Father Waylays Daughter's Lover

Manchester Union Leader ^ | September 22, 2007 | Greta Cuyler

[Jim Noble]

WEARE – A father attacked his daughter's boyfriend last week after learning the boy had sex with the underage girl, police said.

It was about 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, when the man stormed onto the grounds of John J. Stark High School and beat up the 17-year-old from Henniker. School was just letting out, and many students witnessed the attack, said Detective Lou Chatel.

The boy suffered bruising and later received two stitches to his face.

The father was charged with simple assault, a Class B felony.

Police said the boy is dating the man's 15-year-old daughter.

The man discovered the two had had sex earlier that day, during school hours but not on school property, police said.

Under state law, a 15-year-old cannot consent to sex; therefore, police are investigating the allegation as a sexual assault.

The New Hampshire Union Leader has a policy of not identifying sexual assault victims. For that reason, the newspaper is not identifying the father.

Both students attend John Stark High School. The girl lives in Weare.

Chatel said there have been no arrests in the sex case, but he expects there will be.

[Fishtalk]

Yup, another one arguing common sense when I bailed out right from the git-go.

[Will88]

“Bad premise.

Boys aren’t girls.”

Changing your tune I see. Before it was all about enforcing the age of consent laws to discourage teen sex. Now, if the boy is the younger, and the girl the statutory rapist, then it’s different.

That’s not what age of consent laws say. The older is supposed to exercise the better judgement, whether the older is male or female. You don’t think older girls are capable of exercising good judgement and controlling their desires around a younger boy?

[PhatHead]

Here, we have a grown man, storming into a school and beating up a 17-year-old, in front of witnesses, and he isn't arrested?

Where does it say he wasn't arrested? He's been charged with felony assault. I don't think they generally file those kind of charges without arresting you.

[Fishtalk]

Sounds great.

Being a parent...what a concept!

[Lorianne]

Every state has their own formula for age disparity between teens vis a vis sex. Parents and schools need to inform teens and young adults what those laws are and make sure they know how serious it is to break that law.

If the boy’s parents didn’t tell him about the law, they are partially responsible.

Ditto the girl’s parents.

[SuziQ]

*snort* I like #9!

[El Gato]

His legal option was to call the police and file charges.. When the father took the law into his own hands, he set himself up for a slam-dunk prosecution for battery.

That may not have been his *only* legal option. It depends on local law. There is a such a thing as a citizen's arrest. The police would probably laugh their asses off if you filed a statutory rape complaint with them. It would certainly be a low priority effort for them, at least in most cities.

His lawyer may argue that is exactly what he was doing, and that the punk resisted arrest. From the little description we have, it's even possible that this may have started as a verbal confrontation, and the kid escalated it with the wrong Dad. The outcome might depend on what the witnesses have to say.

[DesertSapper]

Actions have consequences.

17 yr-old boy commits statutory rape on a willing 15 yr-old girl and gets his head pounded by her father.

Though the father committed assault and probably deserves his punishment, this beating may be the best lesson this boy learns on this subject. (Of course he still may face time in the big house where he may learn about non-statutory rape first hand.)

I'll bet this young man is at least rethinking his actions with this child.

One point that I haven't seen brought up yet is that if this father would NOT have committed his public assault, would ANYTHING have happened to this young man?

[jude24]

Being raped is not funny

Any evidence of compulsion? Or is this "rape," in the sense of a 17-year-old boyfriend with a 15-year-old girlfriend doing what teenagers have always done?

[Will88]

“Every state has their own formula for age disparity between teens vis a vis sex. Parents and schools need to inform teens and young adults what those laws are and make sure they know how serious it is to break that law.”

So, do you want the laws strictly enforced? Some carry ten to twenty years in prison? Do you want the older of every under/over age of consent teen couple to spend years in prison? I’m sure if a child of yours fell a few months on the wrong side of such laws, you’d be all for him or her spending five or ten years in prison, maybe more? You’d say, “serves you right” as they were led off in handcuffs?

[VaBthang4]

Lady, I dont wann hear all your stories.

This guy’ll get ten days, community service and probation.

Any self respecting Father understand exactly what happened here.

Oi....chics.

[PhatHead]

He's not going to jail, the kid will not press charges, the kid is looking at a long jail term for rap of a minor.

It's not up to the kid to press charges, it's up to the local prosecutor. There were multiple witnesses, according to the article. I cannot imagine that this guy will not be prosecuted for an unprovoked (in the legal sense) felony assault, regardless of what the victim wants. Whether his sentence will include jail time, I don't know. First time offenders often get probation, but an adult beating up a minor on school grounds? I'll be surprised if he doesn't get a few months behind bars.

[Chanticleer]

My father was (is) a good man with a bad temper. He kept it very controlled in public, but was not as successful in private in his younger years. He has done a lot of courageous, laudable things in his life. I was ready to be on my own at 17, in large part thanks to the good things he taught us. I both love and admire him.

But we're talking about the ability to control one's temper, one's actions in the face of rage, frustration, and disappointment. The girl's father didn't control himself in public. Not a good sign, in my opinion.

I have no problem with statutory rape laws. I have no problem with the young man facing the consequences of his actions with the law. The girl's parents need to work with her as well. And the father has every right to be furious.

He didn't have the right to go onto school property and batter a minor in front of other minors. It's a felony. He needs to face the consequences of his actions, too. We don't want individuals determining what's just and acting upon it on their own. It's not the way to maintain a peaceful, civil society.

[Will88]

One point that I haven’t seen brought up yet is that if this father would NOT have committed his public assault, would ANYTHING have happened to this young man?”

Yep, I made that point in #136:

“In consensual situations, age of consent laws seem never to be enforced unless a parent learns that their child is involved in teen sex. The kids aren’t exactly turning themselves in.”

Do you think the fifteen year-old girl would be happy to see her boyfriend sent to prison???

[Lorianne]

If you’re not going to enforce a law, why have it in the first place?

Yes, I think laws ought to be enforced. And many many laws ought to be revised.

But to say, “let’s have laws but then, let’s not enforce them when we don’t feel like” it is gutless, and undermines our entire legal system.

[thefactor]

jeez, class B felony? in new york this would be an A misdemeanor. assault with a deadly weapon is a class B felony here...

quite a difference.

[thefactor]

legally she cannot consent, but she’s a slut? so either you’re wrong or you think the consent laws are stupid. which is it?

[donnab]

I think there is too much we dont know. Its easy to respond emotionally to this.
But having raised three sons...the youngest one just turned 16 (one daughter only 7), I am no longer shocked by the actions of some girls. By age 15 most dont look 15 like they used to nor act it. From my experience with the boys the girls have been the aggressors. I talk to my kids alot. I also keep them very busy with expectations of doing well in school, athletics, and part time jobs to earn their own money for the things they want, curfews etc. I am one of those annoying moms that wants to know where they are going, who is going to be there, the times they will be there etc.
Was it a good idea for these two to have sex? no of course not. This kid and yes at 17 he is still a kid, did wrong. So did the girl. And the father should have a lot of talking to do with her.(yes I hold her responsible too because of the proximity of their ages) Beating up the kid? Two wrongs dont make a right as my mom used to say. Now the legal action is focused on dad. There were other ways to handle this.
But then we dont know all the facts either.

[Will88]

That’s not how it really works. Prosecutors have broad discretion about when to bring charges of not, and what those charges should be. And they exercise that discretion all the time and only those very close to some potential cases even hear about the decisions made. I’ve heard of several recent cases on this very matter, whether, or how strictly age of consent laws should be enforced when it involves two teens.

We saw Nifong exercising his ‘judgment’ on how to charge the Duke lacrosse players.

[Chanticleer]

This guy’ll get ten days, community service and probation.

Thank you, oh Amazing Karnak.

But let's say you're right. I wouldn't want my husband to be in jail for 10 days, on probation and doing community service at a time I'd most need him home with our daughter. Besides that, in his profession, it would end his career. Too high a sacrifice to teach a lesson to a punk who can't keep his trousers zipped.

Instead, I'd want him pushing the prosecutor to enforce the law while helping our daughter deal with the consequences of her actions.

But what do I know? I'm just a chic!