The judge who presided over the controversial Stanford rape case involving Brock Turner, the former swimmer who was found guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman but sentenced to just six months in prison, has been removed from a new sexual assault case at the request of prosecutors.
Judge Aaron Persky has faced intense criticism for his handling of the Turner case, including death threats and recall petitions, since the case became a national news story. Potential jurors have been refusing to serve in his cases.
The Santa Clara County District attorney moved to have Persky taken off a new sexual assault case on Monday using a legal maneuver designed to protect against biased judges.
The move does not appear to be directly related to the Turner case, but was in response to Persky’s decision to dismiss another case, not involving sexual assault, before the jury could render a verdict. However, the Stanford case was mentioned in the county’s request to have Persky removed.
“We are disappointed and puzzled at Judge Persky’s unusual decision to unilaterally dismiss a case before the jury could deliberate,” the district attorney said in a statement. “After this and the recent turn of events, we lack confidence that Judge Persky can fairly participate in this upcoming hearing in which a male nurse sexually assaulted an anesthetized female patient.”
