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Prospective Jurors Refuse to Serve in Brock Turner Judge Aaron Persky’s Court: Report

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Brock Turner in court

Several prospective jurors refused this week to serve in a courtroom presided over by Judge Aaron Persky, the Mercury News reported on Thursday, June 9. Persky has faced major backlash since he sentenced convicted sex offender Brock Turner to just six months in county jail for the rape of an unconscious woman.

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Jurors reportedly spoke out against Persky while attorneys were selecting individuals for an unrelated misdemeanor case. “I can’t believe what you did,” one told Persky, according to the Mercury News. Another reportedly said, “I can’t be here, I’m so upset.”

Turner, now 20, was convicted on three felony counts of sexual assault and could have faced up to 14 years behind bars, according to the New York Times. Prosecutors were seeking six years in prison. Instead, Judge Persky handed down a sentence of six months in jail, plus three years probation, because prison “would have a severe impact on him.”

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Many people following the case — which got national attention after a letter written by the victim to her attacker went viral online — have decried the decision as too lenient for Turner’s crime.

Brock Turner
Brock Turner Santa Clara County Sheriff

Some of those people, it turns out, are prospective jurors in the Santa Clara County court system. According to the Mercury News, Judge Persky told the jurors who opposed him that he understood and excused them from duty.

Persky ran unopposed for another term in this week’s primary election, but more than 940,000 people have signed a Change.org petition to have him removed from the bench.

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Turner’s victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, spoke out about the sentence in her letter, writing that it was “an insult” to all women. “Someone who cannot take full accountability for his actions does not deserve a mitigating sentence,” she argued, later adding, “He is young, but he is old enough to know better.”

If you or anyone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing and recovering and more.

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