Activists take step to recall judge in sex assault case
SAN FRANCISCO — Activists seeking to recall a judge who sentenced a former Stanford University swimmer to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman say they believe voters will still support the effort even if it appears on the ballot two years after the trial.
The case drew national attention when critics decried the sentence as too lenient.
The activists, led by Stanford University law professor Michele Dauber, filed paperwork Monday with the Santa Clara County registrar — the first formal step toward winning the removal of Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky.
The group will have 160 days to gather the nearly 59,000 signatures of registered voters needed to qualify the measure for the ballot next year.