Judge Recalled 2 Years After Light Sexual Assault Sentence for Stanford Swimmer Brock Turner
Aaron Persky had served on the bench in Santa Clara County Superior Court since 2003
Daniel Kohn | June 6, 2018 @ 7:32 AM
Last Updated: June 6, 2018 @ 9:00 AM
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Judge Aaron Persky, known for his overseeing and sentencing of the sexual assault case of Stanford swimmer Brock Turner, has been recalled by voters in Santa Clara County, California.
Persky is the first judge to be recalled in California in more than 80 years, according to the New York Times. He had served on the bench of Santa Clara Superior Court since 2003.
Nearly 60 percent of voters supported Persky’s recall, with just more than 80 percent of precincts reporting.
In a statement that was published on Santa Clara County’s ballot, Persky defended what many deemed a light sentence for Turner. “As a prosecutor, I fought vigorously for victims. As a judge, my role is to consider both sides,” he said. “California law requires every judge to consider rehabilitation and probation for first-time offenders. It’s not always popular, but it’s the law, and I took an oath to follow it without regard to public opinion or my opinions as a former prosecutor.”
In June 2016, Persky was heavily criticized for his handling of the Turner case, who was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault of an unconscious woman, with the maximum sentence being 14 years in prison. Instead, the Stanford swimmer was sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation and was released after serving three months. The case drew national attention.
A petition to impeach the judge after the case collected more than one million signatures.
Judge Persky’s recent six-year term began in June 2016.
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"Making a Murderer" subject Brendan Dassey had his conviction overturned by a federal judge on August 12. But it's not the first time a film or documentary has been a factor in a major legal reversal of fortune.
"Gimme Shelter" (1970)
A documentary directed by the Maysles brothers, "Gimme Shelter" started out as a simple concert film about The Rolling Stones, but turned out to be essential documentation of the fights and violence that erupted at the Altamont Free Concert.
Cinema 5
"The Thin Blue Line" (1988)
Errol Morris' documentary depicted Randall Dale Adams, a man serving life in prison for a murder he did not commit. Adams was exonerated and released from prison a year after the movie's release.
Miramax
"Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills" (2003-11)
In a series of three documentaries, filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky chronicled the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of the West Memphis Three, a trio of teenagers wrongfully accused of murdering three children with Satanic overtones. By the time the final installment aired on HBO, the case had generated enough publicity to with the trio's release from prison.
HBO
"The Invisible War" (2012)
The Oscar-nominated "The Invisible War" documented the culture of widespread sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military, and led to new legislation changing the way those cases are handled.
Cinedigm
"Serial" (2014)
The first season of Sarah Koenig's podcast re-investigated the case of Adnan Syed, who was convicted of murdering his high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999. Thanks in part to the attention from "Serial," Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin P. Welch on June 30 2016, officially vacated Syed’s conviction and life sentence, and ordered a new trial.
The night before the high-profile and highly incriminating series finale aired, real estate heir Robert Durst was arrested in New Orleans and charged with murder. In February, he pleaded guilty to gun charges but still awaits trial in L.A. for the killing of his friend, Susan Berman.
“What the hell did I do?” Durst asked himself while still mic-ed in the final episode. “Killed ’em all, of course.”
The overturning of Brandon Dassey’s murder conviction isn’t the first time a documentary has helped right a legal wrong
"Making a Murderer" subject Brendan Dassey had his conviction overturned by a federal judge on August 12. But it's not the first time a film or documentary has been a factor in a major legal reversal of fortune.