Supporters get 95,000 signatures to put Judge Persky recall on ballot

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ByMatt Keller KGO logo
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Supporters get 95,000 signatures to put Judge Persky recall on ballot
Supporters working to recall a Santa Clara County judge, who sentenced a former Stanford swimmer to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, delivered nearly 95,000 signatures to San Jose's Registrar of Voters in an effort to put the issue on the June ballot.

STANFORD, Calif. (KGO) -- Supporters working to recall a Santa Clara County judge delivered close to 95,000 signatures to the Registrar of Voters in San Jose in an effort to put the issue on the June ballot.

The movement started after Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Brock Turner, a former Stanford swimmer, to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman on the university's campus back in January, 2015.

RELATED: Thousands of new signatures to recall Judge Persky after Brock Turner appeals decision

The victim, identified in court as Emily Doe, read an impact statement in court before the sentencing in June of 2016 that went viral on social media and also received media attention around the world.

Many were outraged Persky gave Turner such a short sentence after hearing her words in court. "He has clearly lost the trust of the people of this county. It's time for him to leave the bench and we are looking forward to accomplishing that in June," said Michelle Dauber, a Stanford law professor and chair of the Recall Persky" campaign.

RELATED: Controversy follows judge in Brock Turner case

The Santa Clara County Registrar now has 30 days to count and verify the signatures. If that happens and the Board of Supervisors puts the recall on the ballot, the nomination process for other candidates will take place until March 16, 2018.

The recall would then go before voters on the June 5 ballot.

TIMELINE: How Brock Turner case ignited debate on sexual assault

It's been more than a year since former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman after a campus party.

Click here for more stories, photos, and video on Brock Turner.