Stanford Rape Case: Justice for Sale

This show will examine the Stanford rape case and how the judicial system appears to be granting leniency for those wealthy enough to afford it, making some wonder if the color of justice is green.

When Brock Allen Turner, a 20-year-old former Stanford University student, was found guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, the verdict seemed to address a broader problem at Stanford and campuses across the country: the leniency accused sexual abusers are afforded while the lives of victims are turned upside down.

Then last week, Turner was sentenced to six months in county jail and three years probation.

It's a short sentence for being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault — a crime that carries a minimum penalty of two years (and as many as 14 years) in state prison under California law.

According to the judge, Turner had a clean record and was a good student — an All-American swimmer with Olympic dreams who had made a mistake. Anything more than six months and probation would have had a "severe impact" on Turner's future, Judge Aaron Persky said in his ruling.