Exclusive: Miami Woman Starts Petition To Have Stanford Rape Case Judge Tossed
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*UPDATE: After her petition received no from the Assembly in California, Ruiz started a new one that will go directly to the Obama administration if it reaches 100-thousand signatures. If it does reach its signature goal, the administration must address it within 60 days.
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The outrage over the lenient sentence given to the Stanford student who raped a woman has sparked an online petition to get rid of the judge who ruled.
The petition, which has hundreds of thousands of signatures, was started by a Miami woman who spoke exclusively with CBS4's Oralia Ortega.
"She is stuck with that violation for the rest of her life. And instead of the judge showing her pity, he pitied the rapist," said Maria Ruiz. "It's just outrageous."
And about 500,000 people so far share the same outrage Ruiz feels.
The South Florida nurse started an online petition against a California judge who handed down what she considers a lenient sentence against a Stanford University swim star who sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman.
"As soon as people hear about it, you're automatically angry, there's no way not to be," Ruiz said.
After searching online for a petition to sign to have the judge removed and coming up empty handed, several factors made her take action.
"It was the lack of remorse from the defendant. It was the comment that the judge made that jail would have a negative effect on the rapist," she said.
Brock Turner, 20, faced 14 years in prison after a jury found guilty of three felony counts.
But Judge Aaron Presky gave him six months in jail.
South Florida attorney David Weinstein said as unfair as the sentence may seem to some, judges are allowed wide discretion for a number of reasons.
"If you don't let a judge consider all of the factors that are relevant to sentencing, then all the judge is is a robot who sits behind the bench and hands out these sentences according to what some book tells you is an appropriate sentence," he explained.
The victim, who is not a Stanford student, admits to drinking too much at a fraternity party and blacking out.
She was discovered nearly naked on the ground behind a dumpster.
Ruiz hopes her petition has a role in helping this young woman to heal.
"I just hope that this brings the victim a little bit of comfort, lets her know that there are people out there who care," Ruiz said.