I'd like to know the racial composition of the jury in this case.
Outrage follows probation sentence in rape-robbery
FRISCO - Outrage has surfaced after a Collin County jury sentenced a Frisco teenager to probation after he raped a woman at gunpoint in front of her own children.
Leaders of a North Texas rape crisis center are among those calling the jury's decision outrageous and unfair.
"He does deserve to go to prison," said the victim of the attack. "He deserves more than that."
A Collin County jury found Grant Morehead-Whitaker guilty of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated robbery, which are charges that usually send defendants to Texas prisons for years.
The victim told jurors Morehead-Whitaker forced his way into her apartment at gunpoint and raped her in front of her two young children. Even so, the jury sentenced him to ten years probation for each crime.
"I was shocked," the victim said. "I was very disappointed. I was upset."
Collin County prosecutor Curtis Howard said probation is rare in a case like this, and asked jurors to sentence Morehead-Whitaker to 50 years in prison.
"The guy used a weapon, forced his way into a home where a woman was with her two small children and sexually assaulted her in front of her children," he said.
Leaders of the Turning Point Rape Crisis Center of Collin County said they are angered by the sentence, which they called inappropriate for a crime they call heinous and horrible.
"Well, it sends a very strong message to the victim that society is not protecting her," said Shea Alexander, the center's clinical director.
State District Judge Curt Henderson added several conditions to Morehead-Whitaker's probation that included 180 days in jail, 18 months in an offender re-entry program, house arrest with GPS and electronic monitoring, sex offender treatment and he must obtain a G.E.D.
"It is an extreme probation [that is] almost impossible to make," said Danette Alvarado, Morehead-Whitaker's lawyer. "The conditions are so stringent on it."
However, Claudia Alexander, the executive director of Turning Point, had a different perspective on the judge's conditions.
"It sounds unusual, but it sounds like the judge was trying to make up for the jury," she said.
"This is the most stringent probation I've ever seen," Howard said.
The victim said she still can't understand why the jury was so lenient.
"It's like they didn't hear me," she said. "They didn't care, and that's what hurts the most."
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
Outrage follows probation sentence in rape-robbery
FRISCO - Outrage has surfaced after a Collin County jury sentenced a Frisco teenager to probation after he raped a woman at gunpoint in front of her own children.
Leaders of a North Texas rape crisis center are among those calling the jury's decision outrageous and unfair.
"He does deserve to go to prison," said the victim of the attack. "He deserves more than that."
A Collin County jury found Grant Morehead-Whitaker guilty of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated robbery, which are charges that usually send defendants to Texas prisons for years.
The victim told jurors Morehead-Whitaker forced his way into her apartment at gunpoint and raped her in front of her two young children. Even so, the jury sentenced him to ten years probation for each crime.
"I was shocked," the victim said. "I was very disappointed. I was upset."
Collin County prosecutor Curtis Howard said probation is rare in a case like this, and asked jurors to sentence Morehead-Whitaker to 50 years in prison.
"The guy used a weapon, forced his way into a home where a woman was with her two small children and sexually assaulted her in front of her children," he said.
Leaders of the Turning Point Rape Crisis Center of Collin County said they are angered by the sentence, which they called inappropriate for a crime they call heinous and horrible.
"Well, it sends a very strong message to the victim that society is not protecting her," said Shea Alexander, the center's clinical director.
State District Judge Curt Henderson added several conditions to Morehead-Whitaker's probation that included 180 days in jail, 18 months in an offender re-entry program, house arrest with GPS and electronic monitoring, sex offender treatment and he must obtain a G.E.D.
"It is an extreme probation [that is] almost impossible to make," said Danette Alvarado, Morehead-Whitaker's lawyer. "The conditions are so stringent on it."
However, Claudia Alexander, the executive director of Turning Point, had a different perspective on the judge's conditions.
"It sounds unusual, but it sounds like the judge was trying to make up for the jury," she said.
"This is the most stringent probation I've ever seen," Howard said.
The victim said she still can't understand why the jury was so lenient.
"It's like they didn't hear me," she said. "They didn't care, and that's what hurts the most."
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
