After sentencing a man convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl with only 30 days in prison, Judge Todd Baugh of Billings, Mont., is standing by and defending his position, saying the girl was older than her “chronological age” when it came to matters of sex. The judge also stated that the victim was “as much in control of the situation” as her teacher.
Cherice Moralez, a former student at Billings Senior High, was raped by her teacher, Stacey Rambold, 52, in 2008. Two years later she committed suicide.
After the verdict, Moralez’s mother, Auleia Hanlon, said, “She wasn’t even old enough to get a driver’s license. But Judge Baugh, who never met our daughter, justified the paltry sentence saying she was older than her chronological age.” Judge Baugh is facing a growing backlash against his decision.