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| Dozens of letters urge leniency for Brock Turner in Stanford sexual assault case | Dozens of letters urge leniency for Brock Turner in Stanford sexual assault case |
| (3 months later) | |
| The light sentencing of Brock Turner, the former Stanford student convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, has sparked international outrage, in large part because of the victim’s powerful statement about rape culture and the trauma she has endured. | The light sentencing of Brock Turner, the former Stanford student convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, has sparked international outrage, in large part because of the victim’s powerful statement about rape culture and the trauma she has endured. |
| Fuelling the firestorm around judge Aaron Persky’s lenient sentence of six months in jail are the remarks of Turner’s father, who claimed that his son paid a “steep price” for “20 minutes of action”. | Fuelling the firestorm around judge Aaron Persky’s lenient sentence of six months in jail are the remarks of Turner’s father, who claimed that his son paid a “steep price” for “20 minutes of action”. |
| The father’s letter, however, is just one of dozens of testimonials that Turner’s supporters sent to Persky – letters that the judge said he seriously considered in his decision to allow the former swimmer to avoid the minimum prison time of two years prescribed by law. | The father’s letter, however, is just one of dozens of testimonials that Turner’s supporters sent to Persky – letters that the judge said he seriously considered in his decision to allow the former swimmer to avoid the minimum prison time of two years prescribed by law. |
| The Guardian has obtained copies of all the letters Persky received – statements that defend Turner’s actions, blame the victim for being assaulted, and decry the consequences the swimmer has faced while ignoring the suffering of the 23-year-old woman. The letters, along with Turner’s own statement, provide a window into a culture that critics say devalues victims, minimizes the seriousness of campus sexual assault, and fails to hold perpetrators accountable. | The Guardian has obtained copies of all the letters Persky received – statements that defend Turner’s actions, blame the victim for being assaulted, and decry the consequences the swimmer has faced while ignoring the suffering of the 23-year-old woman. The letters, along with Turner’s own statement, provide a window into a culture that critics say devalues victims, minimizes the seriousness of campus sexual assault, and fails to hold perpetrators accountable. |
| Here are some excerpts from the letters. | Here are some excerpts from the letters. |
| Carolyn and Richard Bradfield, grandparents | Carolyn and Richard Bradfield, grandparents |
| Brock is the only person being held accountable for the actions of other irresponsible adults. He raised a right hand, swore an oath and told the truth. | Brock is the only person being held accountable for the actions of other irresponsible adults. He raised a right hand, swore an oath and told the truth. |
| Brock is a good 20 year old young man who has never been in trouble. Brock has essentially served a 14 month jail sentence while awaiting trial. We beg the court to grant time served and no additional time to our grandson, Brock Turner. | Brock is a good 20 year old young man who has never been in trouble. Brock has essentially served a 14 month jail sentence while awaiting trial. We beg the court to grant time served and no additional time to our grandson, Brock Turner. |
| Dan Turner, father | Dan Turner, father |
| It’s clear that Brock was desperately trying to fit in at Stanford and fell into the culture of alcohol consumption and partying. This culture was modeled by many of the upperclassmen on the swim team and played a role in the events of Jan 17th and 18th 2015. Looking back at Brock’s brief experience at Stanford, I honestly don’t believe it was the best fit for him. He was ready academically and athletically, but it was simply too far from home for someone who was born and raised in the Midwest. | It’s clear that Brock was desperately trying to fit in at Stanford and fell into the culture of alcohol consumption and partying. This culture was modeled by many of the upperclassmen on the swim team and played a role in the events of Jan 17th and 18th 2015. Looking back at Brock’s brief experience at Stanford, I honestly don’t believe it was the best fit for him. He was ready academically and athletically, but it was simply too far from home for someone who was born and raised in the Midwest. |
| As it stands now, Brock’s life has been deeply altered forever by the events of Jan 17th and 18th. He will never be his happy go lucky self with that easy going personality and welcoming smile. His every waking minute is consumed with worry, anxiety, fear and depression. You can see this in his face, the way he walks, his weakened voice, his lack of appetite. Brock always enjoyed certain types of food and is a very good cook himself. I was always excited to buy him a big ribeye steak to grill or to get his favorite snack for him. I had to make sure to hide some of my favorite pretzels or chips because I knew they wouldn’t be around long after Brock walked in from a long swim practice. Now he barely consumes any food and eats only to exist. These verdicts have broken and shattered him and our family in so many ways. His life will never be the one he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life. | As it stands now, Brock’s life has been deeply altered forever by the events of Jan 17th and 18th. He will never be his happy go lucky self with that easy going personality and welcoming smile. His every waking minute is consumed with worry, anxiety, fear and depression. You can see this in his face, the way he walks, his weakened voice, his lack of appetite. Brock always enjoyed certain types of food and is a very good cook himself. I was always excited to buy him a big ribeye steak to grill or to get his favorite snack for him. I had to make sure to hide some of my favorite pretzels or chips because I knew they wouldn’t be around long after Brock walked in from a long swim practice. Now he barely consumes any food and eats only to exist. These verdicts have broken and shattered him and our family in so many ways. His life will never be the one he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life. |
| Carleen Turner, mother | Carleen Turner, mother |
| He was a shy and awkward 19-year-old, far away from home trying to fit in with the swimmers he idolized … He is crushed that the jury ruled against him … He is utterly terrified and traumatized by this. | He was a shy and awkward 19-year-old, far away from home trying to fit in with the swimmers he idolized … He is crushed that the jury ruled against him … He is utterly terrified and traumatized by this. |
| He will live a lifetime of scrutiny, he lost 2 jobs just because he was accused of this, now he faces of lifetime of struggling for decent work. Can he be on a college campus? I don’t know … I beg of you, please don’t send him to jail/prison. Look at him. He won’t survive it. He will be damaged forever and I fear he would be a major target. Stanford boy, college kid, college athlete – all the publicity. This would be a death sentence for him. Having lost everything he has ever worked for his entire life and knowing the registry is a requirement for the rest of his life certainly is more than harsh. His dreams have been shattered by this. | He will live a lifetime of scrutiny, he lost 2 jobs just because he was accused of this, now he faces of lifetime of struggling for decent work. Can he be on a college campus? I don’t know … I beg of you, please don’t send him to jail/prison. Look at him. He won’t survive it. He will be damaged forever and I fear he would be a major target. Stanford boy, college kid, college athlete – all the publicity. This would be a death sentence for him. Having lost everything he has ever worked for his entire life and knowing the registry is a requirement for the rest of his life certainly is more than harsh. His dreams have been shattered by this. |
| Caroline Turner, sister | Caroline Turner, sister |
| A series of alcohol-fueled decisions that he made within an hour timespan will define him for the rest of his life. Goodbye to NCAA championships. Goodbye to the Olympics. Goodbye to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Goodbye to life as he knew it. | A series of alcohol-fueled decisions that he made within an hour timespan will define him for the rest of his life. Goodbye to NCAA championships. Goodbye to the Olympics. Goodbye to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Goodbye to life as he knew it. |
| Leslie Rasmussen, friend (whose letter Persky cited as a strong character reference during the sentencing hearing) | Leslie Rasmussen, friend (whose letter Persky cited as a strong character reference during the sentencing hearing) |
| I don’t think it’s fair to base the fate of the next ten + years of his life on the decision of a girl who doesn’t remember anything but the amount she drank to press charges against him. I am not blaming her directly for this, because that isn’t right. But where do we draw the line and stop worrying about being politically correct every second of the day and see that rape on campuses isn’t always because people are rapists. It is because these universities market themselves as the biggest party schools in the country. They encourage drinking. I think it is disgusting and I am so sick of hearing that these young men are monsters when really, you are throwing barely 20-somethings into these camp-like university environments, supporting partying, and then your mind is blown when things get out of hand. This is completely different from a woman getting kidnapped and raped as she is walking to her car in a parking lot. That is a rapist. These are not rapists. These are idiot boys and girls having too much to drink and not being aware of their surroundings and having clouded judgement. | I don’t think it’s fair to base the fate of the next ten + years of his life on the decision of a girl who doesn’t remember anything but the amount she drank to press charges against him. I am not blaming her directly for this, because that isn’t right. But where do we draw the line and stop worrying about being politically correct every second of the day and see that rape on campuses isn’t always because people are rapists. It is because these universities market themselves as the biggest party schools in the country. They encourage drinking. I think it is disgusting and I am so sick of hearing that these young men are monsters when really, you are throwing barely 20-somethings into these camp-like university environments, supporting partying, and then your mind is blown when things get out of hand. This is completely different from a woman getting kidnapped and raped as she is walking to her car in a parking lot. That is a rapist. These are not rapists. These are idiot boys and girls having too much to drink and not being aware of their surroundings and having clouded judgement. |
| Dean Olson, family friend, a physician-engineer | Dean Olson, family friend, a physician-engineer |
| From scientific evidence I have studied during my education and from my experience, alcohol is a depressant and a chemical that can release inhibition and magnify both positive and negative personality traits, something I saw too often and too negatively in the Emergency Department. It is not however a substance that dramatically changes someone’s intrinsic personality traits, suddenly altering someone from being mild mannered to criminalistics. I am afraid this is how it is sometimes portrayed and that Brock may have been depicted in a similar fashion. | From scientific evidence I have studied during my education and from my experience, alcohol is a depressant and a chemical that can release inhibition and magnify both positive and negative personality traits, something I saw too often and too negatively in the Emergency Department. It is not however a substance that dramatically changes someone’s intrinsic personality traits, suddenly altering someone from being mild mannered to criminalistics. I am afraid this is how it is sometimes portrayed and that Brock may have been depicted in a similar fashion. |
| Margaret Quinn, family friend | Margaret Quinn, family friend |
| There is no doubt Brock made a mistake that night – he made a mistake in drinking excessively to the point where he could not fully appreciate that his female acquaintance was so intoxicated … Rather than strip him of any chance to rectify this situation, I hope his punishment enables him to educate young people on the importance of safe alcohol consumption, and effective communication between two consenting individuals … Probation could include heavy reporting requirements, counseling, community service in multiple ways, including speaking out about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, college partying, and the “hook-up” culture on college campuses throughout the United States. | There is no doubt Brock made a mistake that night – he made a mistake in drinking excessively to the point where he could not fully appreciate that his female acquaintance was so intoxicated … Rather than strip him of any chance to rectify this situation, I hope his punishment enables him to educate young people on the importance of safe alcohol consumption, and effective communication between two consenting individuals … Probation could include heavy reporting requirements, counseling, community service in multiple ways, including speaking out about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, college partying, and the “hook-up” culture on college campuses throughout the United States. |
| Anne Whalen, friend | Anne Whalen, friend |
| I have been with Brock while he has been drinking a few times within the past two years. While consuming alcohol in my presence, Brock was the same great guy he was while sober. He was always in control and continued to act rationally and be himself all night. | I have been with Brock while he has been drinking a few times within the past two years. While consuming alcohol in my presence, Brock was the same great guy he was while sober. He was always in control and continued to act rationally and be himself all night. |
| Jeff Coudron, family friend | Jeff Coudron, family friend |
| The verdict hurt because we knew he was a great kid that in the matter of a few hours, made a few bad decisions that have changed his life forever. The media never mentioned the girl’s name to protect her, but they plastered Brock’s everywhere, even before he was tried. | The verdict hurt because we knew he was a great kid that in the matter of a few hours, made a few bad decisions that have changed his life forever. The media never mentioned the girl’s name to protect her, but they plastered Brock’s everywhere, even before he was tried. |
| Meghan Olson, assistant swim coach for the Dayton Raiders swim club | Meghan Olson, assistant swim coach for the Dayton Raiders swim club |
| In spite of one night of alcohol-induced poor decision making, Brock is still the same intelligent young man that enrolled in Stanford University in the fall of 2015 and can unquestionably make a significantly meaningful contribution to society. | In spite of one night of alcohol-induced poor decision making, Brock is still the same intelligent young man that enrolled in Stanford University in the fall of 2015 and can unquestionably make a significantly meaningful contribution to society. |
| Abby Rubins, former classmate | Abby Rubins, former classmate |
| Brock’s character is not consistent with what he was accused of and I will forever believe that he of all people would never do something like that. His swimming career, his education and his social capital are already in shambles and all of those things mean too much to him to just throw them away. | Brock’s character is not consistent with what he was accused of and I will forever believe that he of all people would never do something like that. His swimming career, his education and his social capital are already in shambles and all of those things mean too much to him to just throw them away. |
| Teresa Rhodes, family friend | Teresa Rhodes, family friend |
| In my heart, I am certain that his intent was never anything but to have a consensual encounter with a young woman. | In my heart, I am certain that his intent was never anything but to have a consensual encounter with a young woman. |
| Kevin Weldon, head coach of Dayton Raiders | Kevin Weldon, head coach of Dayton Raiders |
| Brock has already suffered extensively from what has transpired over the last 19 months. As for myself and others who really know and care about Brock feel it would be in the best interest of ALL, that he be granted probation or reduced sentence. | Brock has already suffered extensively from what has transpired over the last 19 months. As for myself and others who really know and care about Brock feel it would be in the best interest of ALL, that he be granted probation or reduced sentence. |
| Tom Kremer, member of Stanford swimming team | Tom Kremer, member of Stanford swimming team |
| I was following the case closely and was disappointed by the verdict, since I know Brock personally and can never imagine him acting maliciously or selfishly, especially not to this extreme degree … I am worried for Brock himself. Being taken out of society and put into prison could dwindle the fire in his heart until he decides to douse the flames himself. I’m very scared for my friend. | I was following the case closely and was disappointed by the verdict, since I know Brock personally and can never imagine him acting maliciously or selfishly, especially not to this extreme degree … I am worried for Brock himself. Being taken out of society and put into prison could dwindle the fire in his heart until he decides to douse the flames himself. I’m very scared for my friend. |