Since he was 7
Via Screechy Monkey: another rapist gets a stern frown instead of a prison sentence.
A New York man who pleaded guilty to rape and sexual abuse for assaulting four teenage girls during parties at his parents’ home will not face jail time after a judge Tuesday sentenced him to eight years probation.
Niagara County Court Judge Matthew J. Murphy III said he “agonized” over the case of 20-year-old Christopher Belter, who was accused of committing the crimes when he was 16 or 17. Belter pleaded guilty in 2019 to felony charges that included third-degree rape and attempted first-degree sexual abuse, as well as two misdemeanor charges of second-degree sexual abuse.
Although Belter faced a maximum sentence of eight years in prison, Murphy concluded that jail time for the man “would be inappropriate” in a ruling that shocked the courtroom.
The rapes were appropriate; punishment for the rapes would not be appropriate. Women are such privileged Karen bitches.
Steven M. Cohen, an attorney for one of the victims, denounced the judge’s sentencing, saying to reporters Tuesday, “Justice was not done here.” He told The Washington Post on Wednesday that his client, who was joined by some of the other victims in the courtroom, was “deeply disappointed” in the sentencing.
“My client threw up in the ladies room following the sentencing,” Cohen said. “If Chris Belter was not a White defendant from a rich and influential family, in my experience … he would surely have been sentenced to prison.”
Ah so that’s what makes jail time “inappropriate” – he’s a rich kid so he really wouldn’t like being locked away from the perks of being a rich kid.
Not to mention the porn.
In 2018, Belter, then 17, was charged with first-degree rape, third-degree rape and sexual abuse for the assaults. As part of a plea deal, Belter pleaded guilty in 2019 to lesser felony charges of third-degree rape and attempted first-degree sexual abuse. The judge at the time, Sara Sheldon, placed Belter on two years’ interim probation and gave him the chance to apply for youthful offender status in his sentencing, which would have lessened the maximum prison time and allowed him to not register as a sex offender.
Sheldon, who has since retired, predicted Belter would struggle to comply with the restrictions placed on him in his initial probation — and she was proved right. Belter acknowledged in court last month that he had violated his probation by installing software on his personal computer that allowed him to view pornography, which was restricted. Belter had told his probation officer that he had been watching porn since he was 7 years old, the News reported.
Porn on the one hand, angry trans women on the other – women just can’t catch a break these days.
I do feel a kind of sorrow/compassion for Belter. Watching porn since he was that young is sure to have warped his perception and understanding of consent, relationships and what healthy and appropriate sexual relationships are all about. Most of us learn and process that slowly over time with guidance and if necessary correction from others in our lives. He clearly didn’t get that. One wonders how much attention and supervision he was getting from that age.
That said, there comes a time when you have to take responsibility for yourself. He’s clearly not there yet. Until he does he’s a danger to the women and girls he meets and they deserve protection as well as compassion. He’ll fail his probation. some girl or girls will suffer harm that will warp their lives and the lives of others. There are no winners in this, but the system should try for fewer losers. It’s just appalling that the system is about punishment, rather than rehabilitation. If it actually was human and rehabilitate, Judges might be a smidge less likely to give rich white kids such an easy ride.
Bullshit. There was nothing over which to “agonize”, apart from deciding for just how many years to send the perp away. This represents a pattern of behaviour, not a “mistake.” I’m not inclined to forgive and forget something like this. Incarceration and punishment/removal from society is more important than rehabilitation, which I doubt is possible in cases like this. This is a pattern is going to be repeated and likely escalated. There will be more victims. Rhetorical question that’s been answered already, but is there no thought on the idiot judge’s part to protect other women from becoming his future victims? The only things he’s going to “learn” from this “experience” are, a) how to do it better, b) how not to get caught, and c) that he can get away with it if he is caught. Appallingly bad. Horribly mislaced concern and sympathy. Maybe the judge’s hardrive needs to be looked at.
Of course he did not get jail time. That would prevent from someday taking a spot on the Supreme Court bench.
Well not you’re not going to allow for rehabilitation you may as well just execute him. Mind you, a somewhat paltry punitive sentence ain’t doing anything either.
BKiSA,
Yes, it’s almost like there’s an option in between a paltry sentence and execution. Fancy that.
Given the choice between jail and freedom for Belter, the judge absolutely made the wrong choice. That said, I’ll note one thing:
Belter wasn’t just watching porn from age 7. At the time of the rapes, he was 16 and 17, and was actively being encouraged in his conduct by his parents and a family friend. The girls were being lured with pot and booze to the home by these adults. We know that adolescents are not fully formed adults. This guy, when he was just a kid, was being groomed to be a sexual abuser. If his lawyer had been arguing diminished capacity, with the idea that he should be put into a mental health institution rather than a prison, with release contingent on actually responding to therapy, I’d have some sympathy for the notion. I think the judge should still have considered that possibility, frankly.
OTOH, the adults I mention? They’re also getting a pass. Misdemeanor charges only, which they’re pleading not guilty to. There’s no way they couldn’t be charged with some felony under the law, here, but the prosecution decided to go after just the kid with the heavy charges. It’s disgusting and appalling.
Yeah, and that’s bound up in being rich and influential… Putting skin color first (as Cohen has done) is disingenuous. Generally disgusting how this shit turns out.
*finger wag, tutting noises*
Life sentence for the victim, though.
Judge: “I’m not ashamed to say that I actually prayed over what is the appropriate sentence in this case”
So he asked God, and God said “Yeah – no biggie”. I don’t think judges should do this.
“I’m not ashamed to say that I consulted my horoscope regarding the appropriate sentence in this case, and as a Capricorn, I was advised to “not dwell on past grievances” this week, so that settled the matter.”
Yes, the abuse and rape of the girls is a life sentence and utterly horrible; and yes, Belter should suffer some meaningful consequence for that. But JFC…
This is even more appalling that what I assumed was simple neglect and disinterest by the adults in this kids life. Belter needs psychological rehabilitation in a controlled environment. These adults need actual punishment.
That said, the US has a deeply carceral and inhumane prison system, which both ends of the political spectrum seem to consider just fine as long as it’s not applied to them or their friends. Just witness the whining by J6 defendants or the killers of Ahmaud Arbery.
True. It’s a godawful system.
“I’m just a rich boy, nobody loves me.”
“He’s just a rich boy from a rich family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity!”
@Ophelia #13: Yeah, that’s why I prefaced my post the way I did. If the judge had to choose between freedom or prison, then yes, prison should’ve been the only acceptable choice. I can still mourn the loss of the man Belter might’ve grown up to be if there’d been some sort of positive intervention on his behalf during this whole ugly, sordid mess.