Brock Turner's 6-month sentence for Stanford sexual assault may be cut in half

The six-month jail sentence of Brock Turner, the former Stanford student who sexually assaulted an unconscious woman, triggered a lot of outrage — with critics arguing the weak sentence shows that rape and sexual assault on college campuses isn't taken seriously by the legal system.

Well, it's about to get worse: Multiple media outlets, from the Washington Post to Mic, report that Turner's sentence may only be three months.

The news comes from a look at the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which said on its website that Turner will be released on September 2, three months after his booking.

County of Santa Clara, via Mic

Reached for comment, sheriff's spokesperson James Jensen told the Washington Post, "That date was given to us by the court system." He explained that inmates typically serve half their sentences, barring bad behavior. If there are disciplinary problems, the court system can just bump up the sentence to its full length.

The result: Turner's six-month sentence will very likely be a three-month sentence.

Watch: 9 facts about violence against women everyone should know

Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?

Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about what’s happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$95/year

$120/year

$250/year

$350/year

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $120/year

Yes, I'll give $120/year

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via