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Brock Turner, a former Stanford University student, was slapped with what many are deeming a light sentence after he was convicted last week of violating a female student. The former athlete faced three felony sexual assault charges but was only given six months and probation by a judge who appeared to show a considerable amount of compassion for Turner’s struggles.

As reported by several outlets, including GOOD and The Guardian, Turner was caught laying atop an unconscious 23-year-old woman and was caught by a pair of cyclists while in the midst of the act. Since the unfolding of the case, Turner has been unusually protected by the judge in the matter and police failed to release his mugshot publicly until recently. It is being alleged that Turner’s status as an athlete at the prestigious school is what granted him leniency in the case.

From GOOD:

The judge who issued the sentence, Aaron Persky, said he took into consideration Turner’s age and lack of criminal history into account before deciding “A prison sentence would have a severe impact on him.” Persky questionably added that, “There is less moral culpability attached to the defendant who is … intoxicated.”

The victim called the punishment “gentle” and her lawyer said it “did not fit the crime.” The judge’s rather shocking empathy for the convicted sex offender has even spurred a change.org petition calling for Persky to be removed from the bench of the Santa Clara County superior court. The recall campaign is being headed up by Stanford Law Professor Michele Landis Dauber, a friend of the victim’s family, who told The Guardian today, “The judge bent over backwards in order to make an exception … and the message to women and students is ‘you’re on your own,’ and the message to potential perpetrators is, ‘I’ve got your back.’”

Stanford University has distanced itself from Turner and issued a lengthy statement about the matter and how they attempted to get justice for the victim. The university claimed it did “everything within its power” to assure the case was handled correctly although that too has come under recent scrutiny as well.

Check out Turner’s legit mugshot on the flip.

Photo: Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office

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