A 17-year-old young man accused of raping a 15-year-old while having consensual oral sex was released today in Georgia (*EDIT. Upon appeal from the prosecutor, Genarlow must remain behind bars until the appeal has been heard). After spending 27 months, 25 days, 19 hours, and 6 minutes in the old slammer, he has been released. In the 1990s, when the country was cracking down on crime, the Georgia General Assembly passed a law that stated that anybody who has sex with anyone under 16-years-old is automatically a rapist. This was considered one of Georgia's 7 deadly sins. The law was created to protect children from child molesters.
One night in Georgia, Genarlow received oral sex from a 15-year-old girl at a Day's Inn Hotel. Why Day's Inn rented a room to unsupervised teenagers is already beyond me. But that's neither here nor there. Even the Prosecutor admits that he did not consider the sex forced. Genarlow was given the same sentence as a sex-offender who preys on children and weak individuals. This was another unfair case of a teenager being a teenager. Marcus Dixon knows a bit about that.
So today, June 11, 2007, Genarlow is a free man but can the state of Georgia ever repay him for the time he spent behind bars or for the mental anguish he suffered those two years? Imagine the psychological effects of Genarlow ever engaging in sexual activity again; he is indeed traumatized. He suffered this ill fate as a child and in one day his life changed forever. The college scholarships, the 3.2 GPA he boasted, the Homecoming King title he sported, the popularity he had, his entire future, all smeared by one night of irresponsible teenage fun. This all while Paris Hilton is making national news for crying about a few days she has to spend in a cozy prison hotel for DUI charges (careless adult fun). What is justice if justice turns a blind eye to inequity? That's just my two cents.
For more about the Genarlow Wilson case: http://www.wilsonappeal.com/index.php
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/11/teen.sex.case.ap/index.html
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