A CAMPAIGN of Disinformation. Putting it in Perspective. Brock Turner
There is a critical need for a dialog about campus sex and allegations of sexual assault, including when exacerbated by alcohol. But that dialog needs to include a more careful examination of the issues for everyone involved. For third parties to so viciously wage the type of disinformation campaign that has happened in the Brock Turner case works against such a dialog, and we would urge everyone who is part of the Stanford and Bay Area communities and elsewhere to examine what actually happened, who has been waging this campaign of disinformation and what that should teach all of us going forward.
This summary is a composite of efforts by a number of alumni and other volunteers who had no preconceived notions about the case when we first heard about it. We do not represent Turner or his family or speak on their behalf. We were, however, startled by what seemed to be a concerted and even malicious campaign against Turner as well as the judge in the case, Judge Aaron Persky. That led to our obtaining all fifteen volumes of the trial transcript, many of the trial exhibits and other related materials. The records we obtained are available in the public record and could have been reviewed by media outlets in advance of their publishing the articles that raised our initial concerns. We also made inquiries of people on various sides of the issues concerning campus drinking, Title IX, allegations of sexual assault and proper media practices
Based on our review and as discussed more fully below, we have concluded that the facts do not support a finding of guilty, and Turner is actually innocent as a matter of law. He should never have been prosecuted for let alone convicted of the crimes he was charged with.
The Turner case also is showing a process that is similar to what occurred in the Duke/Lacrosse, University of Virginia/Rolling Stone and Stanford/Joe Lonsdale matters. In the Turner case, the false narrative is being orchestrated by third parties who have done this before, and where their prior campaigns likewise have often proved to be false. Here, the campaign apparently was started before and during the trial and has continued ever since, including against Judge Persky as well as against Turner.
Read the full summary- Putting It in Perspective
