Son of Senate president offered plea deal in assault case SODOMY

[saigon68]

Son of Senate president offered plea deal in assault case

http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2006/04/03/news/local/20060403_local_news_7.txt


PHOENIX (AP) - Two young men charged with sodomizing 18 boys at a youth camp last year have been offered a plea agreement that may net them little jail time and no record of sexual assault.

Clifton Bennett, 18, the son of Arizona Senate President Ken Bennett, and his co-defendant, Kyle Wheeler, 19, were charged in January with 18 counts of aggravated assault and 18 counts of kidnapping for the incidents, which happened at a youth camp last June.The younger Bennett confessed to police that he and Wheeler sodomized the 11- to 14-year-old boys with broomsticks and flashlights in at least 40 incidents, court documents show.

Prosecutor James Landis told a judge at last week's hearing that the "broomsticking" was a hazing ritual and a punishment, not sexual assault.


Requiring proof of intent in a sexual assault case is a "red herring," according to Andrew Vachss, a New York lawyer specializing in child cases who is also a best-selling author on the subject. He said intent in this case is being used as an excuse to cut a deal. "Let the perps tell a jury, 'I inserted a foreign object into the rectums of little boys, but I had no sexual intent.'" The prosecutor referred questions to Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, who said she was ethically barred from talking about the case while it is active.


like Abu Graib the old FLASHLIGHT UP THE RECTUM

IT WAS HAZING SAYS THE PROSECUTOR

[DiverDave]

1. They are lucky they aren't walking

the streets of my town, I just might not be able to stop myself from kicking the shit out of them.
Sick mofo's...got off easy...there isn't justice in the U.S.:grr:

[NanceGreggs]

2. WTF???

Sodomizing 18 boys at a youth camp is HAZING?

Wonder what the prosecutor would have said had one of those eighteen boys been his own son.

[happyslug]

5. The Preps were 18 year old boys, The Victims were 11-14 year old boys

I have misread things myself, so I have to correct your error, The Preps were 18 and 19 year old and the victims were 11-14 year old boys.

[NanceGreggs]

6. I didn't say they were 18-years old ...

... I referred to the NUMBER of boys involved; there were EIGHTEEN of them.

"Two young men charged with sodomizing 18 boys at a youth camp ..."

[happyslug]

7. The Article I read said "over 40 incidents" not 18 incidents

n/t

[NanceGreggs]

8. Again, I didn't refer to the number of incidents ...

... but the number of VICTIMS.

The number of 'incidents' refers to how many times the victims were abused, and includes more than one 'incident' per child.

[saigon68]

12. ITS 18 VICTIMS IN 40 INCIDENTS

A broom stick up the RECTUM clears the Sinuses

[roguevalley]

49. I hope there are eighteen lawsuits against his fucking family. If that

was my baby, he would need kevlar.

[0007]

27. The rules change fast when it's family.

[monktonman]

3. OK James Landis, how about a broomstick up your ass.

then tell me thats not sexual assault.

[skooooo]

4. OMG!

If this hits the main newswires, people will demand something happen to these idiots.

I can just see Rita Cosby following this story through.

[NanceGreggs]

16. Agreed - this ain't going away any time soon ...

... and the public will get involved.

In addition, the parents of these children can go after the two perps with civil lawsuits. That wouldn't result in jail time, but could result in a very substantial financial award to the victims. Imagine the press coverage on that!

And Repub Daddy would probably prefer that his son got jail time, rather than parting with the bucks it will cost him for legal fees, etc. You KNOW that in his circles, MONEY is much thicker than BLOOD.

[skooooo]

36. It's scary how rampant child porn etc. is...

These pervs are ALL OVER the place, it seems.

[IChing]

39. There is something inherently evil with republicans

Sodomy rape, child pornography, torture, murder, war, sweatshops (delay), cat killing(frist)....etc.

Crime happens, but these kind of crimes says
that there is something more going on than just raiding the collection plate.
Something very alarming and disturbing
that permeates continually from the core of the republican mindset.

[skooooo]

42. boy it's really true......

About a year ago, my sister told me point blank that these republicans in power were evil. I agreed with her then, but since that time, I've come to see it on a deeper level.

[htuttle]

9. Kidnapping and raping children with a broomstick is 'hazing'?

Oh, brave new world that hath such people in it...

[NanceGreggs]

21. To Republicans, it is.

Wasn't it Rummy who referred to the goings-on at Abu Ghraib as 'nothing more than frat-boy shenanigans'?

[arewenotdemo]

46. That's Rumsfeld for you

no doubt reminiscing on the good old days wrestling his naked frat buddies.

[nashville_brook]

37. like limbaugh says, "just fraternity-style pranks..."

might be the truthiest thing he's ever said. hierarchy through debasing the weak.

it's a leadership skill. taking it until it's your turn to give it.

[wellst0nev0ter]

10. I'm Sure Bile O'Reilly Will Be All Over This

Since he's so red-faced about sexual-predators and all and the soft-on-crime liberal judges of that hedonistic cesspool called Arizona who continue to let them off :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Breeze54]

11. Didn't I read this on DU this morning?

:shrug: and appalled!!!

TY!

[saigon68]

14. It was part of another thread on torture.

Read the article on how the Senator sat in back of his son

It will make YOU PUKE

[Breeze54]

24. It's on the 4 Stars Greatest page! I just found it! TY though! n/t

[EST]

13. Typical damn republicans!

The father is a repugnant. Is it at all possible for a DUer it that area to arrange to visit these young men and inquire of them what their political affinities are?
I think it's time we start charting this stuff. I'd bet my hat on who it is that rapes and sodomizes children, lies, steals, kills, rapes, and still manages to manipulate weak-minded sheeple into believing that they are the "daddy" party, with unquestioned dignity, integrity and authority.
I do not think of it as partisan to bet that, if ever this world progresses to a real justice system, being a republican or espousing repugnant tendencies will be prima facie evidence of criminal nature and intent, at a minimum.
More likely, if such attitudes cannot be educated out, some sort of isolation system will be required to prevent them from preying on honest people.

[yurbud]

18. a good poll question: more dangerous to boys: priest or GOP pol

[saigon68]

19. ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE

The 18 boys were chosen to attend the weeklong student government leadership skills camp in Prescott because they were among the state's top student leaders.

[EST]

23. Members of the "Young Republicans," no doubt.

[tatertop]

15. They also choked three boys till they passed out

[yurbud]

17. anybody notice anti-gay party has a lot of violent, angry closet cases?

that self-loathing is a bitch.

[Bush_MUST_Go]

22. Compassionate Conservatives in action

"The letter said Bennett was an honor student and active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who plans to go on a mission in September.

"A felony conviction for assault will make his desire to complete his mission impossible," they wrote."


If they sent these animals to jail (where they belong), the Religious Right would probably cry that it's because there's a War on Christians.

The rapists should say they were just practicing to be guards at Abu Gharib & the victims were'enemy combatants.' They might wind up with medals if bush has his way.

[saigon68]

31. Meanwhile

The civil complaint alleges that the men were held in solitary confinement 23 hours a day in the maximum-security unit of the Brooklyn Federal Detention Center, were slammed into walls, dragged across the floor in shackles, manacled, kicked and punched until they bled, cursed at, called "Muslim bastards" and subject to body cavity searches. Mr. Elmaghraby alleges that a flashlight was inserted into his rectum causing him to bleed. He was forced to walk naked in front of one of the guard's female co-workers. During part of his confinement Mr. Elmaghraby was given no blankets, mattress or toilet paper and placed in a tiny cell lighted 24 hours a day. Mr. Iqbal said on rainy cold days he was left outdoors without shoes or jacket and upon being returned wet to his cell the air conditioning was turned on.

[Blue_Tires]

38. there is a lot of rectal fixation as well...

[Phx_Dem]

20. FYI--this did not happen in Phoenix

it happened in Prescott AZ, which is a right wing haven.

[Journeyman]

25. What does the one man's father have to do with the case? . . .

Why make the reference to his being the son of a state politician while no reference was made about the other man's parentage? It's a fact irrelevant to the case. I like a good politician bash as much as the next guy, but to reverse the Biblical injunction and "visit the sins of the son on the father" seems bad form, if nothing else. Especially since the other guy's parents weren't considered germane to the case (as well they should not be).

[bettyellen]

26. because he's getting away with rape because of his father is so powerful

enough to stop this prosecution. that's why.

[daleo]

28. Well, parenting can have an effect on children's behavior

And Republicans do go on so about family values. So, it seems germane to mention it.

Also, the prosecutor seems to be going out of his way to play down the incident. Powerful political strings may have been pulled.

[file83]

40. You can add 2 + 2, right? Same idea here...the powerful politician

of one of the defendents has EVERYTHING to do with this case because these guys are getting off almost SCOTT FREE - they won't have to register as SEX OFFENDERS according to this very special "plea bargain".

If you think this kind of "plea bargain" is offered to just any random CHILD RAPIST (and not just to the offspring of powerful politicians) then you there isn't much we can do for you here.

[Supersedeas]

29. Hazing???? says the Prosecutor??? -- the people's attorney or the Pubby's

attorney.

[fleabert]

30. "SODOMY of CHILDREN"! should be the headline, damn editors are

stupid.

(not bitching at the op, just the article title)

[Sunkiss BlueStar]

32. Why do pukes have an appetite

for children? not to mention animals

Is anyone here familiar with Sue Bermeister(R)?, if not her son was engaged in child molestation before her anti molestation bill passed in Georgia, but now she doesn't want harsh punishment for molesters.

pukes are sick

[centristo]

33. hmm, normally its the tax-payers who take it in the rear from Republicans

it was too easy...

[LilyLibber]

34. Disgusting. Just disgusting.

These young boys are suffering from the effects of sexual trauma...

The boys have had trouble going to the bathroom, sleep with clothes on, are afraid at night, and have undergone sexual-assault counseling, parents said.

"Our biggest concern is that these kids are going to do it again," the mother of an 11-year-old Tucson boy told The Arizona Republic. "My son had something shoved up his butt seven or eight times. If that's not sexual assault, what is?"

...and may suffer so for the rest of their lives, and the PROSECUTOR, who's supposed to represent the interests of the PEOPLE, is recommending FIVE DAYS IN JAIL for these sick fucks?!?

Furthermore, having to prove "sexual intent" is a draconian requirement, not to mention a bullshit excuse.

Landis told the judge the case was never viewed as "sexual in nature," partly because prosecutors could not prove the two young men had sexual intent.

But legal experts, sex-crimes prosecutors and victims'-rights lawyers say the acts clearly fit the definition of sexual assault.

"They could have been charged with sexual assault," said Sue Eazer, supervisor of the Pima County Attorney's Special Victims Unit. "Sexual assault is oftentimes not motivated by sexual desire."

Oftentimes, sexual assault is motivated by the desire for power and control over the victims. I'd say that certainly fits these scumbag perps.

I am appalled beyond belief. I wonder who the most effective person or body would be, to write to expressing outrage over this?

[nashville_brook]

35. "one time... at leadership camp... "

[jseankil]

41. Just call rape hazing with no sexual intent. (who's the judge in the case?

If he okay's this deal he/she should catch hell like the Ohio judge did a couple weeks ago.

[skooooo]

43. judge is probably republican

They don't care much about people anyway (republicans).

[jseankil]

44. Well they care enough to protect child molesters. /nm

nm

[skooooo]

45. that certainly seems to be the case

[Mnemosyne]

47. I cannot even speak at this moment. n/t

[WhiteTara]

48. another family value repuke household

these things are animals on two legs. I am always shocked when I see them upright.

[roguevalley]

50. send his old man an e-mail expressing your thoughts on the perverted

thrill of sticking stuff up the butts of little kids and how well that will look on his resume. maybe he could work for Homeland Security.

[e-mail]



Ken Bennett

[DiverDave]

51. Thanks for the addy

I sent him this:

When is sexual assault not sexual assault?

When the despicable pieces of trash have a rich,powerful daddy.

What the heck were you thinking?

Who needs the protection more?
Children that were forcibly raped, or rich pedophiles?

You are a despicable example of the ills in the justice system.

These young boys will carry this for the rest of THEIR LIVES!

But, you don't give a whit for them, do you?
Another "compassionate conservative" you are.

I hope that the people of AZ. take you off the bench, and if they need help, I will gladly contribute.


I remain, in utter contempt,


I'm so mad I couldnt think clearly, but I hope he gets my drift.