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Tuesday, October 31, 2006 12:00 AM

"No" means nothing once sex has started

A terrifying new ruling from a Maryland appellate court.

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  • Tuesday, October 31, 2006 01:21 PM

    Judicial Error

    What bothers me most about this decision is that both the men and women are assumed to become unthinking animals after intercourse has begun. The man is incapable of stopping until he climaxes and the woman is incapable of changing her mind once there is penetration. The woman is property that can be "de-flowered" and bring shame upon her father's house.

    I can understand the desire for there to be bright lines where crime is concerned, particularly in the difficult task of prosecuting or defending rape. However, that is not sufficient justification for this decision. The Court has erased any crimes after penetration and held that the only damage to the woman is the penetration. Courts should not be in the business of enforcing Bibilical, Middle and Assyrian laws but in determining if judicial error has occurred. A judicial error did occur- this embarrassing decision.

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