Outrage is the only word that can begin to describe the reaction of many when a judge ruled that Missouri Man, Beau Maurice Gormley, 33, shouldn’t go to prison despite raping yet another victim just days after completing a rehabilitation program.
Man Rapes 2nd Girl While On Probation, Judge Doesn’t Send Him To Jail https://t.co/tfpzeBXMWE
— James R Byrd (@Fairlyfadbyrd67) June 24, 2023
Gormley was initially arrested for raping a 16-year-old girl while serving as manager of Third Street Pasta and Grill in Ozark, Missouri. He pleaded guilty to having sex with the underage girl and was sentenced to 120 days in a sex offender program before being released on probation.
However, just 34 days after his release from the assessment unit, he committed his second rape against the mother of his children.
Prosecutors requested he receive a maximum of 7 years in prison for statutory rape. However, Judge Calvin R. Holden sentenced him to 5 years probation instead, due to Gormley’s progress in counseling!
Former Ozark restaurant manager gets probation for rape https://t.co/KSd5ykL5RX
— Headliner News (@HeadlinerNews) February 26, 2019
The decision has sparked severe criticism online including a post by Greene Co. prosecutor Dan Patterson with a Ronald Reagan quote “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker.”
Brandi Bartel, executive director of The Victim Center explains that rulings like this one may discourage victims from coming forward altogether because they feel their case won’t be taken seriously or yield any justice at all. While Gormley lives free without fear of prison time, his victims are left suffering long-lasting effects from his crimes – an injustice made even more apparent by Judge Holden’s ruling.
you really can’t win, either the rapist doesn’t go to jail or the victim goes to jail for defending themselves https://t.co/X86duQKdEz
— megan???? (@blondedFLEUR) September 14, 2022
It takes immense courage for victims of sexual assault to come forward and share their stories; knowing that courts don’t always deliver justice makes it even harder for them to seek help and closure. We must make sure rapists are held accountable for their actions so victims can have faith in our criminal justice system again – not given leniency as Gormley did.
