Judge Reverses No-Jail Guilty Plea for Rape Crimes

It seems that public outcry against Tony Simmons appallingly lenient sentence has forced Supreme Court Justice Cassandra Mullen to rethink her acceptance of the terms of Simmons' guilty plea.

In September, Judge Mullen agreed to accept Simmons guilty plea and bargained sentence of 10 years of probation in lieu of jail-time. Her decision was met with public disgust, from women's and victims' right activists to several district attorneys in the area. Several protests were held in hopes of pressuring Mullen to change her decision and rally other officials to help overturn the judgment.

Today, on November 15th, during another court hearing, Mullen condemned Simmons for his actions and denied his plea bargain, stating that a new report from the Department of Probation showed that he held no remorse for his actions. “[The report is] nothing short of appalling," Mullen said. "He seems to suggest he did his victims a favor."

Within the report, it's stated that Simmons feels as though his actions with these girls were consensual. The judge reports that Simmons' stated, “They had a mutual sexual attraction,” and that the girls had given him “sexual looks.”

Under Mullen's new order, Simmons faced three years in prison if he stuck with his guilty plea. Simmons did not accept the deal, which means a trial may soon be underway.

Hopefully this recent development can bring his victims the opportunity to be finally heard and receive the justice they deserve.

*This article is a follow-up to: Lying to the Police a Bigger Crime Than Rape?

Sources

1. Judge voids plea deal for NYC counselor
(Wall Street Journal, 11/2010)

2. Judge takes back no-jail guilty plea, says child molest suspect Tony Simmons has shown no remorse
(NY Daily News, 11/2010)