(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
A former Carthage student who admitted to forcibly raping another student In August of 2023, will spend the next couple of years in prison. Cortez L. Newman plead guilty to Third Degree Sexual Assault. He was originally charged with Second Degree Sexual Assault, but Newman took responsibility for the crime, admitted his actions, and took a plea.
The victim spoke today in court and fought back tears, saying, in part, “What happened to me didn’t just take away from my freshman year. It took away my trust of people, my sense of security, and sometimes my hope for the future. What I need the court to understand is that this crime didn’t just impact one moment of my life.”.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Tanck-Adams spoke of the permanent physical and mental damage to the victim. As part of the plea deal, Tanck-Adams didn’t recommend any specific length of a prison sentance.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
“This past year has taught me to just always treat women with respect as a whole, and to just always make sure I’m on the same page as a sexual partner,” said Newman. “And I want to honor whatever judgment you hand down to me today, but if you do grant me the opportunity of probation, I promise you this will be the first and last time you ever see my face in this courtroom again,” added Newman.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Governor Ever’s Department of Corrections agent who wrote the Presentence Investigation (PSI) recommended probation. It was later learned, that that agent’s supervisor thought it was too lenient and recommended just over a year in prison.
“The court is not going to follow the recommendation [from the Department of Corrections],” said Judge Dougvillo. “I think that would unduly depreciate the seriousness of what has happened here and the long-lasting impact that is inevitably being suffered and will continue to be suffered here by the victim as well as her family. So the court is going to make a prison sentence here,” he added.
Judge Dougvillo then ordered Newman to spend three years in prison, four years of parole, and to register as a sex offender for 15 years. He also ordered $1,232.72 in restitution for relocation costs and medical bills.
6 Responses
3 years for raping a woman…. What are we doing as a justice system…. Hopefully we stop letting crime win within this next 4 years!
I never stick up for judges who make bad judgment calls. I will say that there are some mitigating circumstances that I chose not to write about, and the maximum under the negotiated plea ( under the previous district attorneys administration ) was 5 years. I personally believe this was a just sentence
Scum needs to be dealt with in prison
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but unless you know all the details of the case, it’s hard to say for sure. It seems he took responsibility for his actions and understands he did something extremely wrong. Not many people are capable of that these days. I feel for both people and their families.
Seems like he only took responsibility hoping for leniency.Sure he learned his lesson, a lesson he should’ve learned long ago about how to treat women. The affect on his victim is a life sentence, he deserves the same.
20 years solid time plus 20 years extended supervision and life registrant. Penis chopped off and
decastrated!