Chittenden County District Court Judge Edward Cashman, who originally sentenced a man convicted of sexually abusing a six year old girl for four years to 60 days in prison, has reconsidered his decision.
This morning, Cashman heard arguments from prosecutor Robert Simpson, who argued for more jail time, and Hulett’s attorney Mark Kaplan, who argued that the original sentence was just.
After hearing the arguments, Cashman read a prepared statement that included his order changing the minimum jail time to three years. He said he changed the minimum because the state was now going to provide the treatment in jail. He said had that prison treatment been available at the first sentencing, he would have required a three-year – not a 60-day – minimum.
Judge Cashman could have sentenced Mark Hulett to 20 years in prison, and should have, but three to ten is infinitely better than 60 days. So what changed the Judge's mind? One could point to that national public outcry which likely had an effect. However, the Vermont Department of prisons gave him some cover
The public outcry was impetus for the state to reconsider its decision about Hulett’s treatment. Recently the Corrections Department announced it would provide treatment to Hulett while in prison.
Even after he gets out, Hulett will spend the rest of his life on probation. Let's hope that by that time, Vermont will have gotten much better at tracking their sex-offender population.
But this case isn't over, because Hulett is not the only one who is being investigated for raping this girl during the same period of time. While Hulett plead guilty
[Derek] Kimball , 33 of Hinesburg, is accused of forcing himself on the girl and making her engage in oral sex in separate incidents before to April 2003. According to police, the girl referred to Kimball as "Uncle Derek."
How nice.
