The status keeps his name off the online sex offender registry list.
Judge William Kelly listened to arguments from both sides -- the district attorney's office requested Level 2 status, while Taylor's attorney Arthur Aidala argued for Level 1, the lowest level.
In the end, he said the likelihood that Taylor was a threat to public safety and would repeat his crime was slim.
"I frankly don't think that is likely," Kelly said, ruling from the bench.
Taylor was not present for the hearing.
The former NFL great pleaded guilty in January to two misdemeanor counts of sexual misconduct and soliciting a prostitute in the third degree. It was part of a plea deal, in which he received six years' probation in his home state of Florida.
As mentioned, due to his Level 1 offender status, he will not have his picture in an online database. However, Judge Kelly said that given the notoriety of the case, in effect there was very little difference between Level 1 and Level 2 for Taylor.
Level 1 offenders are characterized as being a low risk to the public, Level 2 are medium risk, and Level 3 are high risk. People registered as the latter two have their names made available to the public, and authorities can go so far as to alert "vulnerable populations," such as those at a school, nursing home or day care agency, that an offender is living in their neighborhood.
His attorney said that knowing he is the lowest level will be a "relief" for Taylor.
Taylor was arrested last May in a Rockland County Holiday Inn after a 16-year-old girl and her pimp, Rasheed Davis, were taken into custody. The unnamed girl said she had been beaten and forced to go to Taylor's hotel, where they had sex.
Taylor denied the rape claims, but did admit to having sex with the young girl. However, he said he was unaware of her age, claiming he thought she was 19, because that's what he was told.
No comments:
Post a Comment