Has Alabama Become A Sanctuary State For Rich And Powerful Sexual Abusers?
By Donald V. Watkins
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) October 15, 2017
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) October 15, 2017
As you know, I spent all of last week trying a major case in Florida for one of my longtime clients. I have another week to go in this trial.
This morning, I was able to catch up on some outside news. I noticed that Harvey Weinstein, a serial sexual abuser in Hollywood, is being held accountable by the national news media for his despicable sexual misconduct. Weinstein is experiencing the same scrutiny and accountability that Bill Cosby experienced when his sexual abuse of women came to light in 2015.
Weinstein and Cosby are rich and powerful. Both have been openly condemned for their decades-long sexual abuse against women.
In contrast, Terry Jackson "Sweet T' Bunn, Jr., a serial sexual abuser in Tuscaloosa, has found a safe haven and protected status in Alabama. The state is apparently a sanctuary for rich and powerful sexual abusers.
Sweet T is the man University of Alabama honors student Megan Rondini identified as the "suspect" in her July 2, 2015, rape case. Sweet T acknowledged having a sexual encounter with Megan, but he claimed it was consensual. The totality of objective evidence contradicts his claim.
Furthermore, Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ron Abernathy and his investigators actively assisted Sweet T in escaping criminal justice in Megan's rape case.
Megan Rondini committed suicide after the police cover up of Sweet T's conduct in her rape case. Sweet T, who is privately called a "dirt bag" by law enforcement officials, walked free and is on the prowl again for young sexual prey in Tuscaloosa.
Sweet T is the son of a powerful Crimson Tide football program booster. The family is rich and powerful in Alabama political circles. They have complete control and dominion over many state and local public officials, including state and local prosecutors.
Sweet T also has a long history of sexually abusing young women. Megan was one of them.
No religious leader in Alabama has condemned Sweet T's sexual abuse in Megan Rondini's rape case. No public official has condemned Sweet T's sexual misconduct. No University of Alabama official has condemned his conduct. In fact, Sweet T is still welcomed on campus.
The Alabama Attorney General's office has been silent in his support of the "victim" in the Rondini rape case. In contrast, Attorney General Steve Marshall has been very outspoken in his protection of cold statues and monuments dedicated to dead Civil War heroes.
The in-state media has largely ignored the Megan Rondini rape story. They are pretending that this tragic encounter did not happen.
The one Alabama newspaper that published an "investigative" article on Megan Rondini's rape case -- the Tuscaloosa News -- did so only after it accepted advertising money from the Bunn family to run a July 27, 2017, attack ad against the rape victim. After taking this tainted money, the Tuscaloosa News published a slick PR piece that was designed to benefit the defense in Megan Rondini's rape case.
The News' article was a classic case of shallow "journalism" and media "whoring". The article was quickly followed by an editorial that basically apologized to Sweet T for any inconvenience that the rape investigation and negative social media coverage in the Rondini case has caused him.
As the nation continues to progress in its repudiation of sexual abuse by rich and powerful perpetrators, Alabama seems to be retreating from this national trend. Sadly, it appears that Alabama has become a sanctuary state for rich sexual abusers like Sweet T and his sick kind.
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