Oklahoma State Defends Youthful Offender Status for High School Rapist Amid Victim Rights Challenge

Allegations Against Jesse Butler

• 💔 Two ex-girlfriends of Jesse Butler, identified as LS and KS, came forward in 2024 with allegations of rape and domestic assault.
• 🚗 LS reported that Butler attempted to rape her in his car after an ice cream outing, warning her she wouldn't leave until he was finished.
• 🤕 KS claimed Butler strangled her unconscious and then proceeded to have sexual intercourse with her, also alleging he recorded himself choking her.
• ⚠️ Both victims reported Butler to their school, leading to arrest warrants for felony charges including violation of a protection order.

Plea Deal and Youthful Offender Status

• ⚖️ Butler, initially charged as an adult with 11 felonies and facing up to 78 years, pleaded no contest.
• ✨ The court granted him Youthful Offender (YO) status, effectively wiping away prison time and resulting in probation, counseling, community service, and a social media ban.
• 📜 If YO status is successfully completed, Butler's record will be sealed; failure could result in a 10-year prison sentence.

Victim Rights Challenge and Marsy's Law

• ✊ Rachel Bussett, attorney for one victim's mother, filed a motion challenging the YO disposition under Marsy's Law, asserting victims' constitutional rights were violated.
• 🗣️ Bussett claims victims and their families were not properly consulted or informed about key decisions, including plea negotiations and the delay of preliminary hearings.
• 🚫 The motion alleges that the process lacked proper signatures, certificates of service, and that crucial orders were entered without victim counsel's knowledge or consent.

Legal Responses and Future Proceedings

• 🏛️ The state and Butler's attorneys argue that Marsy's Law does not grant victims control over case outcomes or the ability to overturn lawful sentences, and that changing the YO status would violate Butler's due process rights.
• 🧐 Bussett counters that the plea was void ab initio (void from the beginning) due to procedural irregularities, making the challenge valid and not a violation of Butler's rights.
• 📅 A hearing is set for February 3rd to determine the path forward, with anticipation that the case may proceed to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals or even the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Related Civil Lawsuit

• ⚖️ A separate federal lawsuit has been filed by one victim's family against multiple defendants, including Butler's parents, the city, and the school district, alleging failure to investigate and protect the victim.
• 🏫 Similar allegations are expected in a forthcoming lawsuit from the family of the other victim, with Bussett preparing to file after the tort claim process expires.
• ⏳ Resolution of the federal lawsuit is anticipated to take months to years, with an expected motion to dismiss from the defendants.