Scores of furious protesters gathered outside the Payne County Courts Office in Stillwater, Oklahoma on Wednesday, expressing outrage after a local teenager received no prison time despite pleading no contest to multiple serious sexual assault charges.
Case Details and Charges
Jesse Mack Butler, who was 17 at the time of his arrest in March, faced numerous serious charges including three counts of rape by instrumentation, two counts of attempted first-degree rape, two counts of domestic assault and battery by strangulation, along with single counts of sexual battery, forcible oral sodomy and domestic assault and battery.
According to police reports, the investigation began when Butler violated an emergency protective order filed by one of his victims. This violation led to the discovery of additional crimes and resulted in an 11th charge being added to his case. One victim told authorities that Butler recorded himself strangling her until she lost consciousness.
Controversial Sentencing Decision
Butler pleaded no contest to all 11 charges in August and was charged as an adult, with his request for juvenile classification being denied. However, in a surprising turn of events, his legal status was changed to youthful offender in July, allowing for significantly reduced punishment.
Instead of facing the original 78-year prison sentence that could have meant a decade behind bars, Butler received 150 hours of community service. Special Judge Susan Worthington approved the plea deal on August 25 that allowed the now-18-year-old to walk free.
Additional conditions of Butler's sentence include compliance with a curfew until his 19th birthday, regular counseling sessions, and periodic check-ins with authorities.
Community Outrage and Protests
Nearly 100 community members gathered to protest what they perceive as a gross miscarriage of justice. Protester Adelyn Smith voiced the frustration shared by many: "Almost losing your life, having a video being recorded of you almost losing your life and your assaulter being able to just walk with no punishment, a slap on the wrist and 150 hours of community service. That's just ridiculous."
Smith emphasized that the community has reached a breaking point, stating: "We've had enough, like, we're done. We're done not saying anything. We're done allowing rapists to walk free. We're done seeing the people in charge allowing this to happen."
Critics have suggested that Butler's family connections may have influenced the lenient sentence. Butler was a popular baseball player at his high school, and his father previously served as director of operations for the Oklahoma State University football team.
Footage from Butler's March arrest and expressions of anger about his release have circulated widely on social media platforms, drawing national attention to the case and raising questions about sentencing disparities in sexual assault cases.
