Climber Charles Barrett Arrested for Yosemite Sexual Assaults

According to the release, *life* is indeed the maximum sentence for the crimes charged, though I won’t hold my breath. Considering the priors, one might be reasonably optimistic that the judge will lean towards more time, rather than less, in this case… Would assume sentencing will be on a different day, so that should be publicly released by the end of this week, I would think.

Edit: as AR notes in the post below, will be May 21 for sentencing. Geezus the wheels of justice turn verrrrrry slooooooow.

Christian Heschwrote:

According to the release, *life* is indeed the maximum sentence for the crimes charged, though I won’t hold my breath. Considering the priors, one might be reasonably optimistic that the judge will lean towards more time, rather than less, in this case… Would assume sentencing will be on a different day, so that should be publicly released by the end of this week, I would think.

As noted, the judge, not the jury, is who determines the sentence. I'm not sure when that will be but guessing a month or two from now. Federal sentencing guidelines take into account things like prior convictions, whether the person convicted has taken responsibility for their actions and shows remorse, etc. Can't imagine either of those are going to work out too well for this particular convict.

Maybe we should all post our guesses on the sentence and the winner gets a copy of Barrett's Bishop Bouldering guidebook to throw in the fire?

Without any real knowledge of the sentencing guidelines I'm going to stick my pin in 17.5 years with credit for time served.

EDITED TO ADD THIS:

Just FYI, sentencing is not instantaneous, and often happens many months afterwards at a separate hearing. This is usually preceded by motion practice, victim impact statements, testimony regarding mitigating/aggravating  factors, etc…

Lock the guy up.

PS Andrew Rice is a great lawyer. Hope I don't ever need one, but I might call him if I do.

Andrew Ricewrote:

A Federal Jury of 12 people just found Charlie Barrett GUILTY of all three counts against him. 

Thank goodness this part of the trial is over for all the victims and those who came forward.

Here's an update by Annette McGivney on the Outside website about the verdict. https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/climber-charles-barrett-found-guilty

I wonder if the judge will consider how hard he climbs in the sentencing?

Tradibanwrote:

I wonder if the judge will consider how hard he climbs in the sentencing?

Do you really have to be a jerk all the time?

Todd Berlier wrote:

Andrew if you put Tradiban on your ignore list (and Yury) they can't comment on this thread.

for your consideration 

Uh, my understanding (from having done just that) is they can still post, you just can't see the post. But it does say "<ignored name> is on your ignore list. click here to see the post".

Marc801 Cwrote:

Uh, my understanding (from having done just that) is they can still post, you just can't see the post. But it does say " is on your ignore list. click here to see the post".

That's because you're not Andrew. 

If you are on someone's ignore list you cannot comment on their threads 

Christian Heschwrote:

According to the release, *life* is indeed the maximum sentence for the crimes charged, though I won’t hold my breath. Considering the priors, one might be reasonably optimistic that the judge will lean towards more time, rather than less, in this case… Would assume sentencing will be on a different day, so that should be publicly released by the end of this week, I would think.

Edit: as AR notes in the post below, will be May 21 for sentencing. Geezus the wheels of justice turn verrrrrry slooooooow.

Ya but, he is in jail until sentencing.

 I was on a jury in a case similar to this with 2nd offence stalking, violating a protective order, and threatening with a firearm, but without the assault and the sentence was 23 years. 

Concerning sentencing, a lengthy delay between conviction and sentencing is routine in Federal criminal trials; in fact, it is built into the system ( this is not the situation in most state criminal proceedings). The delay is to permit the US Probation Service to complile a lengthy pre-sentence report. In Federal Court, as others have mentioned, there are quite strict sentencing guidelines that a judge is essentially required to follow. These guidelines take into account various aggravating and mitigating factors, and the purpose of the pre-sentence report is to obtain and document the information regarding these factors for the judge to consider in determining where the defendant 'fits' within those guidelines. Among the aggravating factors are the nature and statutory penalty range of the offenses for which the defendant was convicted ( very serious in this case), his prior record of convictions ( Barrett has prior incarcerations), his history of probation and restraining order violations, remorse or lack thereof, mental health and substance abuse history, in this case his history of witness intimidation and threats will very likely also be considered.

I strongly doubt that climbing ability or accomplishments are among the mitigating factors the judge will be considering.

Given Mr. Barrett's history as has been reported, I anticipate the guidelines will require and the judge will impose a very substantial period if incarceration---over 15 years, quite likely substantially more, in Federal prison. Given some of his documented threats of retaliation against victims, witnesses, and law enforcement, it is quite likely that he will actually serve his sentence in one of the high security Federal penitentiaries---not at all pleasant places. That location will be determined by the US Bureau of Prisons once he is sentenced.

Marc801 Cwrote:

Do you really have to be a jerk all the time?

Happy to be a jerk to all the MP silverbacks who put this guy on a pedestal   

So happy that the victims of Barrett's violent stalking and assault and battery were able to find a modicum of justice..

When I heard the news,  I flashed on the classic Doonesbury strip with Mark saying,  "That's guilty! Guilty, guilty, guilty!"

Hopefully the judge takes into account Barrett's repeated escalating violence and sends him away for a long time

This was an unfortunate real life version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that has a happy ending but went on way too long.  

It’s important to understand that people who are in an intimate relationship with someone see and experience a side totally hidden from almost all others.  Like a Rubik’s cube that seems to have all the sides “you” see, solved and in perfect color order, but the one hidden side is totally fuckin’ scrambled.  So unless you’re fucking him and living with him too, even if he’s your best friend, support and believe those who have experienced all the sides.  The overwhelming odds are they know what they’re talking about, you don’t.  

Glad he was proven guilty, I knew him. I knew some of the people he dated, so sad and disturbing!

Tradibanwrote:

Happy to be a jerk to all the MP silverbacks who put this guy on a pedestal   

Who are you talking to? Why are you writing this on MP? 

WF WF51wrote:

Who are you talking to? Why are you writing this on MP? 

For the children of course!

Eric Marxwrote:

Long Ranger, consider that a rational, logical approach to keeping yourself safe and living a better value system has nothing to do with "victim blaming." It's real, practicable solutions to have agency over yourself. Because bad people exist and you need to keep yourself safe from them.

Lots of angry one-liners and no substance as to why us men shouldn't find a single woman to have sex with, love them, and marry them, and why that would be so bad for women. But it's MP after all.

Because bad people exist and you need to keep yourself safe from them.

I agree with this. This is the first line of defense and it’s done to the best of each person’s knowledge and ability but sometimes predators slip through …unfortunately this guy was trusted. Please continue to report if you know anything so that he will be sentenced for life!

Damn. The Outside article is very well done, a must read. It does not paint a rosy picture of what’s tolerated in the elite cliques just because the guy can climb. Not to mention the shunning of the victims, bandying about a rapists excuses. I hope they get a good look at themselves. It seems that some could own up to their “blind spot” with him but many did not have that courage.

I had heard of the allegations at the start of all this, but when you read how time and time again he was able to wheel around a broken legal system virtually unpunished to continue to rain down psychological and physical hell on so many people….Dude needs not to see a rock climb again until he has disabling arthritis and the one thing he was good at besides hurting others is gone. If not longer. Fuck you, Charlie.