It's been one year since Stacey Dean Rambold, a former Montana teacher convicted of raping an underage student, walked free after serving a sentence of just thirty days.
But Rambold was back in court Friday for resentencing following a successful appeal of his previous sentence. This time, Rambold was handed 15 years behind bars, with 5 years suspended; basically, he's serving 10 years in jail.
Rambold was initially convicted in 2013 on one count of rape after he admitted to having sex with Cherise Moralez, who was 14-years-old at the time. Moralez committed suicide two years after the incident. (Video via KULR)
Montana Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced Rambold to 15 years in jail, but suspended all but 30 days from the sentence. The judge also came under fire for comments made to the media after the sentencing. (Video via CNN)
HLN REPORTER: "Now I'm quoting directly: 'It's not probably the kind of rape that most people think about. It's not a violent, forcible, beat-the-victim rape like you see in the movies.'"
After public outcry against both the sentence and Baugh's comments, the judge apologized for his comments and even tried unsuccessfully to change the ruling. (Video via KECI)
The state Supreme Court later overturned Baugh's ruling as illegal; under Montana law, rape convictions carry a minimum sentence of two years in prison. Rambold's new sentence was handed down by Judge Randal Spaulding.
Moralez's mother gave a brief, emotional testimony at Friday's sentencing.
AULIEA HANLON VIA BILLINGS GAZETTE: "Six, seven years later, we're still waiting for justice for a young life ruined. ... I am so tired of this. This has been going on too long."
Baugh was censured by the Montana Supreme Court in June, and plans to retire at the end of 2014.
