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Culture February 8, 2017
A judge in Idaho wants to ban the internet because he thinks it has led to a huge rise in sexual assault cases.
During his ruling in a rape case, Judge Randy J Stoker blamed modern technology for the increase in sex crimes.
“I think it is a direct consequence of the social media system that we have in this country,” Stoker said. “I can’t tell you how many times I have seen these cases: ‘How did this happen?’ ‘Well, I met somebody on social media.’”
He added, “If I had my way, I would eliminate the internet, and we’d all have better lives.”
He railed against modern morality as part of a headline hitting ruling in which he gave a man who raped a 14-year-old girl probation on the condition he remain celibate. If a lie detector test finds he has broken the condition, that would see the man, Cody D. Herrera, sentenced to up to 15 years in jail.
In the transcript, obtained by Britain’s Guardian newspaper, the Twin Falls district judge, said, “I have seen hundreds of sex cases since I’ve been on this bench. I am 66 years of age. When I was 19 years of age, the sexual proclivities of young people wasn’t anything like I see today.”
Herrera, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of rape. He said he met his victim on social media. Judge Stoker described Herrera’s obsession with pornography
Instead of being sent to prison, Herrera was sent to a treatment program run by the Idaho prison system. If he completes the program within a year, he will be placed on probation. But if he breaks the terms terms of probation will be sentenced to as much as 15 years in prison.
The celibacy terms are unusual but have statutory basis in conservative Idaho, where premarital sex is still technically a crime, although that law is rarely enforced.
