"Should grazing a boy's head with your breasts get you six years in the slammer?"

"Should grazing a boy's head with your breasts get you six years in the slammer?"

wweek.com

An appeal last week to the state Supreme Court may be the final chance for justice for a former Boys and Girls Club staffer, found guilty of sexual assault in a case one ex-cop calls the worst travesty of justice he’s seen in 20 years as an investigator.

A Washington County jury found Rodriguez guilty in 2005 of first-degree sexual assault after police accused her of running her hands through a 13-year-old boy’s hair and pulling the back of his head against her covered chest in the middle of a crowded game room at the Boys and Girls Club in Hillsboro.

(visit the link for the full news article)

An interesting read for sure. At first I was thinking this is a ridiculous case on a similar level as Genarlow Wilson (en.wikipedia.org...), but after reading the entire article, I think there is a lot that makes me think we aren't being told the entire story. I am not as sure of her innocence as the author of the article is.

This wasn't her first brush with the law in regards to sexual assault on minors.

Rodriguez faced two counts of first-degree sexual assault for alleged incidents with the 13-year-old that happened months before. In one, Rodriguez was alleged to have stood in a bathroom doorway while the boy fondled her breasts. That charge resulted in a hung jury.

She also admits to breaking the rules and seeing him alone.

Rodriguez says she developed close relationships with several of the kids, including the alleged victim, a 13-year-old boy from an unstable home who had anger problems and trouble at school. Rodriguez saw the boy and his family almost daily, and admits she broke club rules by spending time alone with him. But she denies any sexual relationship.

I don't know, it sounds like they are using this small case that involved multiple witnesses to convict her as a punishment for the other cases that couldn't be proven or fell apart in court.

I am not a fan of mandatory minimum sentences but they are like the rest of the justice system, flawed. The lack of a mandatory minimum gets abused as much as the mandatory minimums do it would seem.

wweek.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

All I want to know is why these teachers weren't around when I was in school??

Seriously though, this is a trend that's becoming all too popular. I'm of the firm opinion that this is being done as a way for these teachers to make a name for themselves.

Oh well, guess I'll just have to go back to school...

TheBorg

actually reading the article - she admitted a relationship with the boy outside of the club - so there is somewhat more than meets the headline here.

How is it sexual assault if she's the one being fondled? Wouldn't that just be indecency or something?

Plus... she's kinda hot! The "victim" would have clearly enjoyed the encounters adding to my questioning of an assault charge. I know if I were 13 I'd probably get a kick out of copping a feel with the back of my head.

But this looks like a pretty shaky case on all grounds. Witnesses changing stories on the stand. Victims denying anything ever happened. And the idea that someone would act in the alleged manner in a crowded room... maybe if they're drunk. I don't see how the jury ever convicted for sexual assault based solely on what's in this article.