Florida strikes again- on teen sex- selective prosecution?

[pappyjohn99]

Good lord. Crazy Kaitlyn has hired a PR firm to manage the media.

www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7739.shtml

[pappyjohn99]

Facebook postings reveal that Kaitlyn knew she was committing a crime.

New evidence released today shows Facebook messages to the victim from Kate, stating she knew she'd get in trouble for dating a girl so young.

"Before Miss Hunt was arrested there were conversations on social media that she knew she was 18 and she knew what she was wrong with a younger person," Loar said. "I think you must look at all the facts involved."

www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7523.shtml?wap=0

[billisonboard]

Jun 1, 2013 22:50:25 GMT -5 pappyjohn99 said:

... Kaitlyn has hired a PR firm ...

The lawyers for Kaitlyn Hunt have now hired a public relations firm ...

Notice the difference between your post and the headline of the article you cited. It makes a great deal of sense to bring in some expertise in the face of the media storm surrounding this case.

[mmhmm]

I was going to point that out, as well, billis.  The attorneys for Kaitlyn Hunt are the ones who are engaging the services of the PR firm.  Frankly, it's the best thing they can do.  Ms. Hunt, from what little I've seen, should not be talking to the media at all.  She's a very, very immature young woman, IMO.  Were I working with her, I'd want a wall of experience between Kaitlyn and the media, too.

[pappyjohn99]

Point taken. But wouldn't a client have to approve these actions?

[pappyjohn99]

An alternative to the "Free Kate" website if anyone is interested. It's maybe bias, people such as ourselves can cut thru that and judge for yourself. 

supporthonesty.net/#socialmedia

[EVT1]

Alternative?  It isn't really biased that much- just shows what was wrong with what her parents are saying- which isn't news to us around here- we are smarter than that   I like information from more trusted sources than those with an agenda such as the parents- of either one involved. 

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 1, 2013 22:50:25 GMT -5 pappyjohn99 said:

Good lord. Crazy Kaitlyn has hired a PR firm to manage the media.

www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7739.shtml

Kaitlyn Dry®: 100% of the Guilt, 40% More Likable

[mmhmm]

Jun 2, 2013 0:43:22 GMT -5 pappyjohn99 said:

Point taken. But wouldn't a client have to approve these actions?

At 18, I'd expect her to approve if they suggested digging up Libarace and putting him on display in her defense, pappyjohn.  She's going to approve whatever they say.  She doesn't know what the heck to do!

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Where do you draw the line. An 18 year old having "consensual" sex with a 14 year old will at some point be a 19 year old and a 15 year old, a 20 year old with a 16 year old, a 21 year old and a 17 year old. Growing up, I knew "16 will get you 20". The only reason this is an "issue" is because the offender is a woman. If this was an 18 year old man and a 14 year old girl, the case would be another routine prosecution. As more and more sex offenders are female, we seem to be developing a soft spot for them and blurring what was once a bright line. I'm personally not willing to have the discussion. It is what it is, and I happen to agree that children cannot consent to having sex with adults. Period.

[billisonboard]

Jun 3, 2013 20:23:41 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Where do you draw the line. ... children cannot consent to having sex with adults. Period.

I think that it is a reasonable thing to take into account that this case involves two high school students.

[EVT1]

Jun 3, 2013 20:23:41 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Where do you draw the line. An 18 year old having "consensual" sex with a 14 year old will at some point be a 19 year old and a 15 year old, a 20 year old with a 16 year old, a 21 year old and a 17 year old. Growing up, I knew "16 will get you 20". The only reason this is an "issue" is because the offender is a woman. If this was an 18 year old man and a 14 year old girl, the case would be another routine prosecution. As more and more sex offenders are female, we seem to be developing a soft spot for them and blurring what was once a bright line. I'm personally not willing to have the discussion. It is what it is, and I happen to agree that children cannot consent to having sex with adults. Period.

That's the question isn't it- is this a routine prosecution?  If so, there should be plenty of FL cases where these males were charged with felonies and only offered a felony to plead to.   Someone is going to dig it up- that's what I am waiting on.

You are definitely right on the double standard when it comes to real sex crimes- such as teachers and students.  The hot woman always gets a slap on the wrist, but a male teacher catches the wrath of the community.

Also, in FL 21 and 16 is legal- in fact 23 and 16 is perfectly legal.  So what is more creepy to you- HS freshman and senior, or College graduate and HS sophmore? A little perspective, please.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 3, 2013 23:29:56 GMT -5 EVT1 said:

Jun 3, 2013 20:23:41 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Where do you draw the line. An 18 year old having "consensual" sex with a 14 year old will at some point be a 19 year old and a 15 year old, a 20 year old with a 16 year old, a 21 year old and a 17 year old. Growing up, I knew "16 will get you 20". The only reason this is an "issue" is because the offender is a woman. If this was an 18 year old man and a 14 year old girl, the case would be another routine prosecution. As more and more sex offenders are female, we seem to be developing a soft spot for them and blurring what was once a bright line. I'm personally not willing to have the discussion. It is what it is, and I happen to agree that children cannot consent to having sex with adults. Period.

That's the question isn't it- is this a routine prosecution?  If so, there should be plenty of FL cases where these males were charged with felonies and only offered a felony to plead to.   Someone is going to dig it up- that's what I am waiting on.

You are definitely right on the double standard when it comes to real sex crimes- such as teachers and students.  The hot woman always gets a slap on the wrist, but a male teacher catches the wrath of the community.

Also, in FL 21 and 16 is legal- in fact 23 and 16 is perfectly legal.  So what is more creepy to you- HS freshman and senior, or College graduate and HS sophmore? A little perspective, please.

Is 16 the age of consent if FL? I didn't know that.  I figured if you couldn't put your name on a contract, you probably shouldn't be able to consent to sex.

[Tennesseer]

age of consent 16 (30): Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia

age of consent 17 (9): Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Wyoming

age of consent 18 (12): Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania 1

1: In Pennsylvania, the age of consent is 16. If the minor is under the age of 18, the adult can be charged with "Corruption of a Minor". This is a misdemeanor. [3] . If the adult is in a position of power (teacher, clergy, or Police for example), this is a felony [4] . Even though the age of consent is 16, it is still a crime until the age of 18. Because of this, Pennsylvania is normally listed as if it had an age of consent of 18.

Some states have exceptions to the law for people below the age of consent if their partner's age is within a specific range. This range is often between 2 and 4 years. Some states allow minors who are below the age of consent to consent to sex with their spouses if they are married, but not to anyone else.

The age of consent in Florida is 18, but close in age exemptions exist. By law, the exception permits a person 23 years of age or younger to engage in legal sexual activity with a minor aged 16 or 17.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_North_America

[Virgil Showlion]

Hearken ye all to a tale cold and blunt,
of the scandalous one they called Kaitlyn the Hunt,
who sought out young maids to their parents' affront,
...


This poem writes itself.

[billisonboard]

Jun 4, 2013 9:10:18 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Hearken ye all to a tale cold and blunt,
of the scandalous one they called Kaitlyn the Hunt,
who sought out young maids to their parents' affront,
...


This poem writes itself.

Any evidence that the plurals are true?

[Tennesseer]

Jun 4, 2013 9:10:18 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Hearken ye all to a tale cold and blunt,
of the scandalous one they called Kaitlyn the Hunt,
who sought out young maids to their parents' affront,
...


This poem writes itself.

Well at least you didn't use the C word in your poem.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

The age of consent in Florida is 18, but close in age exemptions exist. By law, the exception permits a person 23 years of age or younger to engage in legal sexual activity with a minor aged 16 or 17.

Ok, well we're talking about a 14 year old. I get that they're both in high school- but what if they weren't? What if it was an 18 year old college student, or an 18 year old high school drop out-- and I still maintain the real reason we're trying to make an exception here is that the offender is a not completely unappealing female. And there's a possible second reason- the "gay card" is the new "race card" and it has been played.

[billisonboard]

Jun 4, 2013 19:15:25 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

The age of consent in Florida is 18, but close in age exemptions exist. By law, the exception permits a person 23 years of age or younger to engage in legal sexual activity with a minor aged 16 or 17.

Ok, well we're talking about a 14 year old. I get that they're both in high school- but what if they weren't? What if it was an 18 year old college student, or an 18 year old high school drop out-- ...

Those are factors that should be taken into account. That is why it isn't "Period."

[mmhmm]

Jun 4, 2013 19:15:25 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

The age of consent in Florida is 18, but close in age exemptions exist. By law, the exception permits a person 23 years of age or younger to engage in legal sexual activity with a minor aged 16 or 17.

Ok, well we're talking about a 14 year old. I get that they're both in high school- but what if they weren't? What if it was an 18 year old college student, or an 18 year old high school drop out-- and I still maintain the real reason we're trying to make an exception here is that the offender is a not completely unappealing female. And there's a possible second reason- the "gay card" is the new "race card" and it has been played.

Speak for yourself.  I haven't given much consideration to the "gay" angle.  I don't really see how that's relevant.  I haven't considered the appearance/appeal of the accused for the same reason.  In the clips I've seen, I have noted this to be a very immature 18-year-old.  That's about the only conclusion I've drawn.

[Tennesseer]

Jun 4, 2013 19:15:25 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

The age of consent in Florida is 18, but close in age exemptions exist. By law, the exception permits a person 23 years of age or younger to engage in legal sexual activity with a minor aged 16 or 17.

Ok, well we're talking about a 14 year old. I get that they're both in high school- but what if they weren't? What if it was an 18 year old college student, or an 18 year old high school drop out-- and I still maintain the real reason we're trying to make an exception here is that the offender is a not completely unappealing female. And there's a possible second reason- the "gay card" is the new "race card" and it has been played.

But they are not.  Your 'What Ifs' have no bearing in this case.  

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 5, 2013 5:56:52 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

From what little I've read about it (mainly this thread) it seems as though it was the "gay card" that got the girl in trouble in the first place.

The question is whether Ms. Hunt will face a tougher time in the courts. But thus far in this thread, posters have been able to prove up, down, and sideways that this isn't the case.

[djAdvocate]

Jun 3, 2013 20:23:41 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Where do you draw the line.

the answer is that it is somewhat arbitrary.  however, that doesn't mean that there should be no line.  there should.

clearly there is a difference between adult and child.  when that difference takes place varies from person to person.

some people never grow up.

[billisonboard]

Jun 5, 2013 9:53:01 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Jun 3, 2013 20:23:41 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Where do you draw the line.

the answer is that it is somewhat arbitrary.  however, that doesn't mean that there should be no line.  there should.

clearly there is a difference between adult and child.  when that difference takes place varies from person to person.

some people never grow up.

When a person has been on the planet for 18 years is as good a place to draw the line as any. It gets a little tricky in our modern society with the fact that some high school students reach that mark prior to graduation which is a subjective point of entry into adulthood (which can't be used legally since not all people graduate). I think that a prosecutor and judge having discretion as far as felony/misdemeanor - jail/probation in a case like this is important for allowing for individual variance in maturity. Sometimes that could be a reason for a lesser consequence or it might been an opportunity a "slap" someone who needs that to help them grow up.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 4, 2013 21:00:04 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jun 4, 2013 19:15:25 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Ok, well we're talking about a 14 year old. I get that they're both in high school- but what if they weren't? What if it was an 18 year old college student, or an 18 year old high school drop out-- ...

Those are factors that should be taken into account. That is why it isn't "Period."

Oh, but it is.  Age of consent is black and white.

[billisonboard]

Jun 5, 2013 21:34:28 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Jun 4, 2013 21:00:04 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Those are factors that should be taken into account. That is why it isn't "Period."

Oh, but it is.  Age of consent is black and white.

The younger person in this case is not being prosecuted for giving consent when she wasn't old enough to give it. Therefore the fact that "age of consent is black and white" doesn't really matter. The older person in this case is being prosecuted for engaging in an activity which she should not have because of her age compared to that of the other person involved. That is also black and white and doesn't really matter. What isn't "period" is what the appropriate consequence is for this particular individual. As you properly point out, there are a lot of different circumstances that could come into play in determining an answer to what the appropriate consequence should be for an individual who engaged in the same behavior.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 5, 2013 22:19:43 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jun 5, 2013 21:34:28 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Oh, but it is.  Age of consent is black and white.

The younger person in this case is not being prosecuted for giving consent when she wasn't old enough to give it. Therefore the fact that "age of consent is black and white" doesn't really matter. The older person in this case is being prosecuted for engaging in an activity which she should not have because of her age compared to that of the other person involved. That is also black and white and doesn't really matter. What isn't "period" is what the appropriate consequence is for this particular individual. As you properly point out, there are a lot of different circumstances that could come into play in determining an answer to what the appropriate consequence should be for an individual who engaged in the same behavior.

No, what I pointed out is that circumstances are being used as an excuse- the offender is a mildly attractive white woman and this is a politically-favored lesbian affair.  My point is that the circumstances do not, and should not matter.  And personally, I do not want the line blurred on what constitutes sex with a minor due to "circumstances".  In fact, I'd prefer Florida RAISE the age of consent to legal adulthood with regard to sex with adults.

[billisonboard]

Jun 6, 2013 7:52:39 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

... And personally, I do not want the line blurred on what constitutes sex with a minor due to "circumstances". ...

I have no problem with that. However, "circumstances" should be taken into account when determining what the appropriate consequence is for that behavior taking place.

[EVT1]

That would be swell- that way two 17yo's could be arrested and charged for raping each other.  Maybe we should make them felons and put them on the sex offender registry and send a message to those darn kids that sex will not be tolerated.  Better- sentence them to church services.


BTW the consent age in most states is 16-17, less for those close to the same age.  Consent is anything but black and white- in fact there are 50 different version of it in the US.  As was pointed out many times- what this girl did was not a crime at all in numerous states- and the ones that it is were mainly misdemeanors- FL is an outlier- which is IMO an abuse of prosecution to not plead her to misdemeanor.  She is being hit with the same law intended to get the 50yo creep in a van patrolling the HS picking up young girls for sex.  Felony 2- as I also pointed out- the same charge level the kid got that attempted to bomb a school.  FL sucks.

[zibazinski]

That's your opinion. I don't feel the same way.