Judge in Stanford rape case speaks out

The California judge who started a firestorm of protests after he sentenced a former Stanford University swimmer to a short jail sentence for sexual assault, spoke publically for the first time, Tuesday (5/8).

Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky is currently the subject of a recall effort that has been placed on the upcoming June ballot in Santa Clara County, after the outrage over his sentencing the accused, Brock Turner, to six months in jail in June 2016 for sexually assaulting a young woman.

Persky said he was speaking out after staying silent because he said if the recall succeeded it would have consequences on decisions of criminal court judges who would be afraid of the consequences of their judgments.

He refused to discuss the case because he said it would be unethical to speak while it is pending on appeal.

The effort to recall Persky is being closely watched for its much wider national political implications, especially in light of the increasingly vocal #metoo movement.

If it’s successful, he would be the first California judge recalled from office in more than eight decades.

Persky’s supporters however argue that he ruled on a recommendation from the county’s probation department in the sentencing, and like Persky, say the recall threatens judicial independence.

Turner who left school after the incident was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.