1. Wow, I'd never heard of that story before. I mean comeon, 2 years difference and at 17 and 15, both people knew exactly what they were doing.

Posted at 12:26PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Woolie

2. Live up to your rebel reputation. If you want to earn my respect(and you know you do!) tell the state of Georgia that the Mavericks won't play in Atlanta until Winslow is released. Forfeit the game to the Hawks. It's just one game. But it makes a huge statement. How much of an injustice is Genarlow Wilson's imprisonment, really? Not enough to lose one game, and be slapped with some hefty fines? Come on, my respect for you is on the line! It is literally on the line!

Of course, that's all really easy for me to say, as I don't have to sacrifice anything for the cause, but it would be a very cool gesture gesture, in my opinion.

Posted at 1:16PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Tim

3. WOW! That's the biggest amount of crap I've ever seen.

I will definitely be posting info about the case on my site to let others know about this injustice.

It's amazing how ridiculous and outdated some laws are. I guess 90% of the teenagers in Georgia need to be arrested and put in jail for 10 years then.

Out of curiosity... why was she not also arrested since it was voluntary?

http://www.BryanHauer.com

Posted at 1:32PM on Jan 27th 2007 by News Blog

4. Yikes, glad to hear the you have taken up the call to action with this young man. Seems like this literally could have been any of us...make me wonder if race had anything to do with the prosecution?

Thanks for bringing this to our attention!
J

Posted at 1:52PM on Jan 27th 2007 by J Sandifer

5. Mark,

Thanks for taking up this cause. I have followed this story on and off since I saw an episode of 60 minutes about this a year or so ago. It sickens me to think that things like this still happen in the United States.

Please do not let this die, keep this in the public eye.

Posted at 2:28PM on Jan 27th 2007 by c

6. #4 (J) - Considering a white school teacher in Georgia only got 90 days for sleeping with a student, yeah - I imagine race has something to do with it.

It's the arrogance of the prosecutor in this case that boils my blood though!

Rob

Posted at 2:34PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Rob La Gesse

7. This is the most unbelievable part of the legal document, "If Petitioner had had intercourse with this same girl, he would be out of prison now because he could only receive a sentence of 12 months and would not have to register as a sexual offender."

This sounds like good Oprah material, she needs to put this on her show.

Posted at 2:52PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Simon

8. ATTENTION ALL BLOGGERS!

I've been thinking about this poor guy all day now and since most people aren't in a position to do much as far as money or as far as media attention like Mark, I think there is something we all can do that is actually quite powerful.

Bloggers and site owners have the power of the net and information at their fingertips. What's great and sometimes not so great is we have the ability to sway opinion and alter search results.

What I propose is to "google bomb" the espn article to the top of google for the search term "Georgia".

If we all write a post relating to the injustice of this and then post a link to the ESPN article with the anchor text "Georgia" (without the quotations of course) it won't take, but a few days for it to be #1 on Google for the search term Georgia.

This is extremely powerful and does give us all a way to help this young man. I also can't imagine the State of Georgia will be very happy to know that the espn article is #1 when anyone searches google for info on their state. We can then all remove the links once someone with a sane mind turns around this insane sentence.

This actually works quite well to get a point across. It's been done many times before and has worked. I actually helped do it for another search term when I was in the poker industry. Search google for "corrupt senator" (without quotes) and you'll notice that Bill Frist's wikipedia page is #1. This took poker affiliates all of about 2 days to accomplish.

So let's use our power to get out the word about this and help this young man.

As we all know... the only time government will change is when the masses come together. So let's come together.

Bryan
http://www.BryanHauer.com

Posted at 3:21PM on Jan 27th 2007 by News Blog

9. I am interested to know how committed you are to avoiding doing business in Georgia. Are HDnet movies available for rental at the local Blockbuster video store? Will your movies ever be screened at a theater in Georgia? You are usually a man of your word, I'm just curious about the level of thought you put into that statement.

Play on player.

Posted at 3:28PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Travis

10. I'm not sure if your issue is that this young man committed a crime or or if you disagree with the severity of the punishment.

This is a terribly gray area. When should a person be considered able to consent to any sexual act and under what circumstances? From the links and what I have seen on TV, this young man influenced a young woman (age 15) to perform oral sex on him. She was influenced by alcohol and marijuana and perhaps by his stature - a young, smart athlete who seemed to have a future. This act was caught on video.

Apparently you (and most respondents) seem to agree that this is a perfectly acceptable situation.

Keep this in mind when your children turn 15.

If you refuse to do business with either the state of Georgia or in the state of Georgia because of this, then you should start looking at every state that has punished a young man (under 18) for engaging in a sexual act with a minor. Be sure you don't do any business with those states either.

Of course, you could start a campaign to change the age of consent, to change the definition of a sexual act and to change the punishment that a court can impose.

Would you have gone to these lengths if the young man was a C/D student without any atheletic ability or is there a different standard?

Posted at 3:43PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Robert

11. Mark,
It is a diffcult stance to take on and I guess you just have to imagine it is your daugther. Personally, I believe that the "Romeo and Juilet" drama should remain faulty and it is a true test of love to see if they would reunite on their own expense. However, I guess chips fall where they may and hell or high water, I want to share you a poem and few ideas....
So, bear on, until you read the last sentence.
Ps. I remember you got fined 200,000 dollars and Espn detailed that your fines towered to 1,665,000 dollars.
The poem got an element of business that is related to energy.
Here it goes, a poem for a King.

"The Matrix of Motor"
By: Blake T. Miller

In dim light, in a mess,
This life, this poem,
Will be long,
Because, your minds,
My mind,
Intelligence?
Broken sentences,
Marlon Brando,
Jack Kerouac,
The air, the water,
So many battles fought,
With mind, body and soul.
So many battles left to be fought,
Not quite,
Who knows?
I may lost my passion.
I may already look at the world,
With blankness, with dullness.
The truth is, I must regain passion,
Like a garden,
Like a cedar forest.
The air is so fresh and is full of roar.
The body is happy,
Then, a blow, a fire in the sky,
Everything moves like a wind.
Something is always blowing somewhere,
I bow my head, in blankness;
Like a paper to be written on.
What is the point of me emboldening you?
Teaching? When in return,
I get, Irish funerals,
The color of the kilt,
The majesty of the dragon?
My mind is growing a scale to measure,
Importance of each priorities;
Like a weighty star that hangs above,
With glitters and pixtels falling?
You are falling love with a lover,
Life is long,
Life is not short,
Longer than rolling hills,
You are driving a car,
You are driving through farm,
You wonder about answers briefly,
How about I? Who have nothing but time,
I wonder about answers each day and each minute.
Wonder what if there are no right answers, unless, we commit ourselves in becoming a doer, instead of being a thinker, because a doer has more lasting effect than a thinker. What good are words if it does not empower the person to work better?
A doer makes the crop grow; the farm needs a doer, not a thinker.
Because all answers are really simple and does not require much thinking. Maybe, to do is better than to think, and on your feets, yer hip to go.
I miss the thick smell of weed,
So juicy to inhale, and there, I feel like I am at home. Isn't that grandoise with a hint of sadness? Without weed, I feel lost and overwhelmed with soberity.
Maybe, a new chapter of life,
Are like fresh sheets on the bed,
So fresh, that the skin feels angelic.
I remember sleeping in France,
A homey home and cozy, I must say;
The French got a style when it comes to cuisine.
I been to fertile Italy and underground Sweeden with winter style clothing.
Envy of a beautiful lady can drive a man crazy, crazy enough to commit acts of war and that beautiful lady is like the eye of a cyclone. We all know how to feel and, there is iffy subject about counterparts.
I must be an inventor and I shall. I have dreams of machinery so much, it would seem as though I must have came from 40 rhinestones of German. A doer makes more difference than a thinker. You have to be a doer to become a well traveled author. To add, I dueled with an artficial intelligence. I said, "the more people on Earth means more rich people." There are several billions people on earth. I talked with Rose Element and I learned there's an ugly saying floating around, saying that " People die everyday and that is normal." I feel that when a life dies, it is a terrible waste because the amount of labor towards whatever projects disappears. Rome wasn't build in one day and certainly, not by one person. People are commodity and each single person should be put to labor towards building massive projects. It is better to work towards something great than to wither away, endure intense poverty and die in some dry village. If that life was given a choice, to live better as a slave or to die impoverished? I trust that life would chose to live. If we could just guide them and show them a better life, we should. There is so much farming to do and so much leadership skills on our staff. To spur, I told this artifical intelligence that there ought be a Nuclear Reactor miles below the surface of earth to be safe. If the Nuclear Reactor does, in fact, have a meltdown, it would be easily sealed and contained due to the gravity of pressure above the Reactor. Being miles deep close the Earth's core, we may be able to tap on Geothermal energy; water goes down, then, when the pipe hit a boiling point as it gets closer to Molten Lava and an U turn is made, steam rush up through the pipe and propel turbines. Turbines creates electricity. A new age surge of electricity comes and it's alive! Its alive! Electric cars come to life. All the robot designs that were said to be impossibe to get made, because of consumption of electricity, become reversed and a curse in the science world is lifted. Since there are giant electric generators all over the globe and continue to spread like a rage of joy, there would be so much electricity in the next world that this age we live in would be anicent when compared to the next world. This is just an inventor as we all are inventors. We must unify, organize and "move them bricks" a lot more quicker. We would need departments that makes work fun and a "hospital" nearby. To get our gears revolving for progression is the best defense and offense. We shouldn't waste any life when they could be put to use through a walkie talkie and city of Zion becomes a breathing reality. Another proposition is that miners, those who going to dig the earth, wear! tubed helments that is going to protect their lungs with enhanced respiratory support. Think of bonus materials such as metal and crystals, diamond and gold, the miners are going to find on the way down. Being closer to the earth would make more sense of complicated matter. Undeground cities become a fabulous dwelling place with metal walls and high technology. It is science fiction all over again and grows stronger with a sting of reality; unneccessary wars ravage the lifeblood of this planet as the air gets sicker, crops become staler and the jungle gets weaker. Innocent blood are being spilled and families get destroyed with grief. We must offer them a offer they can't refuse, to live better as a guest worker with benefits. No matter who we are, we all work for civilization. Sometimes, these branches of art create anarchy and chaos. A rhyme of similarity to the Renaissance Age that was born out of the Dark Age. There should never be a shortage of "employers" . There are tons of blueprints that needs alot workers to erect it and to convert drawings into reality, any sound battle plan requires an army, an army of constructors to build an anthill on Mother Earth, herself. We need more Aviators in this world to save lives and at the same time, make a better place of our world.

Posted at 3:59PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Blake T. Miller

12. Mark,

I don't think you can draw big attention to this until the Mavs refuse to play in Atlanta against the Hawks. It's brazen and you might have to accept a loss but it's worth it.

Posted at 4:08PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Sherwin Noorian

13. Yes I agree...a very bright light should be shown on this until this very wrong situation is made right...it gives one little or no faith in the judicial system.

Posted at 4:23PM on Jan 27th 2007 by brett

14. I too was outraged when I saw this on Deadspin and posted it my blog immediately (http://bookofscrap.blogspot.com/2007/01/i-think-word-i-am-searching-for-here-is.html). I am in full agreement with the gentlemen that said us bloggers need to unite in behalf of this young man. 10 years?! As I say in my blog, is there a father or mother in the government and legal system that doesn't think their own son or daughter isn't doing or hasn't tried to do the same thing? Is this the punishment they want for them if they get caught? Ridiculous. Anything you do Mark to help this young man would be fantastic. It must be great to be in a position where you can actually get sh*t done. More power to you and stay true to yourself like you always do.

Posted at 4:28PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Doug

15. I think even though his sentence is way too harsh and he should not be labeled as a sex offender, we should not forget that what happened at that party never should have happened in the first place. Every 17 wants to get to 3rd base but most 17 year olds know better than to do it under those circumstances.

Posted at 6:00PM on Jan 27th 2007 by superdave

16. Superdave - I agree that he put himself in bad position, but in no way does that equate to 10 years behind bars or the labeling of a sex offender as you also noted. And that is the real point here.

I've never understood why the lawmakers say "well that's the law and we're just enforcing it" when there is no reason that special circumstances shouldn't require special decisions. It's not simply as black and white as they try to put it. There are plenty of gray areas in law.

An example would be... I'm with my friend at a party and he gets shot in the chest. The hospital is 20 minutes up the freeway. Do I throw my friend in the car and drive exactly 55 mph to the hospital or do I speed there hoping to save my friends life? 100% would speed, obviously. And if you did get pulled over any "sane" cop would escort you there and not ticket you for the speeding. And if he was a dick and did site you, no rational thinking Judge would enforce it based on uniqe and special circumstances.

I just don't understand why if everyone including some of the prosecutors and judges think he shouldn't be in prison, then why is he in prison. You go and open the door and let him out.

I guess I'm lucky I'm now 31 and never lived in Georgia cause thinking back to high school... my friends and I would be serving multiple life sentences right now. :)

Posted at 6:19PM on Jan 27th 2007 by News Blog

17. when the mavs do play the hawks if the name on the back of every mavs jersey was G. Wilson a signifigant statement would be made. hopefully it would also result in some additional media attention on this bullshit.

Posted at 6:36PM on Jan 27th 2007 by T

18. I'm glad to finally see you post about this. I read the article on ESPN a few days ago, saw your comments on the situation, and was hoping you'd try to use your influence to do something about it.

I live in South Carolina, and apparently it's illegal for my wife and me, as consenting adults, take part in an activity that every male I know enjoys.

If anyone has any grassroots type of ideas that just might help get this young man out of jail and keep him from wasting a large portion of his life I'm more than willing to help energize everyone I know that feels this is a gross injustice.

I've got a few web sites and will gladly try and get the ESPN article ranked high when you search for Google.

Posted at 8:21PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Ryan

19. I just read the espn article, it's hard to imagine that DA sounding less heartless than he does.

Posted at 8:21PM on Jan 27th 2007 by superdave

20. This country is simply out of control with the numerous laws that are passed. It was consensual, end of story.

Posted at 8:40PM on Jan 27th 2007 by Eddie