The Idaho Court Case and the Threats Against a Judge
A recent court case in Idaho has sparked nationwide attention, not just for its legal implications but also for the social media-driven threats targeting a judge and his family. The situation arose after a judge accepted a plea deal for a former college athlete accused of sexually abusing a young relative, despite the victim’s objections.
The defendant, Candon Dean Dahle, 22, was a former Brigham Young University baseball player. He was accused of sexually abusing a relative by marriage when she was between the ages of 7 and 12. In February, prosecutors charged him with one count of lewd conduct with a child under 16. Initially, he pleaded not guilty, but later agreed to plead guilty to two lesser charges of felony injury to a child in exchange for prosecutors dropping additional charges in another county and recommending probation.
In August, Fremont County District Judge Steven Boyce sentenced Dahle to 180 days in jail and eight years of probation, along with 200 hours of community service and about $2,600 in fines. This decision allowed Dahle to avoid registering as a sex offender, which led to significant backlash online.
Public Outcry and Comparisons to Previous Cases
The sentencing drew intense criticism on social media, with many arguing that the judge had let an abuser off easily. Some compared the case to that of Brock Turner, a former Stanford University swimmer who was convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in 2015 and received a six-month prison sentence. The optics of a college athlete receiving a light sentence for a sexual crime prompted allegations of preferential treatment and misogyny against the judges involved and the justice system at large.
Critics highlighted that the victim had asked the court to reject the plea agreement and felt pressured to accept it. The Idaho Judicial Branch defended Judge Boyce’s decision, stating that he could not alter the terms of the plea agreement between Dahle and prosecutors, though he could have rejected it altogether.
Misinformation and Threats Against the Judge
Nate Poppino, a spokesman for the Idaho Judicial Branch, said the statement was a response to earlier misinformation spreading about the circumstances of the plea and what the judge was and was not able to do at sentencing. He mentioned that the courts had received threats and accusations stemming from incorrect assumptions that the judge came up with the whole sentence himself or that he unilaterally decided not to make the defendant register as a sex offender.
These misconstrued details were fueling calls and comments to court staff promising all sorts of violence against the judge, his family, and even others at the courts. Poppino noted that it is uncommon in Idaho for judges to reject a binding plea agreement, but it does happen in certain cases.
Victim’s Perspective and the Sentencing Hearing
During the sentencing hearing, the victim and her parents expressed their dissatisfaction with the plea deal. They criticized the agreement and urged the judge to impose a harsher sentence. The victim described feeling “pressured and scared” during the mediation and agreed to the plea deal because she wanted relations with his family, but she knew that would not happen.
Judge Boyce acknowledged the rare move in court, stating he could not recall a sentencing where a victim asked him to reject a binding plea agreement. After listening to the statements, he considered whether to unwind the deal but ultimately decided not to.
Legal and Psychological Factors
Dahle’s attorney argued that his client’s sexual misconduct started when he was a child and that the last contact with the victim happened when he was 18. A psychosexual evaluation and polygraph test found that Dahle made truthful disclosures and was a low risk for reoffending. The goal of the mediation, according to the lawyer, was to salvage family relationships and allow Dahle to take responsibility for his actions.
Prosecutor Lindsey Blake stated that the results of the evaluation and polygraph influenced the state’s decision to enter into a plea agreement with Dahle. Judge Boyce noted that the plea agreement provided a significant benefit to Dahle by allowing him to avoid registration as a sex offender.
Impact on the Judicial System
Under Idaho law, if Judge Boyce had rejected the agreement, Dahle would have had the option of withdrawing his guilty plea, and the case would have restarted. The Idaho Judicial Branch stated that the judge’s addition of 180 days of jail time was more than either side requested.
Misinformation about the plea agreement has fueled nationwide threats against the local court, including alleged threats to “get” the judge or track him down in public places. Messages urging the judge and his children to be sexually assaulted themselves have also been reported. These threats have required additional security precautions and made it increasingly difficult for courts to function effectively, causing potential delays in other cases.
Poppino emphasized that threats and security issues have been a growing concern for the courts. However, the level of specific threats and disruption seen over the last week is unusual and prompted the Judicial Branch to issue its statement. The branch urges an immediate end to these threats and calls on everyone discussing the case to pause and become acquainted with its facts. Promising violence is never acceptable.
