn,Havre

 
 

Reader Comments(2)

grumpy writes:

Rape is rape, the teacher got off easy the first go around but now we will see what takes place.

despoticpeon writes:

There's a lot more to it than that. The outcome of the tragic billings case was an unfortunate result of the victim's suicide; the rapist had a constitutional right to face his accuser, which he could no longer do, so the state was forced to cut an unsavory deal for his confession. I'm not saying it's right, but there is a big difference between these two cases that explains the problems with the sentencing.