A change of heart. Brock Turner’s former high school guidance counselor, Kelly Owens, regrets supporting the former University of Stanford swimmer during his rape trial, which has recently gained massive national attention.
Last week, Turner, now 20, was sentenced with six months in jail and three years of probation for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a Dumpster following a frat party in January 2015. The rape victim has decided to remain anonymous.
According to ABC, Owens praised the swimmer in a letter to Judge Aaron Persky during the case. She wrote that he was an “exceptional student” and “a young man of character” who is “absolutely undeserving of the outcome.”
Now, after learning of Turner’s light sentencing, Owens regrets what she said. She issued an apology to her school district and Oakwood High School on Wednesday.
“In the statement I submitted to the judge during the criminal proceedings and before sentencing referencing Brock’s character, I made a mistake,” Owens wrote, via ABC. “Of course he should be held accountable. I pray for the victim, her family and all those affected by this horrible event. I am truly sorry for the additional pain my statement has caused. I tell my students they have to be accountable, and Brock is no exception.”
As previously reported, Turner has been placed in protective custody at Santa Clara County Jail. “They’re kept totally separate so they aren’t harmed,” a rep for the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office told TMZ on Wednesday.
