A Kentucky judge blamed two parents for their young girl's "constant fear of black men" after an armed robbery she witnessed, local reports ...
A Kentucky judge blamed two parents for their young girl's "constant fear of black men" after an armed robbery she witnessed, local reports said.nnThe parents argued for a tougher sentence for the man convicted of busting into their Louisville home at gunpoint while their daughter watched "Spongebob Square Pants," according to the Courier-Journal.nnJudge Olu Stevens blasted Jordan and Tommy Gray's victim impact statement at a court hearing in February and again recently in a Facebook post he later deleted.nn"Whenever we are running errands, if we come across a black male, she holds me tight and begs me to leave," Gray wrote in February of her daughter. "It has affected her friendships at school and our relationships with African-American friends."Stevens, who is a black man, was "deeply offended."nn"This little girl certainly has been victimized, and she can't help the way she feels," Stevens said, according to video obtained by the Courier-Journal. "My exception is more with her parents and their accepting that kind of mentality and fostering those type of stereotypes."nnStevens contends the statement played no role in his decision to sentence the robber, 27-year-old Gregory Wallace, who pleaded guilty to the March 21, 2013, crime, to only five years' probation. He defended his actions, grounded with five years on the bench, with a statement early Saturday that said he "will not be intimidated" by negative backlash.nn"As for my "wrath", I had none. I leave wrath to the Commonwealth's Attorney and others disgruntled by the ultimate decision. I did not criticize the child. I cautioned the parents against racial stereotyping," Stevens wrote on Facebook. "If necessary, I will stand alone. I have no animus toward anyone. I have consistently been here for over five years. I look forward to continuing to see you on this medium and in court."nnSupporters of the parents are reportedly calling for Stevens to be removed from office. Less
