The case sparked an worldwide debate about sexual violence and consent.
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The California judge who is subject to a recall campaign after imposing a six-month jail sentence on a former Stanford swimmer convicted of sexual assault has been reassigned at his own request from criminal to civil court. Another judge’s desire to transfer to Palo Alto reportedly made a quick swap with Persky possible. Judge Persky will no longer hear criminal cases.
Persky also came under fire for sentencing a 32-year-old El Salvadoran, Raul Ramirez to three years prison for assaulting his female roommate – a very similar case to Turner’s.
Persky’s move to stop hearing criminal cases might not be permanent, but it will become effective of September 6.
“It’s unusual, but not unprecedented”, judicial ethics expert Richard Zitrin said of Persky’s transfer request. Normally such changes don’t happen until a new year starts.
As much as his move to a civil court seems like a safe move, however, Persky actually has an equally notorious reputation in civil proceedings in the past as well. In the wake of Turner’s case, several groups have attempted to have Persky removed from his position as judge.
Despite his move to the civil court, however, critics of the controversial judge are steadfast in their efforts to disbar him.
“The issue of his judicial bias in favor of privileged defendants in sex crimes and domestic violence still must be addressed by the voters of Santa Clara County”.
Dauber and other organizers have said they will begin collecting signatures in April to qualify the issue for the November 2017 ballot. The swimmer’s father, Dan Turner, ignited more outrage by writing in a letter to the judge that his son already has paid a steep price for “20 minutes of action”. He formally recused himself Monday from deciding whether to reduce a San Jose plumber’s felony child pornography charges to misdemeanors.
In addition to his supervising judge, attorneys who have argued in front of Persky back his abilities. However, he will still be a judge, and judges rotate annually in our county.
This January 2015 booking photo released by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office shows Brock Turner.
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When ordering the six-month sentence for Brock Turner, a Dayton, Ohio, resident who had been attending Stanford on a swimming scholarship, Persky cited the effect the conviction will have on Turner’s life. But Perskey said he gave the former student the light sentence because his case was “unusual” and that he would be severely impacted by time spent in prison.
