I keep hearing anti-recallers say that just because people didn’t like the Brock Turner decision, that isn’t enough reason to recall Judge Persky. This isn’t what recalls are for, the argument goes.
First of all, this is exactly what recalls are for. The first judge to be recalled in California was San Francisco judge Charles Weller, in 1913. The women of SF organized the recall because of Judge Weller’s leniency with Albert Hendricks, a man who was witnessed trying to sexually assault two 17-year-olds.
Secondly, and more importantly, we’re not recalling Persky solely because of the Turner decision, but because it was emblematic of a larger pattern of bias in sexual violence cases that Persky has presided over. I encourage voters to read more about Persky’s record, especially his 4-day sentencing of Robert Chain for a felony child porn conviction, and join me in recalling Persky this June.
