Brian Banks was wrongfully convicted of rape and was sentenced to five years in jail. Now, he’s speaking out about the double standard over former Stanford University student and swimmer Brock Turner’s lenient sentence. Find out all he said inside….
Brian Banks now works in the NFL’s Los Angeles offices. But, he had plans on playing in the NFL as a young football star in high school. His dreams were robbed from him when he was convicted of raping a girl at the age of 16 in 2002 and was tried as an adult. A judge handed down a six-year sentence for something he ultimately didn’t do. After Brian was released, the young lady who accused him of rape recanted her story and he was able to clear his name as an innocent man.
Now, Brian, who is black, is speaking out about the Brock Turner case, a case he has been following closely after what happened to him.
Brock, a then Stanford University student and swimmer, who is white, was sentenced this past March to six months in county jail for three felony charges related to his sexual assault of an unconscious woman in 2015: Assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated/unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person.
And get this, Brock’s sentence can be reduced to three months if he exhibits good behavior while behind bars.
Well, this struck a cord with Brian because he was in the exact same situation as Brock 13 years ago, but their outcomes are totally different. Brian didn’t have a criminal record and neither did Brock, but their sentences are disgustingly different. Brian believes Brock got off easy because he’s privileged, not just by race, but by his economical lifestyle and upbringing.
"I would say it's a case of privilege," Brian told the NY Daily News. "It seems like the judge based his decision on lifestyle. He's lived such a good life and has never experienced anything serious in his life that would prepare him for prison. He was sheltered so much he wouldn't be able to survive prison. What about the kid who has nothing, he struggles to eat, struggles to get a fair education? What about the kid who has no choice who he is born to and has drug-addicted parents or a non-parent household? Where is the consideration for them when they commit a crime?"
Brian is confused how he was sentenced to six years and Brock got a measly six months. In the same state.
"You know a man is guilty, so why aren't we unleashing half of the punishment that was unleashed on Brian Banks when he was innocent and there was no evidence?" Brian said. "They gave me six years. They gave him six months."
He continued saying he empathizes with the rape victim and knows what she’s going through.
"I wasn't physically raped, but I was raped in a sense of my freedom," he said. "I was kidnapped, taken against my will, placed in a box for five years and two months. I was denied all human rights. When I screamed and pleaded and begged, it fell on deaf ears. It's a different form of being assaulted and taken advantage of. I know what she is going through."
Powerful statement.
Brock's father, Dan Turner, put out a letter that only infuriated the masses further. He basically cried about his son being unfairly punished for "20 minutes of action." He said in part:
As it stands now, Brock’s life has been deeply altered forever by the events of Jan. 17th and 18th. He will never be his happy-go-lucky self with that easygoing personality and welcoming smile. His every waking minute is consumed with worry, anxiety, fear and depression,” Dan Turner wrote. “His life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20-plus years of life."
Bruh. (He later claimed his words were misinterpreted.)
By the way, the judge in Brock's case, Judge Aaron Perksy, is also a Standford alum.
So, why was a black man robbed of his dreams (when he didn't even commit a crime), but a white man who was CAUGHT in the act gets off with the equivalent of a slap on the wrist? Speak on it!
Meanwhile...
Brian is enjoying life as a free man. He recently celebrated his one-year anniversary with his wife Emmy Banks.
Photo: Getty/Brian's IG
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