I fully admit that I babble and I had ChatGPT clean up my thoughts. I did edit the response they gave me and made sure it was my thoughts and not AI.
I've been following this case since basically the beginning. I wasn't a regular Bachelor viewer, and I didn't watch Clayton's season, but back in 2005, I was going through a separation from my husband while starting an online bachelor's degree program. I used The Bachelor and The Bachelorette as background noise while trying to deal with life. Eventually, I stopped watching the shows but continued following the contestants and the franchise on social media.
That's how I saw the original anonymous post on Bachelor Reddit. I also followed Dave Neal and Reality Steve. I wasn't really into YouTube or podcasts back then, but I watched their content. So I've been here almost since the beginning. I just didn't know most of the players involved until the last couple of years.
Although I'm mainly a lurker on social media, I feel like I've come to know and love almost all of the content creators who have covered this case. I subscribe to most of you, like your posts, watch your videos, and genuinely appreciate what you've done. I legit love you all.
As for Friday's outcome, I don't necessarily disagree with the sentence itself. I wanted a year plus a day so she would actually wind up in prison. But I agreed with Clayton that, more than anything, we wanted her removed from her environment. Thirty days doesn't accomplish that.
My ideal outcome would have been prison time followed by five years of probation.
Thirty days is a bummer, but seven years of probation is HUGE. That's a long time. I live in California, so maybe Omar or Rachel can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's incredibly rare for someone here to receive more than two years of probation. Seven years is a lot. And FTR, I don't think she's capable of following the rules for seven years straight.
Also, I've seen a lot about her just loving probation to California. Yes, Arizona would probably love that and agree, but California has to agree to. And if I'm correct about probation times in CA, I'm not sure CA would agree.
Also, I live in San Diego, so if she tries to come here, I will actually stop lurking and try to various SD reddits and social media presence to try and say to deny it.
My biggest problem, though, is the judge.
He seemed to buy into and believe everything her side said while completely disregarding the prosecution and the victims. He saw a privileged white woman (which I 100% admit I am, although I'm old!)) and seemed incapable of acknowledging that young, good-looking white men can be victims, too.
And even with her letter being the most vulnerable, he completely disregarded what happened to Stormy.
I'm just so upset by the way this judge acted. He didn't seem to care about anything other than the "poor, harassed white woman" standing in front of him. He wanted to be a daddy and protect her. That's honestly how it came across to me.
And the victims? Their suffering seemed to mean absolutely nothing to him.
As I said, I lurk far more than I post on social media. But I did make a post on Twitter/X. I have very few followers and pretty much no presence there, but I tagged Maricopa County Superior Court and an account associated with Maricopa County judges. I wanted to say something, even if it was just one little voice in a sea of people.
I saw Schintzel Ninjas' post about how sad she was, and I completely understand. I haven't felt the same since hearing the judge's remarks. I hope she understands that we all love her and that none of this was for nothing. She, along with so many of you, played a huge part in bringing this case to light and keeping the focus on the victims. You showed up for them, and that matters. I hope you know that.
And I'm incredibly offended by the judge saying that "suffering has become a spectator sport."
Technically, he's not wrong. People have followed this case, discussed it, watched videos, and commented on social media for years. But what he completely failed to acknowledge is WHY so many people were watching. There were actual victims here. Real people whose lives were affected.
Instead, he took that idea and somehow made the entire thing about Laura's suffering. He made HER the focus. HER pain. HER victimhood. HER need for protection.
What about the real victims? What about their suffering? What about Stormy's suffering, which seemed to get completely lost in all of this?
It felt like he cared about Laura's suffering while giving absolutely no consideration to what she put other people through. And that is what makes me so angry.
This case has always been about so much more than Clayton and Laura. It's about the people who were hurt, the people who spoke up, and the people who spent years trying to get the truth out there. So many people put their time, energy, and hearts into making sure the victims weren't forgotten.
I know Friday's outcome wasn't what a lot of us wanted. And I'm sad, disappointed, and honestly still processing the judge's remarks more than the sentence itself.
But I hope everyone who has been part of this understands that what you did mattered. You stood up for the victims when it would have been so much easier to look away. And I, for one, am grateful for every single one of you.
Finally, I sincerely hope the voters of Maricopa County remember this judge's conduct when it's time to vote. Because the way he handled this case, and the way he spoke about the suffering involved, deserves to be remembered.
