Teen fights felony charges for same sex relationship

[jim49er]

Most high school seniors are excitedly preparing to put on their cap and gown and looking forward to the future right now. Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, is instead fighting bigotry and hoping she won’t be forced to go to jail instead of college. Her crime? Dating another student – a female student. Kaitlyn’s family took her story public on May 17th, via Facebook.
Related topics

local
Gay Teens
Gay Bashing

Hunt was a highly respected student at Florida’s Sebastian River High School with good grades and participation in cheerleading, basketball and chorus. She was even voted “most school spirit.”

All of that changed when she started dating a fellow student, a girl she met on the basketball team, at the beginning of the school year.

According to Kaitlyn’s father, Steven R. Hunt, Jr., the relationship caused waves at the school from the start. His daughter was dropped from the basketball team because the coach feared a same-sex relationship would bring unwanted “drama.”

Then the family was shocked and devastated when police came to their home in February to arrest Kaitlyn. She was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 – 16 years of age.

http://www.examiner.com/article/florida-teen-fights-expulsion-and-criminal-charges-for-same-sex-relationship

[asurfaholic]

Another sex crime that will absolutely devastate a perfectly otherwise normal life.

She should fight the charges on the basis that it is a consensual relationship between similarily aged people. They were attending the same school, the punishment does NOT fit the crime.

There are many many lives overturned by this similar thing. The only reason she is getting so much attention is because she is gay, and well, you know the media's agenda.

How about the straight guys who bang girls in their school, with not more than a few years difference in age? Sex offender crimes are a horrific example of a justice system that does not serve the interest of the people.

[WhistlinDave]

Signed the petition. Thank you for posting.

I think she should fight the charges based on the fact that, if the article is correct, the other girl's parents had her charged the day she turned 18. Now, unless the two of them had sex that day before she was arrested, then no "crime" was ever actually committed.

There really ought to be some kind of "grandfathering in" of relationships in situations like this; they were a couple years apart (very common for high school relationships) and she wasn't 18 when the relationship began. I hope the other girl has told her parents what a**holes they are.

[sailingaway]

Oh wow.

I see. 18 ys old and 15 ys old.

It likely (imho) IS because the parents were unsettled by same gender, but they may have internalized it as an 'older person, an adult' influencing their 'baby'.

Guys with girls get this too. That is where the term 'jail bait' came from, obviously.

wow, though.

[Anti Federalist]

Three Felonies a Day.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Of course it is Florida...always Florida. God, my birth state is atrocious. The crazy batty commies in the South and the Evangelical Nuts in the Central and Northern parts...Worst of both worlds.

[mello]

As Adam Carolla says:

"Germany or Florida".

[PaleoPaul]

Lower the age of consent to 13.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, is instead fighting bigotry and hoping she won’t be forced to go to jail instead of college. Her crime? Dating another student – a female student.
Related topics

local
Gay Teens
Gay Bashing

All of that changed when she started dating a fellow student, a girl she met on the basketball team, at the beginning of the school year.

His daughter was dropped from the basketball team because the coach feared a same-sex relationship would bring unwanted “drama.”

Then the family was shocked and devastated when police came to their home in February to arrest Kaitlyn. She was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 – 16 years of age.

I like how the story emphasizes the gay aspects so much, really it spent the first few paragraphs acting as if she was arrested for being gay before telling the reader the real reason, even though the arrest is the all-too-common statutory rape/sex with a minor thing people see with these teen couples where one is 17 and the other 15, or whatever.

She's an adult by law, and the other one was not. That's why she was arrested, there are plenty others like that. She was not arrested for the gay part, that's a painfully transparent attempt to rally some parts of the public.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

title is misleading

[Philhelm]

Three Felonies a Day.

I'd imagine that it would be up to five by now.

[James Madison]

Lower the age of consent to 13.

IMO, 13 is just as bad as 18. It's just another arbitrary age, a number and little else. It also assumes that all 13 year olds mature at the same rate, which simply isn't the case. Best to apply such restrictions (if any are to exist) on a case-by-case basis.

[The Free Hornet]

title is misleading

Even if the story might is misleading, the title is very accurate (both in that it well describes the story and it was a (eigh)teen charged for a same-sex relationship):


“They are out to destroy my daughter, because they feel like she ‘made’ their daughter gay. They see being gay as wrong and they blame my daughter. Of course, I see it 100% differently. I don’t see or label these girls as gay. They are teenagers in high school experimenting with their sexuality – with mutual consent. And even if their daughter is gay, who cares? She is still their daughter.”

[RonPaulFanInGA]

IMO, 13 is just as bad as 18. It's just another arbitrary age, a number and little else. It also assumes that all 13 year olds mature at the same rate, which simply isn't the case. Best to apply such restrictions (if any are to exist) on a case-by-case basis.

Exactly how would it be applied on a "case-by-case basis"? The government sets up some program where one gets evaluated and determined as 'ready' or 'not ready'? Are courtrooms going to have trials based on something as arbitrary as whether the defendant was right or wrong in thinking the 14-year-old they had sex with was mentally mature enough to consent?

[WhistlinDave]

I like how the story emphasizes the gay aspects so much, really it spent the first few paragraphs acting as if she was arrested for being gay before telling the reader the real reason, even though the arrest is the all-too-common statutory rape/sex with a minor thing people see with these teen couples where one is 17 and the other 15, or whatever.

She's an adult by law, and the other one was not. That's why she was arrested, there are plenty others like that. She was not arrested for the gay part, that's a painfully transparent attempt to rally some parts of the public.

Well, yes and no. She was 17 when the relationship began, and there was no crime at that time. According to the article, the day she turned 18, the other girl's parents had her arrested. While it's impossible to know for sure, the article is basically implying that they would not have done this if their daughters' newly-adult lover was a boy. So in practice, the real reason she was being prosecuted was because it was a gay relationship, even though technically you're correct that the "crime" was that she was an adult having a relationship with a minor once her 18th birthday hit. (Again, I'm just going by what her parents said according to the article and we can't turn the girl into a boy and have a do-over so there's really no way to prove or disprove this. If they believe that's why this happened, I take them at their word.)

[James Madison]

Exactly how would it be applied on a "case-by-case basis"? The government sets up some program where one gets evaluated and determined as 'ready' or 'not ready'? Are courtrooms going to have trials based on something as arbitrary as whether the defendant was right or wrong in thinking the 14-year-old they had sex with was mentally mature enough to consent?

There are plenty of factors that could go into something like this.

-Age Discrepency
-Age of Onset of Puberty
-Intent
-Previous Relationships

etc.

I realize it's something that most people aren't comfortable admitting, but most 14-year-olds are biologically adults. Actually, most of the 14-year-olds I knew in ms/hs were sexually active, and the ones who weren't wished they were.

Don't blame me. Blame the idiots that pushed for 12 years of compulsory public schooling, restrictions on alcohol, smoking, and driving that are based on age, etc.; blame the idiots that infanticize young adults into their 20s.

[BamaAla]

In fairness, we are only hearing this because of the gay aspect. Had this have been a boy, he would have been carted off to jail and no one, outside of the principles, would have ever heard about it. The article title and the petition is misguided. The petition does not ask the AG to ignore age of consent laws; it instead focuses on the same sex angle.

[fr33]

It could be suggested that the parents wouldn't have done this if it wasn't a same sex relationship.

[tangent4ronpaul]

In fairness, we are only hearing this because of the gay aspect. Had this have been a boy, he would have been carted off to jail and no one, outside of the principles, would have ever heard about it. The article title and the petition is misguided. The petition does not ask the AG to ignore age of consent laws; it instead focuses on the same sex angle.

Read it again. It is asking them to ignore AoC laws.

the petition is here if anyone wants to sign it:
http://www.change.org/petitions/indian-river-county-state-attorney-s-office-stop-the-prosecution-of-an-18-year-old-girl-in-a-same-sex-relationship

-t

[Uriel999]

You know I am not one normally for making new laws but I have an idea. Considering even if you are 18 in public schools you are still treated as a child, for instance you can't just "check yourself out of class," for the day and it be excused you still need parental written or oral permission, how about students 18 years or older of age in high school are considered minors until completion or dropping out of school.

[Petar]

It's really gay how disingenuously this story is written.

[MelissaWV]

Exactly how would it be applied on a "case-by-case basis"? The government sets up some program where one gets evaluated and determined as 'ready' or 'not ready'? Are courtrooms going to have trials based on something as arbitrary as whether the defendant was right or wrong in thinking the 14-year-old they had sex with was mentally mature enough to consent?

When charges like this are brought by outside parties, and not the "injured" party, it seems pretty reasonable for there to be a determination as to whether or not the outside parties are acting in the "injured" party's best interests.

In other words, if you have an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old who both insist what they did was consensual, the 15-year-old can demand to be examined to determine whether or not she is considered competent to enter into a contract (consent). If not, well then obviously her parents can do whatever they want on her behalf. This is all theoretical and idealistic, though, as our court system tends to think anyone under a certain age is a child, and hence even if you're 2-3 years apart one party is having "sex with a child."

[Petar]

Borderline Dannoism.

[Restore America Now]

Canada has a great law called a "close in age exemption" whereby someone 12 or 13 can consent to someone less than 2 years older then themselves, and a 14 or 15 year old can consent to someone who is less than 5 years older.

[Expatriate]

So if two people start dating in high school, one of them automatically becomes a felon when he/she turns 18? That is ridiculously stupid.

[affa]

In fairness, we are only hearing this because of the gay aspect. Had this have been a boy, he would have been carted off to jail and no one, outside of the principles, would have ever heard about it. The article title and the petition is misguided. The petition does not ask the AG to ignore age of consent laws; it instead focuses on the same sex angle.

"In fairness", had this been a boy, the 15 year old's parents most likely wouldn't have run to the cops the day he turned 18. Otherwise, this would be happening... well, every day. I know when I was in highschool, plenty of seniors dated freshmen and sophomores.

[Anti Federalist]

"In fairness", had this been a boy, the 15 year old's parents most likely wouldn't have run to the cops the day he turned 18. Otherwise, this would be happening... well, every day. I know when I was in highschool, plenty of seniors dated freshmen and sophomores.

In this day and age, I'm not so sure of that.

Boy, look at the "socialization" those kooky homeschooled kids miss.

[Anti Federalist]

In fairness, we are only hearing this because of the gay aspect. Had this have been a boy, he would have been carted off to jail and no one, outside of the principles, would have ever heard about it. The article title and the petition is misguided. The petition does not ask the AG to ignore age of consent laws; it instead focuses on the same sex angle.

Yeah, this.

And I'm not willing to completely dismiss the parents' claim that the older girl "taught" her homosexuality.

[PaulConventionWV]

This could have happened to any couple, gay or straight.

[PaulConventionWV]

Well, yes and no. She was 17 when the relationship began, and there was no crime at that time. According to the article, the day she turned 18, the other girl's parents had her arrested. While it's impossible to know for sure, the article is basically implying that they would not have done this if their daughters' newly-adult lover was a boy. So in practice, the real reason she was being prosecuted was because it was a gay relationship, even though technically you're correct that the "crime" was that she was an adult having a relationship with a minor once her 18th birthday hit. (Again, I'm just going by what her parents said according to the article and we can't turn the girl into a boy and have a do-over so there's really no way to prove or disprove this. If they believe that's why this happened, I take them at their word.)

I don't just take people at their word. This could have happened to anyone, and you don't just trust people's biased judgment because you have nothing to contradict them. I remain skeptical of the whole situation and the supposed motives involved, and I maintain that this could have happend to anyone.

[PaulConventionWV]

It could be suggested that the parents wouldn't have done this if it wasn't a same sex relationship.

So? Who cares? It doesn't matter why the parents did it. We know the parents are full of shit already because they are using BS laws to incriminate someone they don't like. It could have happened with any kind of relationship, gay or straight for the same reasons. Just because they might have done it because the parents don't like gays, that doesn't mean this is some sort of social ill that we need to cure with more acceptance fo gays. If someone's parents are idiots, then they are idiots, not all of society.

[NationalAnarchist]

I signed it as well. Hope the charges are dropped. My mother recently resigned from her job as a teacher for having a talk with 2 of her students for doing odd things like sticking their fingers in each others mouths etc...the one got mad for being told to stop and being told it was wrong to do that at school and said he wasn't gay,told his dad who flipped out and said she either resign or he was going to the papers..I told her the father is just pissed because his kid is gay and here in Uber Religious Western NC that don't fly.She is now looking for a new teaching job...Personally I told her to file a defamation suit against him if he went to the media. Should teach his idiot kid when and where things like that are OK to do.

[PaulConventionWV]

When charges like this are brought by outside parties, and not the "injured" party, it seems pretty reasonable for there to be a determination as to whether or not the outside parties are acting in the "injured" party's best interests.

In other words, if you have an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old who both insist what they did was consensual, the 15-year-old can demand to be examined to determine whether or not she is considered competent to enter into a contract (consent). If not, well then obviously her parents can do whatever they want on her behalf. This is all theoretical and idealistic, though, as our court system tends to think anyone under a certain age is a child, and hence even if you're 2-3 years apart one party is having "sex with a child."

The very idea that such a test could exist is not only ridiculous, it is statist because it assumes the moral authority of the psychologist to measure a person's psyche according to arbitrary standards.

[AGRP]

She was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 – 16 years of age.

Shouldn't this be the topic?

[PaulConventionWV]

"In fairness", had this been a boy, the 15 year old's parents most likely wouldn't have run to the cops the day he turned 18. Otherwise, this would be happening... well, every day. I know when I was in highschool, plenty of seniors dated freshmen and sophomores.

How do you know that? If the parents didn't like the boy and they wanted an excuse to have him arrested, that would certainly be one way to do it. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this has already happened numerous times that weren't in the news.

[dannno]

And I'm not willing to completely dismiss the parents' claim that the older girl "taught" her homosexuality.

I wouldn't be willing to completely dismiss the 18 year old girl's claim that the 15 year old 'taught' her homosexuality, if she were to make it.. though that might be kind of an embarrassing statement for her to make, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised if the 15 year old is the one who came onto the older girl.

[Brian4Liberty]

How do you know that? If the parents didn't like the boy and they wanted an excuse to have him arrested, that would certainly be one way to do it. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this has already happened numerous times that weren't in the news.

Probably happens quite a bit. The State should not be the weapon of vindictive parents.

But hey, our current Jerry Springer/Rick Santorum/Rachel Maddow society loves this kind of crap. We must be outraged about everything, and polarize into opposing extreme factions, both calling for the full force of the State to crush someone, and to ban the opposing position in general.

[Christian Liberty]

Lower the age of consent to 13.

Should a 45 year old be able to sleep with a 13 year old?

I don't think so, so I don't think that's the solution.

Some kind of "Romeo and Juliet law" that exempts relationships that are close together in age would be better, IMO. I could see making the age of consent 16 but 13 just seems too young. And if its going to be 16, you should be declared an adult and able to do anything anyone is able to do (ie, the NAP applies to you) at 16.

[Anti Federalist]

I wouldn't be willing to completely dismiss the 18 year old girl's claim that the 15 year old 'taught' her homosexuality, if she were to make it.. though that might be kind of an embarrassing statement for her to make, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised if the 15 year old is the one who came onto the older girl.

Very possible...who knows at this point?

As usual, in AmeriKa these days, the only thing that happens is a bunch of people go to prison.

All I know is I was "taught" pretty much everything I know by two much older women when I was 15.

One would later turn out to be my first ex wife.

Today, she would have gone to prison.

Which, on second thought...

[Brian4Liberty]

And I'm not willing to completely dismiss the parents' claim that the older girl "taught" her homosexuality.

It's a valid concern from the parents, but nothing that the State should be involved in.

From my observations, I would say that the more butch of the partners would be the one initiating and maintaining the relationship. The fem side of a lesbian couple very often ends up in a straight relationship after a break-up.

[Brian4Liberty]

"In fairness", had this been a boy, the 15 year old's parents most likely wouldn't have run to the cops the day he turned 18. Otherwise, this would be happening... well, every day. I know when I was in highschool, plenty of seniors dated freshmen and sophomores.

Happens all the time. It's natural as both physical and mental maturity varies between the genders.