‘David The Rapist’: Athlete Gets No Jail Time For Rape So That Crime Won’t ‘Impede His College Experience’

Despite increasing public outcry, and even petitions to remove judges, stories crop up every week of a convicted rapist sentenced to very little jail time because the judge seems more concerned with the perpetrator’s rights than the victim’s. Not only do the rape cases keep coming, but the sentences keep getting lighter. The latest rape case involves a high school athlete who was sentenced to no jail time and no sex offender list registry for sexually assaulting two unconscious women. David Becker, 18, will simply serve two years of probation because Judge Thomas Estes doesn’t feel his crimes warrant more severe punishment, according to Raw Story.

Just as in the high profile cases of Stanford rapist Brock Turner and University of Colorado sexual assailant Austin Wilkerson, those associated with the case were quick to point out how “just” the sentencing was, including Becker’s attorney Thomas Rooke, whose recommendations to the court were followed almost to the letter by the judge.

“He can now look forward to a productive life without being burdened with the stigma of having to register as a sex offender. The goal of this sentence was not to impede this individual from graduating high school and to go onto the next step of his life, which is a college experience.”

Rooke, however, seems to be in the minority in his opinion, judging from Twitter comments.

Absolute garbage of a justice system. David Becker does not deserve a ‘normal life’ for his actions. pic.twitter.com/4yzgrhnXSc

— Jared (@jayy_rg) August 24, 2016

The two counts of rape that Becker faced were in connection with a house party in April where Becker and two girls fell asleep together in a bed afterward, and both woke up to being sexually assaulted by Becker. The “three-sport athlete” apparently knew he had done something wrong, as he sent a text message to one of the women the next day, apologizing for his actions. He denied sexual contact with the second woman.

One of the women reported she had heard rumors of similar sexual assaults by Becker, and he had earned the nickname “David the Rapist.” Despite those allegations of a prior predatory history of sexual assaults, not only did Becker not get any jail time, but his attorney went on the attack for the use of that nickname concerning his client, calling it “unjust character assassination.”

So Becker gets no jail time, doesn’t have to register with the sex offender list, and women who call him David the Rapist — which is a crime he has now been convicted of committing — are being “unjust” in referring to him as a rapist. The Massachusetts student is also allowed to serve his probation in Ohio, where he is planning on attending college, although the University of Dayton is now reporting that he will not be attending that institution.

So we can add #DavidBecker to the list of white boy’s who got no jail time for rape. smh pic.twitter.com/smvbxu26yN

— J-Pinky (@Jpinky39092) August 24, 2016

Also, the rape case is going to be classified as “continued without a finding” for two years, so that at the end of his probation, as long as he completes it successfully, there won’t even be a record that he ever committed a crime, despite being 18 years of age and an adult rather than a juvenile. But the Cut reports that Rooke defended the sentencing, which is essentially no punishment whatsoever because boys will be boys.

“We all made mistakes when we were 17, 18, 19 years old, and we shouldn’t be branded for life with a felony offense and branded a sex offender. Putting this kid in jail for two years would have destroyed this kid’s life.”

This is the latest in a disturbing trend where white, male athletes have been given extremely light sentencing for sexually assaulting unconscious women. In the notorious Stanford rape case, Brock Turner was found guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster and received a six-month sentence in the county jail, which will be reduced to three months with good behavior.

In the University of Colorado rape case, Austin Wilkerson assaulted an intoxicated woman who had refused his advances earlier, admitting he was angry at being rejected and told her friends he would take care of her so he could isolate her and sexually assault her. Wilkerson gets to serve his jail time in a work-release program, where he is allowed to go to work or school during the day and simply report to jail at night.

[Image via AP Stock]