Judge Releases Alleged Rape Victim Who Was Detained to Ensure Her Testimony
A California judge on Monday ordered the release of a 17-year-old girl who was detained to ensure that she testified against her accused rapist.
Judge Lawrence Brown of Sacramento apologized to the teen, report the Sacramento Bee’s Sacto 9-1-1 blog, the Associated Press and News10ABC. He previously ordered her held in a juvenile detention center after she missed two court appearances to testify against Frank William Rackley, who is a suspect in at least one other rape.
“I am truly sorry for all that you’ve been through,” Brown said. “You’ve demonstrated great courage for a young woman and may you continue to do so in the upcoming trial.”
Victims’ rights advocates had argued the detention could discourage other sexual assault victims from reporting their crimes. The teen will be equipped with a GPS device to ensure her appearance at Rackley’s April 23 trial.
Prior coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Prosecutors Detain Alleged Rape Victim to Ensure Her Presence In Court”
