XPost: mi.news, talk.politics.misc, sac.politics
XPost: alt.war.civil.usa

LANSING – A former Eastern High School student convicted of raping
a fellow student on school grounds was sentenced Wednesday to seven
to 15 years in prison.

Edward "E.J." Jackson, 17, pleaded no contest last month to third-
degree criminal sexual conduct. A no contest plea is not an
admission of guilt, but is treated as such at sentencing.

https://www.freep.com/gcdn/-mm- /ebde65a0df130b363618babdab33a43f25e2aebc/c=0-60-1997-1188/local/- /media/2015/02/25/MIGroup/Lansing/635604591391837553-EasternRape- 1.jpg?width=660&height=373&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp
Edward "E.J." Jackson

The attack happened the afternoon of Sept. 9 near a maintenance
garage behind the school's athletics facility.

The victim stood at a podium and read a statement during the
sentencing in Ingham County Circuit Court. She said her dreams for
the school year "were all crushed in an instant." She said she
suffers from panic attacks, depression and insomnia. The Lansing
State Journal and Detroit Free Press do not name victims of sexual
assault.

"The day that you raped me, I convinced myself I was going to die,"
the teen said. "I force myself to stay awake. Every time I close my
eyes, I see your face."

Judge Rosemarie Aquilina praised the teen for her strength in
deciding to speak. The courtroom was packed with many of her family
members as well as numerous supporters of Jackson. Aquilina urged
the teen to not let what happened define her.

"Let this be the starting point of all good things," Aquilina said.

"OK," the teen responded and smiled for a moment

Jackson, the all-state running back for Eastern's football team,
and the teen had agreed to meet that day during a lunch period.
Jackson picked her up in a school parking lot in a truck and drove
to the secluded area.

After pinning her arms down with his forearm, Jackson raped the
girl in the truck, according to a police report. At one point,
Jackson "choked her with both his hands wrapped around her neck."

The teen reported the attack that day, and Lansing police met with
her and her mother at the school.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/25/teen- sentenced-rape-case/24005357/

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