This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
There are many judges who work to protect Utah citizens. However, I fear that many judges are being too lenient, especially on child molestation cases. Some 12 years ago a man was taken to court for molesting his daughter and son. Although the evidence clearly showed he was guilty, the judge said, "I refuse to take away parental rights just because of a little fondling."
Recently, this same man went back to court for doing the same thing with his stepchildren, and he was let off the hook again! I believe Utah judges have become desensitized to this issue. There are too many people getting away with exploiting children, and it's causing the world to be a more dangerous place. It's a problem that needs to be fixed.
We must let our judges and elected officials know that we will not tolerate leniency for sex offenders, even when the abuser is a family member. Utah's children must know they are safe in the courts, if not at home.
Ryan McMullen
Salt Lake City