A Polk County, Texas, father lashed out at the judge who gave the man who raped his daughter a light sentence, KRIV-TV reported Thursday.
“Be careful what judges you elect,” the father of the girl, who was only 14 years old when she was assaulted by convicted rapist Eli Binnion, told KRIV-TV.
Despite recommendations by prosecutors that Binnion be sentenced to 15 years in prison, Polk County District Court Judge Travis Kitchens decided to let the rapist go off with only 180 days in jail as part of probation without any prison time, KRIV-TV reported.
“What is the judge telling our children when we try to teach our children to go to the police?” the father told the outlet, asking to remain anonymous. “Let the police handle everything. Let the law do it. That’s what their job is, and then this happens. You get a slap on the wrist.” (RELATED: Police Officer Reportedly Admits To Raping, Kidnapping Woman)
“No victim is gonna want to come forward and go through all of the struggles and all of the ordeal that they have to go through, just for the person to get out and walk free,” he continued.
I tried calling Judge Kitchens’ office to let him know I am personally disgusted by his light sentence. Of course no one answered and I was unable to leave a message. https://t.co/L2s5RS09oz
— Michelle Heinz (@MichelleHeinz_1) June 11, 2021
“I promised my daughter justice,” the father told KRIV-TV, “and obviously I was wrong because the court system is not gonna give it to her.”
The convict allegedly raped the victim at a Hampton Inn in Livingston during an Independence Day gathering in 2018, according to KRIV-TV. Binnion was someone the girl’s father knew for years, the outlet reported.
Polk County District Attorney Lee Hon stressed in a conversation by phone with KRIV-TV that the girl was not a willing underage participant in the encounter. This was, according to Hon, a sexual assault, KRIV-TV reported.