Genarlow Wilson woke up this morning in his own bed to enjoy his third day of freedom since being released from prison. He spent 32 months behind bars for receiving consensual oral sex from a 15-year old sophomore girl (who admittedly instigated the act) when he was a 17-year old senior. He was finally released on Friday when the State Supreme Court ruled that his 10-year mandatory minimum sentence as a sex offender constituted cruel and unusual punishment.
Georgia's State Attorney General Thurbert Baker said he hopes Friday's ruling puts "an end to this issue as a matter of contention in the hearts and minds of concerned Georgians and others across the country who have taken such a strong interest in this case." Back in June, after a judge ruled that Wilson's punishment was cruel and unusual, Baker appealed the decision, and Wilson remained locked up. dp wishes that Friday's ruling put an end to Baker's political and legal career. Hopefully, the good people of Georgia will demand Baker's resignation.
As Wilson was losing nearly three years of his life, the man who prosecuted him, Eddie Barker, had said, "We can set aside his sentence. Legally, it's still possible for us to set aside his sentence and give him a new sentence to a lesser charge. But it's up to us. He has no control over it." In fact, the archaic law under which Wilson was prosecuted was changed in the wake of his trial, but it inexplicably wasn't applied retroactively. dp hopes that Barker's self-righteous megalomania causes his head to explode before he can bark up the wrong tree again.
Barker's boss, Douglas County District Attorney David McDade, said he disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision, but he respects the court "as the final arbiter." dp does not respect McDade, considering him a disgrace to the notion of justice and a menace to Douglas County society.
Meanwhile, Wilson refuses to criticize these madmen who have conspired to make his life a living hell. dp hopes that the former football star, homecoming king, and honor student can reclaim his once-promising potential. Go get 'em, Genarlow. At 5' 9" and 170 pounds, you're a much bigger man than any of the fatcats in Georgia's judicial and legislative branches ever will be.
