Was justice served?
In the case of Brock Turner, I do not believe justice was served. The maximum amount of time he could have served was 14 years in prison. The prosecution was only asking for 6. The judge gave him 6 months with 3 years probation. One of the main reasons the judge offers for reducing the sentence so drastically is that Turner expressed sorrow for his actions. Turner expressed sorrow for drinking and making people sad, but he never expressed sorrow for raping the woman. In a society where sexual assaults are just beginning to gain some much-needed awareness, I feel this sentence is very lenient. Regardless of social status, prior history or achievements, this was jaw-droppingly lenient. I don't think we need to make an expressly harsh example out of Turner, but a precedence needs to be set for this type of crime.
Is Turner the victim of social shaming?
Absolutely he is. I can't help but wonder if Judge Persky anticipated that the public outcry following the sentencing would be punishment enough. He has armed protesters outside his home. Turner will unlikely be unable to go many places where he won't be recognized and persecuted.
Can the system mete out true justice for victims of sexual assault?
I do not believe this will ever be the case for cases like this. Sexual assault is so deeply traumatizing to it's victims, that whatever punishment an impartial system can offer will offer little consolation. The only way to correct this act is to stop it before it happens, which is unlikely in most situations.
Your thought that although a harsh example does not need to be made out of Turner, some sort of example and a certain precedence should have been set in this case.
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