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2 who backed Stanford swimmer in sex assault case apologizeÂ

Brock Turner, right, makes his way into the Santa Clara Superior Courthouse in Palo Alto, Calif. Taking into account more judges to consider before
than three dozen letters sentencing. One of them
With outcry growing against those who stood by Turner, who sexually assaulted an unconscious from character witnesses came from Kelly Owens,
and a recommendation a guidance counselor at
woman, a childhood friend and a high school guidance counselor have apologized for writing from the county probation Oakwood High School in
department, Santa Clara Dayton, Ohio, where Turner
letters of support urging leniency for Brock Turner. County Judge Aaron Per- attended.
sky sentenced Turner to She had told the court that
(Dan Honda/San Jose Mercury News via AP) six months in jail and three her former student was
years’ probation for at- “absolutely undeserving of
KRISTIN J. BENDER ance counselor have apol- ics who say they are shifting tacking the intoxicated the outcome” of a jury trial
23-year-old woman behind that resulted in his convic-
Associated Press ogized for writing letters of blame from a 20-year-old a campus dumpster in Jan- tion of three felony counts
uary 2015. He cited Turner’s of sexual assault.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) support urging leniency for who won’t take responsi- clean criminal record and “I plead with you to con-
the effect the conviction sider the good things — the
— With outcry growing Brock Turner. bility for his actions, while a will have on his life. positive contributions — he
The term triggered criticism can make to his commu-
against those who stood by The case against the one- searing message the victim that a star athlete from a nity if given a chance to re-
privileged background had claim his life,” Owens wrote.
a former Stanford Univer- time Olympic hopeful has read to Turner at his sen- gotten special treatment. She regrets writing a letter
Prosecutors had asked for to the judge and acknowl-
sity swimmer who sexually gripped the country, with tencing has been called six years in prison. edged it was a mistake, her
Turner will only serve three school district said in a pre-
assaulted an unconscious letters to a judge from a courageous account of months behind bars, with pared statement Wednes-
his expected release date day.
woman, a childhood friend Turner’s family and friends the effect the assault has listed as Sept. 2, according “Of course he should be
to online inmate records. held accountable,” Oak-
and a high school guid- drawing outrage from crit- had on her life. County jail inmates serve 50 wood City School District
percent of their sentences Superintendent Kyle Ra-
if they keep a clean disci- mey quotes Owens as say-
plinary record. ing. “I am truly sorry for the
Calls to the county Depart- additional pain my letter
ment of Correction weren’t has caused.”
immediately returned Thurs- Ramey declined to com-
day. Defendants can solicit ment beyond his statement
letters of support from fam- or make Owens available
ily, friends and others for for an interview.q

Police commissioner: Witnesses to teen slaying must step upÂ

BOSTON (AP) — Boston’s Step forward. Have some the victims’ names. Students said they heard said. Victoria Johnson, a
police commissioner on courage and solve this “We know there are stu- six or seven shots just after student at the school, said
Thursday admonished stu- one.” dents that know exactly a fire alarm went off inside she was friends with the
dents at a city high school There have been no ar- what happened,” Evans the school, but the shoot- teen who was killed. She
for not coming forward rests in the brazen daylight said at the school as May- ing and alarm appear to told WBZ-TV that she had
with information about the shooting Wednesday out- or Marty Walsh and school be unconnected, Evans just said goodbye to him.
fatal shooting of a 17-year- side a pizza parlor just down Superintendent Tommy said. “He just gave me a hug
old classmate. the street from Jeremiah Chang looked on. Additional grief counselors and said ‘stay safe.’ That’s
“Enough with this stop Burke High School that Evans said the shooting have been brought into what we say every day
snitching stuff,” Commis- left three other people in- may have been sparked the school to help students when we leave school,”
sioner William Evans said. jured: two other teens and by some sort of earlier dis- cope, Chang said. Johnson said. “He gave me
“We’ve got a mother who a 67-year-old woman. Au- pute, but it remains under “Our job is to bring normal- a hug and I said the same
lost her 17-year-old son. thorities have not released investigation. cy to this school today,” he back to him.”q