2001-08-05 - 11:52 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Proof

In north eastern Colorado lived a girl. A nice girl, a member of a gentle family, a girl who was in the process of being raised to be a fine woman. She didn't make it very far, twelve to be exact. She died by her own hand -- so it says. True it was her own finger pulling the trigger - - but.

About two years ago she was raped by her 18 year old jock neighbor. Bad enough, but the aftermath was worse in my mind at least. For a year and a half she was bullied, harassed and threatened. Then one day she took her dad's gun and killed herself.

It seems as if it is one more example of reality being denied because a guy is a jock, a star on the school team. Other cases similar have been a dad politically important, a rich man's son yadda, yadda. Besides, you know, no one pays attention to the word of a girl against a Jock ! No one gave much credence to her story, no one seemed to want to pay attention to her. Seems as if the town blamed her for what was done to her.

She was ignored by the school officials, the police and had no avenue to protect herself. Despite restraining orders against the rapist that Big Man On Campus she was still harassed, intimidated and threatened by he and his relatives and friends. Each element in town seemed to want to cover it up, ignore it and her, apparently so their pride and joy of a jock could continue school and do his thing for the pride and praise of his town.

There was another girl who came forward and claimed she had been raped but wouldn't appear against him in criminal proceedings, probably because she had seen what happened to this girl and didn't want to suffer her fate. This big husky jock denied that rape also, now get this, after the girl delivered a daughter he sued in county court for parental rights. What gall and stupidity !

Finally, last December he pleaded no contest in the charges of rape against the girl I am writing about. He got a deferred judgment and four year probation for sexual assault on a child. While on probation he must register as a sex offender, attend rehabilitation classes and avoid contact with anyone younger than 18 years old including his sisters, (one of whom was originally the friend of the girl who had been raped). If he fullfills the terms of his probation the plea will be withdrawn the case dismissed.

This kind of societal indifference to the testimony of a young girl and indifference to the harm done her by harassment, intimidation and general public outlook by the town that she must have done something to cause it is to my opinion the cruelty of a town and all its departments.

And finally our courts let this jock off with four years probation, classes and avoidance of those younger than 18. Four years, four years for the essential murder of an innocent girl seems to be so much less than even a wrist slap it seems to me. And then to erase the shame of his actions after four years ? Dismiss the case - no record of his crime ? ? ? ?

I think he revealed his true nature by denying the rape of the other girl and later trying to sue for parental rights. Jocks can do anything they want to do apparently and suffer little. Relatives of rich and influential people have had this privilige since time began.

I think that society is on trial for criminal negligence and by golly there is plenty of Proof . . . . . .

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