A judge in Illinois has sparked outrage after a decision to reverse the sexual assault conviction of an 18-year-old at his sentencing hearing.
Last October, Adams County Judge Robert Adrian found 18-year-old Drew Clinton guilty of one count of criminal sexual assault at a bench trial. This charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of four years in prison.
But on January 3, during Clinton’s sentencing, Adrian announced that he wasn’t sending the teen to jail and would change his verdict.
The Judge explained to stunned onlookers in the courtroom that the 148 days Clinton spent behind bars was enough punishment.
“Mr. Clinton has served almost five months in the county jail, 148 days. For what happened in this case, that is plenty of punishment,” the Judge said before noting that the teen
had just turned 18 two weeks prior to the sexual assault and had no prior criminal record before the incident.
“By law, the court is supposed to sentence this young man to the Department of Corrections. This Court will not do that,” Adrian stated.
Instead, the judge shockingly announced that the court will find that “the People failed to prove their case” on the count Clinton was found guilty of.
“The court is going to reconsider its verdict, is going to find the Defendant not guilty on Count 3. And, therefore, the case — the Defendant will be released from custody,” Adrian said of his reversal.
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