A Dirty Rapist Goes Free

As my previous post might indicate, young Mrs. Lafave disgusts me. In a recent development, she was let off the hook from doing any jail time at all:

Charges dropped in teacher sex case

OCALA, Fla. - Prosecutors are dropping the latest charges against Debra LaFave, the Florida school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student, WESH-TV, NBC's Orlando affiliate, reported Tuesday.

The decision came just hours after a judge in Marion County rejected a second plea deal in the case, saying “Quite frankly, if the allegations against the defendant are true, the agreed-upon sentence shocks the conscience of this court.”

In the Marion County case, prosecutors promised the teen's mother that he would not have to testify. But because Circuit Judge Hale Stancil rejected the second plea deal, the only other option for prosecutors would have been a trial, which would force the boy to take the stand.

Sources told WESH that prosecutors had planned for several weeks to drop the charges against LaFave, who earlier agreed to a plea deal in a second court in a case in which she lost her teacher's license and was sentenced to three years of house arrest.

The legal standards for the crime of statutory rape are very clear: Ms. Lafave is a rapist. I'm not going to do her a favor and describe her as "mentally ill" or "confused" or "bipolar". She's a rapist.

As I've already stated, the double standard being displayed here is simply appalling. If this were an ugly MALE rapist... well, you know and I know he would be unlikely to ever see the the light of day again.

Debra LaFave will soon benefit from a ghost written book deal. There is a movie of the week in the works. And likely a Playboy spread. She will still be under house arrest (although it seems likely she could always call out for a pizza delivery boy). I'm angered and sickened by the developments in her case. The boy that is the victim of the rape is only a few years older than my oldest daughter. If something like this happened to her, the perpetuator would have to look over his shoulder for the rest of his short life. But no, LaFave gets to walk off scott free. Our justice system is a laughingstock!