Business as Usual

[Trigger warning for rape, transphobia, and police abuse]

Um, wow. A friend on Facebook just posted one of the more horrific things I've [TW!] read lately. Basically, San Antonio police officer Craig Nash detained a trans woman, and proceeded to rape her. The woman is, of course, currently serving time for prostitution. In a men's correctional facility. Of course.

But why trust the story of some random queer trans lady? :cough: Well, there's also:

"DNA taken from a rape kit [that] later linked Nash to the complainant, according to court records. The woman picked Nash out in a police lineup and GPS tracking of his patrol unit was consistent with what she said, documents state."

Trust women.

And you'll be totally unsurprised to hear that:

"Two days after the officer's arrest, a second person came forward to say he had also been raped by the officer in 2008. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors won't pursue the second allegation, according to court documents."

Because that's how it works. Actually:

"'Nash had been a good officer and good father to six children and [that] probation seemed appropriate' [according to Nash's attorney Alan] Brown.

'He had been officer of the month a couple times,' Brown said, adding that Nash had been recognized for saving a woman from a fire, among other commendations. 'He had a lot of heroic acts.'”

OMG you guys, he's a rapist that's actually a good guy! I've never heard such a story before!

Yet he's still be sentenced to a year in prison on a misdemeanor "Official Oppression" charge. [If anyone can tell me why this wasn't a felony as per Sec 39.04(b) and 39.05, I'd love to hear it.] As much as I love the term "official oppression", it fair to say that the charges weren't "sexual assault by a police officer", which was exactly what happened to at least one person.