[Vision2020] Andrew Appleton

Wed May 14 12:24:20 PDT 2014

I was absolutely stunned when I read the article . . . stunned and deeply
disappointed.  I can't speak for the young survivor in this case, but I have
spoken with all too many other survivors young and old who feel that their
interaction with the "criminal justice" system was a second -- and sometimes
even worse -- victimization, and it's a sentiment I can absolutely
understand when looking at a case like this.  Is it any wonder whatsoever
that survivors of sex crimes are reluctant to report when this is what
passes for justice?!

Frankly, I don't see much difference between this sentence and the
nationwide firestorm that resulted from Montana judge Todd Baugh's
inappropriate sentence of another predatory rapist of a young woman.

Oh, wait - at least in that Montana case, the rapist will be identified as
such, while in Latah County, we seem to prefer to let rapists get sweetheart
deals so that the convicts can subsequently spin their crimes to hide the
fact that they are sex offenders who are a danger to all.

I also want to know why this miscreant hasn't been deported?  In the past
few months, there have been stories in the news about ICE knocking itself
out deporting convicted sex offenders, so why not Appleton?  Here's a link
where ICE blows its own horn:
http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1403/140313dallas.htm

ICE officers routinely apprehend removable convicted sex offenders during
targeted enforcement operations, or they are turned over to ICE custody when
local/state jails or prisons release them after they serve their prison
sentences. Additionally, ICE and the Texas Department of Public Safety have
begun to regularly share information on sex offenders. This partnership
allows ICE to cross-reference the list of sex offenders provided from the
state to determine if they are removable aliens. 

"Identifying and locating aliens convicted of sex offenses and other serious
crimes are a high priority for our fugitive operations teams," said Thomas
P. Giles, field office director for ERO Dallas. "Ultimately, our efforts to
remove these criminals from our streets, our communities and our country
have a positive impact on public safety." 

Oh, wait - I suppose it's because he wasn't convicted of the sex offenses he
actually committed, and I suppose the fact that he's not a man of color
might be a factor, too.  And, I guess felony injury to a child must not be
considered a serious crime.

Sickening.

Saundra Lund

Moscow, ID

I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to
protection by man from cruelty of man.

~ Mahatma Ghandi

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Rosemary Huskey
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 7:47 AM
To: 'viz'
Subject: [Vision2020] Andrew Appleton

I was not in the courtroom when Andrew Appleton was "welcomed" back to
Moscow by Judge John Stegner.  And, I certainly don't share the apparent
enthusiasm and optimism for his 'rehabilitation" that the article below
implies.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 12:00 am 

<http://lmtribune.com/content/tncms/live/lmtribune.com/northwest/article_87e
80165-8e10-5453-832f-96a803bb3111.html> Judge places former WSU professor on
probation

ELIZABETH RUDD of The Lewiston Tribune 

 A former Washington State University professor was released from custody
Monday after a judge determined he did well the past six months in a prison
treatment program.

Latah County 2nd District Judge John R. Stegner suspended his previous
sentence for Andrew M. Appleton, who pleaded guilty to felony injury to a
child as part of a plea agreement last year. Appleton, about 52, was accused
in 2012 of sexually assaulting a woman - starting when she was 16 - for more
than a year in Moscow. He was initially charged with felony rape, but
pleaded guilty to the injury to a child charge as part of a plea agreement.

Stegner placed Appleton on probation Monday for the next three years and
ordered that he seek sex offender and anger-stress management treatment as
conditions of his release. The judge previously sentenced Appleton to one to
five years in prison.

"You did a good job, welcome back," Stegner told Appleton. "I was glad to
see you did as well as you did."

The woman, who is now about 20, contacted police in September 2012,
according to court documents, and alleged Appleton had sexually assaulted
her. The Latah County case pertained to instances alleged to have occurred
in Moscow between February 2010 and September 2011.

Appleton was later arrested after police recorded phone calls between the
victim and Appleton during which he did not deny having sex with the girl,
according to court documents.

Latah County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Michelle Evans said she had no
objections to Appleton's release, but did request that 30 days of
administrative jail time be included as part of his probation. The condition
stipulates that if Appleton does not follow the terms of his release, then
he can be placed in jail for up to 30 days.

Appleton, who was represented by Moscow attorney Tim Gresback, told Stegner
he was positive he would not reoffend and his goal upon release is to be a
positively contributing member of society.

"I appreciate the chance that will afford me," he said of his release."

I am baffled and incredulous that a fifty-two year old, former WSU Political
Science professor (thankfully the WSU administration doesn't see him as a
community asset), incest committing jackass, and popular member of Moscow's
liberal intelligentsia, gained any insight, much less any meaningful remorse
for his monstrous behavior with a young relative. How could a six month
"treatment" program in an Idaho prison (other than initiating self-serving
regret for being caught out) transform a lecherous, emotionally deficit,
aging pedophile into a trustworthy, reliable man?  It can't.  It is almost
unimaginable that Appleton has significantly altered his pre-incarceration
worldview or has gained more than a superficial sense of responsibility for
the damage he has done.  I have not the slightest doubt that he successfully
gamed the system with teary breakdowns, bouts of pseudo grief-stricken
guilt, and a spurious commitment to man up.  

No doubt the welcome home parties have already begun for this feckless
miscreant.  As for his claim that he won't reoffend, what family member is
crazy or careless enough to place a child  under his care?  Of far greater
importance to our community than his empty promises is this: once again a
sexual predator will be given the monumentally undeserved gift of not having
to register as a sex offender.  (Hello, Jamin Wight.
<https://www.idcourts.us/repository/caseHistory.do?roaDetail=yes&schema=LATA
H&partySequence=15678&county=Latah&displayName=Wight%2C+Jamin+Christopher>
Wight shares much in common with Andrew Appleton, including a lenient
sentence for sexually predatory behavior.)  

I am deeply disappointed and offended by the get out of jail free card
handed to Andrew Appleton. This is a man who introduced his victim to his
WSU students as his daughter (that ups the creep factor, doesn't it?).  This
is a man who "rescued" his niece from a wretched home situation, brought her
to this country, groomed her, and molested her for over a year and a half.
This is a man who successfully garnered a plea agreement that he certainly
did not deserve. This is a man who is a nasty piece of work and six months
in jail didn't change that fact.

Rose Huskey

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20140514/926f1383/attachment.html>