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First let’s talk about the victims in this case. The victims are ages 11 to 14, junior high students hand-picked to attend a weeklong leadership camp. The assailant is 17-year-old Clifton Bennett. His father Ken Bennett state Senate President Republican and Prescott native and businessman, CEO of the family’s oil company and member of the LDS church. Kyle Wheeler also charged (accomplice to the crime) benefited by the association to the Bennett Family.
The crime…both Clifton and Kyle decided to punish the young victims by lining them up and “brooming” them with various objects through their clothing into their rectum. The volunteer counselors (Clifton and Kyle) didn’t consider their act to be of a sexual nature as well the prosecutor in this case agreed. Unbelievable. If any kid from a not so wealthy family had committed this crime would it be considered a sexual crime if they were shoving a broom stick up a kid’s rectum?
The charges were 18 counts each of kidnapping and 18 counts of aggravated assault. County Attorney Sheila Polk rejected demands from parents that she press sexual assault charges, saying there was no sexual intent or penetration.
Finally after several complaints from parents, the prosecutor struck a plea bargain that spared Clifton and Kyle the possibility of decades in prison. So just what was the outcome? Here it is outrageous and unbelievable, one count of assault. Bennett received 30 days in jail and Kyle received 45 days, oh and 200 hours of community service each with three years supervised probation. Judge Thomas O’Toole of Maricopa County Superior Court, who was overseeing the case, said he reviewed evidence and the plea deal fits the circumstances of the case.
Is there such a thing as fairness in the court system? If your dad is a powerful state senator boy is it fair. However, Ken Bennett denied any favoritism and declared he had “absolutely no influence” in the case. Clifton Bennett apologized also adding that he was intending on going overseas with the LDS church to be a missionary.
The Benefit of a Powerful Father
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Posted By: bella_apolonia Posted on: May. 31, 2006 at 11:19 PM  10 Comments
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Based on 7 ratings.
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 01:02:01 AM
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| Getting late. Starting to write like William. Let me have another shot at that last paragraph please: Guess what? Senator Harper did not admonish Senate President Bennett on the House floor or anywhere else within earshot. I'm sure he did it in private. Speaking about powerful fathers, that would also account for why W. is in the White House right now, and not in drug rehab. |
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 06:41:04 AM
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| Bella, Great article! Here is yet another issue that gets swept under the table because of the rich and powerful! I have a couple of thoughts that I would love to have answered: 1. Is the county prosecutor up in Prescott Republican? 2. Is she up for office again? 3. Is she a member of the LDS Church? 4. Are there any civil cases being filed by the parents? If not, did they get paid off? 5. Are these two going to be posted on websites as sexual preditors? This whole issue just irks me. I know as a father that if that happened to my little boy that I would go crazy. My heart goes out to the victims famalies. I can only imagine the outrage that the must feel. Not only from the gross violation to the children, but the gross violation that they recieved from the court system. Fairness in the court system is not equitable! If this offense was done by someone from a family that had no means or power, they would be sent away for a long time! Somehow, a prosecutor would have found a way to make that a sexual offense and pushed for the maximium. But, if you are part of a rich and powerful family, you are obviously exempt. Now Clifton wants to go abroad as a missionary! The LDS Church should really reconsider that thought. This whole deal is totally unbelievable! |
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 07:18:47 AM
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| It's not often I find myself in complete agreement with Bella, but on this I do. If anyone did that to my kid, and the procecutor and judge basically "made it go away" I would personally track the little bastards down and give them a broom sticking of their own. I say that the next time anyone involved with this case omes up for re-election, there should ne a resounding no vote. As for the LDS, are you really that surprised that hey would look the other way on this. They have been "not interferring" with the Colorado City molesters for decades. This is no different than the Catholics and the bad priests they kept moving from one place to another each time they banged a little boy or knocked up a nun. I don't believe that the sins of the son should be visited on the father anymore than the other way around. If you have kids, you know they can pull some bonehead moves. However, in all the bonehead moves I have seen out of mine and other peoples kids, broom handles up asses has never been on the list. The kids should do time, not a month or two, but a few years and be classified as sexual offeners for life. Small price to pay the harm they have caused here to these boys. |
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 09:03:29 AM
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| Can you be that naive? Bennett is a high, ranking, political figure and without in the senate we could get a good educational passed. I did not Sen. Harper get up on the senate floor to riddule him for what Bennett's son did. Why because he is a Republican. Harper was quick to jump on Pederson because he was a Democratic. This is totally political and has no integrity at all and Harper need to removed from office. But because this state is principally a red, the public is content with what did with Bennett's son or they are too scare to say or do something. You are the silent majority, the chicken of the county. The action of this court, will indeed send a clear message across the country: in our state of Arizona, Republicans can do what ever they want along these lines.
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 09:30:59 AM
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| First to the question of CA Polk, from Yavapai County, there are no elected officials in or around Preskitt that aren't LDS. Second, the families are planning on a civil trial for abuse, etc. Third, if that happens to my kids, I'd let the law take care of things, but if they got off with a slap on the wrist... there'd be no brooming, it'd be much worse. And I can't say that I wouldn't pay the CA and her crony Ken Bennett a visit too. When the corruption allows for child rapists to wlak with assualt charges, then the evil and corrupt must be made to pay. |
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 12:05:08 PM
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| Now that the court system has set a precident for these acts all of the LDS(Lucifer,Devil,Satanic)Brats will be sticking brooms up each others ass. Hell 30 days in jail no problem since they will probably get a luxury suite. I hope while these LDS MFer's are in jail, they are rewarded with what ever their no roomates can find to stick up their ass. Good Day |
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 03:25:24 PM
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| Hey poker boy; sound like you have experience this action yourself. Where are your article? Your poker face that you can't write either.
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 07:26:05 PM
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| It's all in who you know and where you live. Ken Bennett knows his status in society brought his son freedom. The lives of the kids will always be haunted by the acts perpetrated upon them. The parents should sue this family as well as the other kids family. As I stated the Bennett family has an oil company, therefore funds are available to fight the civil suits. My hope is that the families will have counsel that will fight for their justice. Don't be surprised if the County Attorney Sheila Polk is rewarded with a top paying job, maybe not in the government but a position may come about in the private sector, such as...an oil company. Here's another true story; a young girl 17 yrs old and her boyfriend (both white),are smoking weed on the side of the road. Not just any road but a road in a wealthy neighborhood. A neighbor calls the police to report this illegal activity. What happens next you ask? The police officer calls the parents to pick up their daughter from where they were smoking. Once the parent arrives at the scene, the officer says, "I hope she learned her lesson, I didn't want to ruin her life because she attends a private school and will be attending college in the fall, and this wouldn't be good on her record". "You can take her home now." I heard this directly from the parent. My response, "how fortunate you are to live in a very nice neighborhood, if this was for an example a kid in Glendale, lets be real now, and a minority, this scenario would have never occurred. To be a fortunate child. |
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Jun. 1, 2006 at 08:32:44 PM
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| Let us not forget the Tempe City Council member whose son got an interest free $23,000 loan for a home purchase. This despite the fact that he had criminal record for drug offenses.
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When I read about this I was incensed. On topic, I sent the following to the AZ Republic on 4-6-06 and posted it on my website:
"Not too long ago, Arizona State Senator Harper (R) grandstanded on the floor of the Senate and made the contemptible proclamation that drug-related charges against the son of Democratic candidate Jim Pederson “pointed to a culture of corruption in the Pederson household.” Now that we have learned of the sexual molestation charges against the son of State Senate President Bennett (R) (involving broomstick, mop handle, and a cane), do you think that the self-righteous demagogue Senator Harper will again pontificate that such conduct “points to a culture of corruption” in the Bennett household?"
Guess what? Senator Harper did not admonish Senate President Bennett on the House floor or anywhere else within earshot. I'm he did it in private. Speaking about powerful fathers, that would also account for why W. is in the Whitehouse right now, and in drug rehab.
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