Fischer said Turner, the ex-Oakwood swimmer who was convicted in a sexual assault in California, will be required to register as a Tier III sex offender.
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Like most offenders in California sentenced to county jail, Turner, who turned 21 while in jail, was released under a law that gives inmates credit for time served. The tall and lanky Turner appeared to be wearing the same shirt and trousers he wore during his June 2 sentencing hearing, carrying his suit jacket under an arm. Turner plans to head to his native OH to live with his parents.
Turner’s picture, conviction information and address will be publicly available on Ohio’s sex offender registry.
Because of that, the ballot measure could mean less time in prison for people like Turner, prosecutors say.
The bill would close a disparity in state law that metes out different severity of punishments based on whether a sexual assault victim was conscious at the time of the attack.
The former Sanford University student and swim team star left Santa Clara Jail in San Jose, California with a paper bag filled with his belongings while news cameras filmed.
Smith said she believed Turner’s sentence was too light.
The case gained notoriety after the victim’s letter to her attacker went viral, triggering global anger at Turner’s relatively minor short sentence. Brown hasn’t said whether he will sign it.
Now, cops in Sugarcreek Township, Ohio, are tracking social media to monitor threats, and keeping an extra close eye on the Turner house, as local residents are understandably angry that a convicted rapist is among them. Two cyclists caught Turner in the act and tackled him as he attempted to flee.
Turner’s sentence sparked outrage among many, and Friday night protesters were at his home, voicing some strong opinions.
“Every day, I have to relearn that I am not fragile; I am capable; I am wholesome; I am not just the livid victim”, she said. “There was a lot of hate”, she said. “That’s why I’m here”. Protests against Judge Aaron Persky also took place Friday. “11 cases ended with no time, either through probation or suspended or deferred sentences; nine ended in acquittals or charges being dropped”, CNN reported.
Following backlash and a push for a recall, Mr Persky voluntarily removed himself from hearing criminal cases, starting next week.
Later in the morning, bicyclists toting billboards were scheduled to circle the jail complex and neighboring Hall of Justice as part of continuing efforts to recall Judge Aaron Persky from the bench. “To the courageous survivor: Your message not only touched our hearts, but it is a clarion call for action”. One woman yelled “loser” at Turner as he got into the SUV.
“Judge Persky is biased”, he said. She read it before Turner’s June 2 sentencing, noting probation officials took into account his lost swimming career in its recommendation to the judge.
The 21-year-old told authorities he plans to live with his parents in his native OH, where he must register as a sex offender for life. The 21-year-old has returned to his family’s home in OH and has five days to register as a Tier III sex offender with Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer’s office. If he waits longer than 72 hours, he’s required to meet with his probation officer here, since he’ll be on probation for the next three years.
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Fischer said his department will send postcards to Turner’s neighbors informing them a convicted sex offender is moving in nearby.
