Woman who molested girl appeals prison sentence saying she'd get less time if victim was male
Leslie Danielle DeWitt on Monday filed an appeal of her conviction and reconsideration her prison sentence handed down last week in Hancock County Circuit Court, and in the motion to reconsider, her attorney said the former Hancock High teacher and coach was treated unfairly because the student she’s convicted of molesting was female.
DeWitt wants reconsideration of her 30-year sentence, a sentence she and her attorney believe would not be as harsh if the victim was a male.
DeWitt, 34, was convicted last week of two counts of touching a child for lustful purposes. She was acquitted of two charges of sexual battery. During the trial, she told the jury claims that she sexually abused a 16-year-old student were “100 percent false.”
Judge Larry Bourgeois sentenced her to 30 years in prison. In Mississippi, people convicted of sex offenses are not eligible for parole.
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In the motion to reconsider the sentence, Davis suggests DeWitt was treated unfairly because of her sexual orientation.
Davis cites similar cases in which sentences were much lighter. A female teacher from Biloxi was sentenced to only one year for having sex with a male student.
“The defendant cannot comprehend a female defendant having sex with an underage male warrants a one-year sentence,” the motion said. “Sentencing courts clearly cannot sentence a defendant harsher because of their sexual orientation.”
http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/hancock-county/article110675482.html
Does gender impact sentencing in these situations?
= new reply since forum marked as read
