Santa Clara University School of Law Alumna Alaleh Kianerci, J.D. ’07, joined Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen to unveil legislation that would toughen penalties for sexually assaulting an unconscious person in response to the controversial Brock Turner case.
From the San Jose Mercury News:
“Why — under the law — is a sexual assault of an unconscious woman less terrible than that of a conscious woman?” Rosen asked. “Is it less degrading? Is it less traumatic?”
Rosen’s office wrote the legislation to eliminate the distinction and got Assemblyman Evan Low, D-Campbell, and Assemblyman Bill Dodd, D-Napa, to amend an existing measure, Assembly Bill 2888, with Rosen’s language. State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, is a co-author.
Rosen said the victim in the Turner case has gained sympathy from people around the world. But, he said, she deserves more than that. “Let’s give her a legacy that will send the next Brock Turner to prison,” Rosen said.
A video of Kianerci speaking outside the Palo Alto court is embedded below:
