Prep School Rape Case News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Offers. a prosecutor has the ability to use diversion programs beings even on these types of charges. but generally that happens before trial. this defendant had a constitutional right to go to trial, and i think he went to trial because of the aggravated sexual assault counts. and i don't know what the plea offers were extended to him, but he had to make a decision. >> it would be 30 seconds, tom, that we have had a lot of talk about sexual assaults on campuses. >> absolutely. this is a tragedy. you hear about rape epidemic. sexual assaults and rapes happen. they should be prosecuted vigorous...

The judge aside the verdict on this count. the defense will try to formulate some sort of argument. it's a high burden. it probably won't happen. you'll have appeals maybe testing the constitutionality of the statute. it's a tough case. the fact that the jury determined this was consensual yet this defendant walks away with this agree of punishment. a registered sex offender. it's lights over right now. >> i didn't want to go to that extreme. here you have a kid who has potentially never committed another crime, going to one of the top prep schools in the nation. accepted into harvard's divini...

Hey, do you want to hook up tonight? >> that's the toughest part about it. the felony charge is serious business. he's going to be looking at in all likelihood a state prison sentence as a result of that. this is a law incontinutended fr guys, basically pedophiles operating out of their basement. it wasn't for kids going to the same prep school. this is a tough pill for him to swallow. >> when the jury is trying to hash all this out. they obviously unanimously agree that they couldn't go to the consent part, right? >> correct. >> do they have an understanding that that computer services -- >> ...

Those. >> there is not. it's a strict liability offense. she could have been ready, willing and able and the jury probably found that she was. she could have been the one that prompted the encounter. but because of the age disparity between them it's a per se kr criminal. >> this all comes down to the age. >> with respect to the misdemeanor offenses. >> the computer -- >> that is a crime that prohibits the use of computers to lure a minor into a sexual encounter, which was done here but it doesn't mean it was done without her consent. she can't consent to it because the law says she can't beca...

Okay. obviously the complainant in this case was 15. the defendant was 18. a lot of people look at that and say, look, two people in the same prep school, both in high school. this is not what this law was intended to prevent but a plain reading of the statute makes the conduct illegal. that's why his lawyers -- >> are you surprised by this? the prosecutor had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt and that was tough. >> what's clear is this jury found that there was penetration. in fact, on the three sexual assault misdemeanor charges that he has been convicted of, it required the state to prove ...