Statement Regarding Judge Pamela Brooks’ Decision Not To Require Convicted Teen to be on the Sex Offender Registry
January 28, 2022 - Loudoun County, VA - Loudoun4All would like to ensure that our community understands the facts surrounding the reversal in the Loudoun County high school sexual assault case. It is clear that the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Buta Biberaj fought hard and argued vigorously for the convicted rapist to be placed on the sex offender registry until the age of 30, and that Judge Pamela Brooks had the authority to make that ruling. However, Caleb Kershner’s (R-Catoctin, Loudoun Board of Supervisors) arguments convinced the judge to remove that punishment and instead grant the convicted rapist full release at age eighteen. While party affiliations should not be relevant to this issue, they are relevant in pointing out the hypocrisy of those who blame only certain elected officials based on their own political agendas.
Loudoun4All is concerned that partisan blame is detracting from the community's ability to push for the changes needed to address this issue. The evidence is clear that there were systemic failures on many levels in the handling of this assault. As a community, we need to understand how we can work together to prevent such assaults from happening in our schools. False narratives designed to serve a political agenda do not help us in that cause. Loudoun4All understands that many in the community have expressed concern about the sentence, and whether or not it is sufficient to protect the community. This is a complicated issue that involves considering both community safety and the rehabilitative role of the juvenile justice system. We must demand transparency from all the community actors involved in this case, so that we all can come together and find solutions, based on the facts, not political rhetoric.
What we do know is that there were many community actors who played a role in this case, including School SRO’s, LCPS Administration, The LCSO, and now the Legal System. They all need to find a way to work together and put partisan politics aside in order to protect our children. Loudoun4All is committed to assisting the community in that goal.