GA - Genarlow Wilson for oral sex with minor, Douglasville, 2004

[southcitymom]

Genarlow seemed to be on a pretty decent path before all of this happened. My hope and prayers are that this incident and the time he has spent in prison has not hardened him into something less than what he is.

It does seem like lots of people have cared for him and supported him through this plight. I hope he will be able to leave jail and pick back up with his life and eventually do some good in the world.

His path helped to get rid of this terrible law. I am sorry he had to sacrifice so much for that to happen.

 

[Details]

He was not in any way a lowlife - that's what got him in trouble here. All the lowlifes accepted pleas to something that they weren't really guilty of, because they had a criminal record. This kid has no criminal record, honors at school, all around good kid looking forward to a good productive life. And he wasn't going to plead guilty to something he didn't do.

That ticked off the prosecutor, so he piled on every charge they could, and the jury found him innocent of the initial charge, but guilty of one of the piled on charges - thinking it was just some little misdemeanor, he'd get a fine for it. The jury is as aghast as many of us are at the penalty for something they thought was just a little nothing.

It's an unjust law, an unjust penalty, and the law has been changed because this case showed just how outrageous it was. He should be free, but the prosecutor is busy with a power play - they want to be able to continue to threaten overcharges to force a guilty plea.

 

[southcitymom]

He was not in any way a lowlife - that's what got him in trouble here. All the lowlifes accepted pleas to something that they weren't really guilty of, because they had a criminal record. This kid has no criminal record, honors at school, all around good kid looking forward to a good productive life. And he wasn't going to plead guilty to something he didn't do.

That ticked off the prosecutor, so he piled on every charge they could, and the jury found him innocent of the initial charge, but guilty of one of the piled on charges - thinking it was just some little misdemeanor, he'd get a fine for it. The jury is as aghast as many of us are at the penalty for something they thought was just a little nothing.

It's an unjust law, an unjust penalty, and the law has been changed because this case showed just how outrageous it was. He should be free, but the prosecutor is busy with a power play - they want to be able to continue to threaten overcharges to force a guilty plea.

You're spot on in your summation of what happened here! The pros is afraid to lose valuable bargaining power...justice can often be lost in the name of the game. Thank God for this Judge!

 

[fundiva]

By the way, does anybody know what happened to the other boys that the girl gave oral sex to? Were they ever charged with anything? Also, it is my understanding from a report I saw on TV that the guy that videotaped the incident did so without anyone's prior knowledge. Doesn't that make him an accessory of some kind, or at least can't he be charged with failing to stop the crime, or charged with making a film?

 

[Lurker]

I'd like to meet a red-blooded 17 year old male that had been drinking who would refuse a hummer or ask her age first. I dont' think I'll meet any anytime soon. A lot of these "kids" hook up as a game, they also wear color coded bracelets that let's the guys know what they're willing to do. It wasn't that way when I was that age! We'd giggle and turn red with Spin the Bottle or 5 minutes in the closet.

This case is ridiculous. Alcohol and teen hormones will always result in something like this, with a video thrown in for good measure.

This kid has already done more time for hooking up with a girl around his age than most SO's on the list have for RAPING children who are 90% younger than them! He's done 28 months. How many pervs have you heard of that got that stiff of a senctence for molesting a child?

It makes me sick.

 

[Details]

By the way, does anybody know what happened to the other boys that the girl gave oral sex to? Were they ever charged with anything? Also, it is my understanding from a report I saw on TV that the guy that videotaped the incident did so without anyone's prior knowledge. Doesn't that make him an accessory of some kind, or at least can't he be charged with failing to stop the crime, or charged with making a film?

Originally, this girl wasn't even part of the case - it was a 17 year old girl who fooled around with all of them, then her parents got mad or she did or some such. None of them were ever charged for the 15 year old. The other boys had criminal records, and when the prosecutor said to plead guilty or else, they did. This guy had a good record, knew he wasn't guilty, and even when the prosecutor upped the ante by adding in the 15 year old, he didn't plead. So he went to trial, was indeed found innocent of the 17 year old, but the jury (who is not happy with what happened - they thought he wasn't going to be punished for this, let alone 10 years!) did find him guilty on the 15 year old girl (she didn't want anyone to be charged).

 

[southcitymom]

By the way, does anybody know what happened to the other boys that the girl gave oral sex to? Were they ever charged with anything? Also, it is my understanding from a report I saw on TV that the guy that videotaped the incident did so without anyone's prior knowledge. Doesn't that make him an accessory of some kind, or at least can't he be charged with failing to stop the crime, or charged with making a film?

They pled out. The Pros was angry that Genarlow wouldn't.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

That was my point- that boy could have been a victim of the 15 year old girl- the video shows she was not forced to perform BJs on those boys.. she was willing to perform and they were willing to receive.

I am not saying it isn't disgusting... It IS, but I dont think a 17 year old boy should go to jail and be labeled a sex-offender for the rest of his life because some boys were stupid and girl was easy. She was not drunk and she was not forced. Maybe she was behaving that way to be popular, maybe she was desperate for attention, maybe she likes giving oral sex, noone knows... but she was NOT abused, assaulted or molested. She acted in a slutty manner, but she was not coerced.

Apparently in that state she had not yet reached the age where she was legally able to give consent. So she cannot consent to anything sexual.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

It wasn't his fault that the girl was there, it was her parents. And I don't know to many teenage boys who would turn down oral sex. 10 years is way to long of a sentence to give a teenage boy for receiving oral sex from another consenting teenage girl. There are drug dealers and rapist and child killers who don't serve that much!!!

Edited to add that I just saw that he had been freed. YAY.

Perhaps he could speak to classes and warn them that accepting something "free" isn't always a good idea.

 

[angelmom]

Apparently in that state she had not yet reached the age where she was legally able to give consent. So she cannot consent to anything sexual.

The interesting thing is that it is just up the road a piece (and in the same state) where that creepy 30-something woman married the 14yo boy and it was legal b/c she was pregnant. She was charged, but I guarantee you she won't do any 10 years!!!

And that was actual sex.

 

[KarlK]

Apparently in that state she had not yet reached the age where she was legally able to give consent. So she cannot consent to anything sexual.

That's why most states have a 5-year age difference provision required for statutory rape charges to be brought up. If Georgia had been up to date Wilson would not have gone to jail and would not have a criminal record regardless of how malicious the prosecutor's antics were. Too bad the kid was poorly defended, a competent attorney would have warned the jury that they were being misled by the prosecution with regards to the sentence. Had they known it would be 10 years they'd probably wouldn't have convicted him if they felt a grossly abusive sentence would ensue.

 

[Details]

The interesting thing is that it is just up the road a piece (and in the same state) where that creepy 30-something woman married the 14yo boy and it was legal b/c she was pregnant. She was charged, but I guarantee you she won't do any 10 years!!!

And that was actual sex.

Had this been actual sex, he'd not have done a day of time. But since it was oral, this backward state counts it as deviant sex.

 

[Schmerty_Jones]

Yes ! But he is just a throw away kid. He is BLACK !! It's not good if minorities suceed in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
But we can spend all media coverage available on brainless, obnocious Paris Hilton's ADD., Anxiety Disorder & her sex tape should be glorified. Can you say RICH, ARROGANT WHITE ???????:loser: GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!

 

[dingo]

I so want to comment on this thread but im not going to:angel:

 

[angelmom]

Yes ! But he is just a throw away kid. He is BLACK !! It's not good if minorities suceed in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
But we can spend all media coverage available on brainless, obnocious Paris Hilton's ADD., Anxiety Disorder & her sex tape should be glorified. Can you say RICH, ARROGANT WHITE ???????:loser: GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!

I might agree with you except:

Matt Towery (pictured below), a Republican state House member from 1993 to 1997, said Monday it was never his intent to lock up teenagers involved in consensual sex acts when he authored the law in 1995 that Wilson was convicted under — the Child Protection Act. The bill was intended to crack down on child molesters, but it was amended in the Senate, Towery said, to raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 — meaning consensual sex acts with a 15-year-old could result in prison terms usually reserved for armed robbers and kidnappers.

"Needless to say I think justice was done [by Wilson's ruling]," Towery said. "This has been just an absolute nightmare to see young people such as Genarlow go to jail — compounded by prosecutors and people lobbying — using videotapes and everything in the world — to try to keep him in jail."

Within hours, however, state Attorney General Thurbert Baker (below) filed notice that he would appeal the ruling to the Georgia Supreme Court, arguing the judge had overstepped his authority.

Wilson with his attorney, BJ Bernstein (no, I did not make up that name as a joke!):

The judge who ruled to free GW, Thomas H. Wilson (no relation) is also white, although I can't find a photo. Only video at this link.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/11/teen.sex.case/index.html

 

[southcitymom]

Had this been actual sex, he'd not have done a day of time. But since it was oral, this backward state counts it as deviant sex.

Exactly...oh the shame....and the hypocrisy.... you KNOW all those lawmakers are getting hummers every chance they can!! Losers....

 

[jannuncutt]

Higher Court to Hear Appeal This Morning


http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2007/07/20/wilson_0721_web.html

 

[Linda7NJ]

I prefer the law in NJ I believe the legal age of consent is 14 and it's a crime if someone 5 years or older engages in sex it's considered aggravated sexual assault.

 

[KarlK]

IMHO the state should take into account the fact that common sense should prevail over the letter of the law when the two are in conflict with each other. This notion is part of many states statutes. I find it difficult to understand why Georgia doesn't have an age difference provision with regards to statutory rape laws like most other states do.

 

[bnhall]

MSNBC reporter Mike Boettcher is at the GA Supreme Court building. He says that most legal experts he has spoken with believe Genarlow being freed is a long shot. Prosecutor is saying releasing Wilson could set a bad precedent for sex offenders. Supreme Court ruling isn't expected until September!