Story perspectives

Judge Hands No Prison to Two Teens, Victims Ignored

5/26/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Judge Nicholas Rowland concluded a five-week criminal trial of two boys accused of sexual assault and ordered no prison time, praising the defendants.
The defendants denied responsibility, with one claiming a victim had been flirting and another denying use of a knife.
Legal observers said the court praised the defendants’ conduct but offered no comparable acknowledgment of the victims’ courage, sparking criticism of the justice system’s treatment of sexual-assault victims.

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Story summary

Judge Nicholas Rowland concluded a five-week criminal trial of two boys accused of sexual assault and ordered no prison time, praising the defendants.
The defendants denied responsibility, with one claiming a victim had been flirting and another denying use of a knife.
Legal observers said the court praised the defendants’ conduct but offered no comparable acknowledgment of the victims’ courage, sparking criticism of the justice system’s treatment of sexual-assault victims.