By George Brauchler | The Gazette, Commentary
Child rapists can still get probation in Colorado thanks to six Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. On March 12, state Reps. Javier Mabrey (Denver), Michael Carter (Adams, Arapahoe), Jennifer Bacon (Denver), Cecelia Espenoza (Denver), Lorena Garcia (Adams, Jefferson), and Tara Zokaie (Larimer) each voted to prevent the promise of prison for those who sexually assault Colorado children. Every aspect of the March 12 hearing, including the substance of the questions asked and rationale for opposing prison, as advanced by the Democrat committee members — highlights the results of one-party domination in our state and the extreme disconnect between the Democrat Legislature and Coloradans.
To recap the current (and ongoing) despicable legal situation regarding child rape, Colorado law allows someone who rapes a child to get probation, as long as they only rape the child once. The same law allows someone who rapes two, three — any number of children — to be probation eligible if they only rape each child once. That legal fact remains true even if the rapist is a teacher, coach, member of clergy or parent.
Nobody at your work, in your neighborhood, or in your life would believe that legal fact. Here in Colorado, it is true.
Enter the bipartisan duo of child protectors state Reps. Brandi Bradley, R-Douglas County, and Regina English, D-Colorado Springs, to offer a bill to fix that inexplicable injustice by mandating prison for those convicted of sexually assaulting children.