Home / Crime and Justice / Love Hurts: Judge Spares Oklahoma Teen's Assailant
Love Hurts: Judge Spares Oklahoma Teen's Assailant
10 Dec
Summary
- Victim's parents express outrage over lenient sentence.
- Accused avoids prison, receives community service and counseling.
- Judge granted youthful offender status to the defendant.
Parents of an Oklahoma teen victim are publicly expressing their pain and disbelief following a judge's decision to spare her ex-boyfriend, Jesse Butler, from prison. Butler, accused of multiple assaults including attempted rape and strangulation when he was a minor, pleaded no contest to 11 counts.
Despite facing a potential 78-year sentence, a judge granted Butler youthful offender status in November. He was ordered to complete community service, rehabilitation, and counseling. The victim's parents argue this outcome fails to acknowledge the severe harm inflicted upon their daughter, stating that community service is insufficient punishment.
The family's attorney is pursuing legal action, asserting that the teen's rights were violated during the proceedings. They hope to bring more accountability and prevent future harm, while the victim grapples with lasting trauma from the assault, impacting her social life and trust in relationships.
