Spotlight on: Thanksgiving

Convicting a Child (Again!)
by Rexanne Mancini  

I am again outraged by the barbaric and archaic judicial system in parts of our world and especially, certain places in the United States. The current Genarlow Wilson case (Genarlow Wilson Appeal) has me yet again crying for justice and rational thought.

Genarlow Wilson is a 17-year-old boy, convicted as a child molester and for rape of a 15 year-old girl under a legal technicality after she willingly performed oral sex on him at a party a few years ago. While her family did not press charges, one of the kids at the party thought it would be good fun to video tape their antics. When a detective found the tape, all bets were off and an over-zealous (IMO) district attorney jumped all over the case and created this nightmare. 

What is particularly horrible about Genarlow's sentencing is that he was sentenced under an archaic Georgia law claiming oral sex as a more heinous crime than statutory rape, consensual or not. The laws are very muddled and you will have to read this story and details yourself to understand the particulars. What I want (no, need) to say is this:

While I am the mother of two teenage daughters, I cannot condone sending Genarlow Wilson to prison for 10 years for a crime that none of the other boys at the party were convicted of, even though they were "caught on tape" just as Genarlow was. Genarlow refused to plea bargain and claim he was a child molester for a lighter sentence because he did not want to go through life with the stigma of child molestation hanging over his head. He also felt that he did not deserve to be punished and he honored his beliefs and faith in the judicial system while the other 5 boys who were arrested on the same charges caved to the pressure.

Genarlow Wilson was an honor student, a football player, track star and an all-around good kid. He is now in prison for the next ten years of his life. Where is the justice here folks? What good will come of ruining this boy's life? Even the jurors were appalled by the lack of clarity and justice in his sentencing. In fact, the law that helped convict Genarlow Wilson has since been overturned although the higher Georgia court refuses to make it retroactive in Genarlow's case. WHY?!!!

Sex offender laws are supposed to protect our children, not destroy them! I urge each of you to read the evidence in this case and make up your own minds about the verdict and outcome: Genarlow Wilson Case Information

If you feel as strongly as I do that this conviction is a horrible travesty of justice, I urge you to sign the online petition to free Genarlow Wilson, who has already served more than 2 years in jail: Genarlow Wilson Petition

Your thoughts, opinions and questions are very much needed and wanted. Please let your voice be heard on our forum: All opinions and thoughts about Genarlow Wilson's case are welcome: Genarlow Wilson Case Discussion

Copyright - 2007 - Rexanne Mancini

To read my previous rant about convicting a child (the Lionel Tate case) you will find it as the "Family & Parenting Topic of the Month" in this newsletter: Rexanne's Web Review Issue # 41.

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Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com – http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html

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