The well-being of Brock Turner’s victim should have weighed more heavily on Judge Persky

To the editor: Granted, a judge must weigh the potential impact of punishment on a convicted criminal along with the crime’s impact on the victim. But the latter should be accorded far more weight. (“If a judge sentences a convicted sexual predator to just six months in jail, does he really belong on the bench?” June 9)

Before considering punishment for the convicted sex offender Brock Turner, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky should have concentrated more on how adversely the crime had affected the victim. Did Persky bother to reflect on how one of his own college-age heterosexual male relatives might have suffered if he was similarly accosted and ravaged?

Probably not. It’s difficult to image how such reflection might yield a sentence anywhere near as lenient as the one he imposed (six months in jail plus probation). Now the victim and the public are left with the impression that judges tend to conclude that inebriated co-eds effectively ask to be assaulted.

Aaron Mills, Solana Beach

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To the editor: There is something seriously wrong with a man who sexually assaults a woman, and something very seriously wrong when the woman is unconscious at the time.

There is something seriously wrong when the man’s father thinks “only 20 minutes of action” excuses his son from the heinous crime he committed.

There is something seriously wrong when a judge is allowed to give only a six-month jail sentence because the perpetrator was young and had no prior criminal record.

One can only hope that exposing these wrongs will help our society recognize that rape is a serious crime and a deplorable “action” that affects victims for the rest of their lives.

Mary Carlson, Mission Viejo

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To the editor: Criminal defense attorneys like me are often called upon to stand up for defendants against whom all others are fixated on retribution. Seeing through the crime and finding the human being inside is the goal and privilege of our work.

Understanding that he was convicted of an atrocious crime, I remain troubled by the vicious attacks against a 20-year-old man who has made an awful mistake and feel compelled to defend him — not his actions, but his humanity. Punishment need not always be measured in prison time, but can surely be used more productively as well. And feeling empathy for both the victim and the perpetrator are not mutually exclusive.

Justice is like a hearty meal: Revenge and righteousness are the meat and potatoes on the plate, devoured with great pleasure. Mercy is the vegetable, perhaps less enjoyable going down, but better for you in the long run.

Mike Cavalluzzi, Los Angeles

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