Already have an account?
Get back to the

Judge in Brock Turner Trial Hands Down Harsher Sentence in Similar Sex Assault Case: Report

Aaron Persky
Aaron PerskyJason Doiy/The Recorder via AP

The judge who sentenced Stanford rapist Brock Turner to six months behind bars is under fire for reportedly handing down a harsher sentence to a 32-year-old immigrant from El Salvador who faced similar sex assault charges.

Related: PHOTOS: Celebrity Mugshots

Santa Clara County Court Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Raul Ramirez to three years in prison as part of a plea deal after Ramirez was convicted of sexually assaulting his female roommate, according to The Guardian, which cited court documents. The news site also notes that Ramirez’s bail was set at $200,000, $50,000 more than Turner’s. Neither men had a criminal record of convictions, the site reported.

Stanford law professor Michele Dauber argued to The Wrap that the sentence proves that Persky’s ruling on Turner’s case was biased.

“If he wasn’t, these sentences would look more similar to each other,” Dauber, who is leading an effort to recall the judge, told the site. “The crimes are quite similar.”

Related: PHOTOS: Stars at Court

Alexander Cross, who briefly represented Ramirez, told The Guardian that “what’s happened with Mr. Ramirez is standard. The anomaly is the Stanford case.”

As previously reported by Us Weekly, Turner began his sentence on June 2 and will likely be released early for good behavior on September 2.

In the wake of Turner’s controversial sentencing, a bill has been proposed and supported by Santa Clara County’s District Attorney Jeff Rosen for a mandatory minimum sentence of three years for similar crimes.

"We need to change the law to protect the next Emily Doe from the next Brock Turner," Rosen said on Wednesday, June 22. "Let's give the next campus sexual assault victim no reason to fear that her attacker will end up walking around free after spending less time in jail than it takes to finish a single college semester."

Related: Celebrity Health Scares

Turner’s case gained worldwide attention after his victim’s powerful and emotional statement went viral.

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!