Hundreds Decry Jail Sentence For Teen Sex

Georgia Man Serving 10 Years For Having Consensual Oral Sex With 15-Year-Old When He Was 17

(AP)  The Rev. Al Sharpton embraced the mother and sister of a man serving a 10-year sentence for consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old, joining hundreds of supporters Thursday demanding his immediate release from prison.

Genarlow Wilson has been in prison for two years for taking part in the sex act when he was 17 years old.

“This boy is not only her son, he's your son, he's my son,” Sharpton told the cheering crowd from the steps of the Douglas County Courthouse. “We're here today because what affects you affects all of us.”

State Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan said Wilson's punishment was excessive and should be reduced, just like the prison sentence for former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, which was commuted Monday by President Bush.

“Genarlow is the face of many other young black men who have received injustice,” Thomas Morgan said. “Somebody's got to stand up for them.”

The crowd held signs that read “Free Genarlow” and “Justice Now.” The issues of race and class came up in many speeches.

“If he had a different complexion and a different connection, we wouldn't be here,” Sharpton said.

Wilson, now 21, is serving a 10-year mandatory sentence for aggravated child molestation stemming from a 2003 New Year's Eve Party where he was captured on videotape receiving oral sex from a 15-year-old girl. The law has since been changed by Georgia lawmakers, but the state's top court said the new law could not be applied retroactively.

Wilson was also charged in 2003 with raping a 17-year-old girl at the party, but a jury acquitted him of the charges.

Five other male partygoers accepted plea deals in the case. Wilson rejected the plea offer.

On June 11, Monroe County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wilson ruled that Genarlow Wilson should be freed from prison and not listed on Georgia's sex offender registry. The judge called the 10-year mandatory sentence “a grave miscarriage of justice” that violated the constitution.

Attorney General Thurbert Baker immediately appealed that ruling, drawing criticism from civil rights activists.

The Georgia Supreme Court is set to hear the latest appeal in October. Wilson's lawyer, B.J. Bernstein, had sought to get Wilson released on bond while the appeal moved forward.

But Douglas County Superior Court Judge David Emerson said Wilson was ineligible for bond under Georgia law. Bernstein is appealing that decision.

[cbear991]

This conviction has to be one of the worst cases of supposedly judicial power. This man or so called man who is doing his damndest to keep Glenarow in jail needs to get a grip, or a real handle on the realities of life. *** I think he must be jealous because he never got laid as a teen. Maybe still hasn't from all indications. Justice! Justice my ***! Blacl or whiye here makes no difference. My only prayer is that Glenarow can forgive the injustice, proceeed with his life as it was meant to be and someday take the place of the ignorant SOB that wants him to remain locked up. This to me is the biggest case of American Injusrice that I have seen. Hats off to everyone who stands behind this young man. My thoughts Freee Glena row now! Let him be bigger and better trhan anyone in the court and legal system! Or should I say illegal system!

[tbweb]

I wonder out loud if these 2 kids were both white if this would have even made the news, much less ended with a white teenage male in jail, I doubt it and so do you! Get real! Girls Gone Wild meet Georgia gone wild with you!

[russ1985]

WhatIThink,

Slight correction: Hot looking white women can have all the *** they want in society, with whomever they want, regardless of age or race. Look no further than that teacher in Florida who also was a model. I think they gave her a parade and made the boy honorary mayor and football team captain. Other than that, you are probably prone to arrest at the whim of the local police.

[russ1985]

krg, you're on crack. Walk away from the keyboard until the drugs wear off.

How many guys here had *** as teens? I know I did. The problem is Georgia has decided to make an attempt at legislating decency and has applied too broad a brush. None of the legislature thought they would be putting teenage honor roll students in prison.

Unfortunately for Wilson, he got caught by a man (Attorney General Thurbert Baker) who needed to make a name for himself and decided that trashing this young man's life was acceptable expense for showing that he's "Tough on crime". Someday soon, he'll be out of prison and hopefully, when this felony is expunged, he will have all of his options available to him. If Thurbert wanted to show Georgia how a real leader acts, he would admit that this was a bad bust and conviction, work to free the young man and help him get on track again. That kind of compassion would win him the Governor's seat in four years easily.

[whatithink-2009]

Indyattic,

Don't be naive. It has been about race (and class to a great extent) for the last 400 years. When exactly did this stop in your calculation? None of us who say race played a fact wishes that it did. However, let's get real. Middle class white women in America can have *** with 12 year olds and get a slap on the wrist. There are different standards of justice in America - one for women versus men, one for the rich versus the poor, one for whites versus blacks. God forsaked those who happen to be poor black and male...they will get the maximum sentence known to man for any conviction. There need not even be a trial. Once accused, they have already been convicted.

[dmk3]

KRG1......,
WHAT CRIME AGAINST SOCIETY? WHICH STORY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??? WHAT A DWEEB!

[dmk3]

krg1........
You're stupid. Free the kid. The girl is not innocent. DRAGONMOUSE,I agree that maybe this isn't the first time that he has been in a 'compromising' situation. However,I am willing to bet the farm that this was NOT the girls first time either. And correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't she blowin some other guys at this party too? Thought I read that in another article about this case. And Al Sharpton makes me sick.

[the_blare_wench]

Why does it always have to be about race??? Jailing a 17 year old for having *** with a 15 year old is wrong no matter what color they are.

[tljones1960]

They need to not only free this young man, but vote this attorney general out of office for trying to extend this miscarriage of justice any longer.....Had he not been black, then this would have only got as far as the parents!

[kailumego1]

smb221 I don't particularly care for Sharpton and Jackson, but this is the first case in which I actually condone them being here.

So, lay offfffff......

And this is about race, and I don't care if the prosecuting attorney is black, he is under pressure to prosecute, notwithstanding.

And furthermore, simply because he is black does not conclude that he has some obligation to the black community, as I'm quite sure a majority knows blacks don't possess the same type of "nationalistic unity" as whites.

[kailumego1]

blindersoff, he's not suppose to represent you, as you need to get a life, and lay off that DUKE CASE.......

And stop dunking your head in the toilet like your friend krg12171936.....

[smb221]

Ugh! Sharpton make me want to vomit. Why is this all the sudden a race thing again?

[kailumego1]

krg12171936 you need to stop "dunking" your head in the toilet, it's contaminating your brain!!!!

[lilvinnyb]

you better be prepared to lockup every 17 year old male for this (white and black and including myself).

He was not charge for "filming" anything, simply having CONSENUAL oral *** with a 15 year old.

If he would have had regular intercourse, believe it or not, he would not have been charged with anything.

Those of you who believe this honor student who HAD a bright future belongs in jail for consensual oral *** with a 15 year old are sorely misguided.

Anyone with half a brain knows that this IS NOT what the law was intended for.

[dragonmouse-2009]

Focusing ONLY on the oral $ex and the 15 year old case...This NEVER should have went to court. He was a minor 17 at the time they're BOTH high school age. The girl agreed to it and everything was apparently "cool" with her at the time. Now maybe if he was involved with a girl still in "middle school" perhaps 11/12 years old then that would have been DIFFERENT. I DOUBT he was that 15 year old's FIRST.

NOW...trying to look at it from another point of view...He was already there once before for possibly raping a 17 year old. Plea deals...were involved...so...what was the REST OF THE STORY??? Hmmmm...this alludes me to believe he's been in a few situations he shouldn't have been.

Alas if the charges were dismissed in that case then THIS one needs to be looked at for what it was...just two teenagers. It's sooooo totally RIDICULOUS that they would prosecute someone for two teens "consensually" frolicking. There has to be MORE to the story. I'd love to know WHY they're pressing so hard on this. There's got to be something that's NOT being reported.

I still hold to my ORIGINAL statement...Based on the information PROVIDED...this NEVER should have gone to court. The girl is 15 she's PLENTY old enough to make her decisions.

[blindersoff]

Sharpton is not going to apologize for the Duke case. He is only in the news because the media only turn the camera's on when he or Jackson or representing black people. He DOES NOT represent me.

[lastdance2]

RE : krg12171936
This is Just for you !!!

Even : "J. Edgar Hoover" (FBI Director)
Often enjoyed : A romp in bed with : "Young Boys"

Video tapped - Statements : From former FBI agents :
Describing how - They delivered young boys - For S*e*x*
Is evidence to that ! ! ! !

"Solicitation - Prostitution - Pimps"
The FBI - (Uncovered) - In one of it's more finest moments

If those young boys, came from juvenile detention centers.
Then - They may of - "Not" - had any choice in the matter
That activity - Now turns into a : S*e*x* - Slave trafficing operation.

Congressman Foley and the Page.
(18yrs old - 3years) = 15 years old.
Every Year :
Foley and the Page needed, to have their security
clearances upgraded, and dated current.

The FBI : Knew about that relationship
For Three Years ! ! !
They said and did : "Nothing"
The FBI supported that relationship.
Little wonder why - The FBI did a closed door investigation.

Research :
The Secret Life of J Edgar Hoover
copy and paste (Google)

Research :
Agents Say Foley Scandal Tip of Iceberg
copy and paste (Google)


Lastdance

[vancouverboo]

Statutory rape is an insane concept.

A sexually active minor should be fair game. If they have the maturity to have *** with other minors then they have the maturity to have *** with an adult. Don't penalize the adult for an accident of age.

[dbstevens]

This country is so messed up about how it deals with sexuality in almost all aspects. As far as our teens go, nobody educates them as to how to handle their raging hormones. We just tell them not to do it. This ignorant fundamentalist attitude is not the answer. It's a ridiculous double standard. On the one hand, our media is saturated with sexuality and stimulation, and on the other hand, nobody is willing to talk to kids openly about their sexual urges. And then we're outraged when they act on those urges? Wake up people...kids have urges that are so strong they're almost obsessive and it's not their fault. We need to start talking openly, intelligently and lovingly to them about what sexuality involves. This ignorant bible-belt mentality that thinks that if you utter the word "***" to a kid, you're giving them permission, is ridiculous. TALK TO THESE KIDS. Their feeling are natural and normal and if you talk with them, they'll act those feelings out in a more responsible manner, instead of blindly acting on impulses they have been taught nothing about.

[imlibertaria]

Since this is a state crime and not a federal one, King Bush has no pardon or clemency power over this case, BUT the governor of Georgia certainly has those powers.
Where the H*E*L*L is he hiding. Has anyone heard a peep out of that little weasel?