--- title: Tavis Smiley on Brock Turner's Unchecked Privilege description: "Too many fellow citizens are subjected to injustice almost daily" canonical: https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/ author: Tavis Smiley article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-07T20:35:02.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:55:29.382Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Brock Turner's Sentence Is Grotesquely Unchecked Privilege og:description: Tavis Smiley: "Too many fellow citizens are subjected to injustice almost daily" og:url: https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt91cb0b5c4109617c/698896b60a4a2247ba9c9f94/brock-turner.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2070 og:image:height: 1164 og:image:alt: This undated booking photo provided by Santa Clara County Sheriff shows Brock Turner a former Stanford University swimmer who received six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Dan Turner, Brock's father has ignited more outrage ov og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Brock Turner's Sentence Is Grotesquely Unchecked Privilege twitter:description: Tavis Smiley: "Too many fellow citizens are subjected to injustice almost daily" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt91cb0b5c4109617c/698896b60a4a2247ba9c9f94/brock-turner.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Tavis Smiley: Brock Turner's Sentence Is a Grotesque Example of Unchecked Privilege > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=578a0690-4387-4a5d-84c4-b9bbfcce095d&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=578a0690-4387-4a5d-84c4-b9bbfcce095d&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=578a0690-4387-4a5d-84c4-b9bbfcce095d&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=578a0690-4387-4a5d-84c4-b9bbfcce095d&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Brock Turner Prosecutor Calls for Harsher Penalties for Sexual Assault [Watch (HLS stream): Brock Turner Prosecutor Calls for Harsher Penalties for Sexual Assault](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/mNFqiDdN.m3u8) (1:39)  _Published 2016-06-07. The prosecutor in the high-profile sexual assault case against former Stanford University student Brock Turner announced Wednesday that he is sponsoring state legislation that would be tougher on those found guilty of sexual assault, inspired by a se_  by [Tavis Smiley](https://time.com/author/tavis-smiley/)  ## Tavis Smiley Jun 7, 2016 8:35 PM UTC  Brock Turner, a former Stanford University swimmer, who received six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, in an undated booking photo provided by Santa Clara County Sheriff Brock Turner, a former Stanford University swimmer, who received six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, in an undated booking photo provided by Santa Clara County Sheriff Santa Clara County Sheriff—AP  by [Tavis Smiley](https://time.com/author/tavis-smiley/)  ## Tavis Smiley Jun 7, 2016 8:35 PM UTC I must admit I hadn’t really followed the case of Brock Turner, the former Stanford University swimmer whose six-month sentence for a rape charge has [caused outrage all across America](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/07/us/outrage-in-stanford-rape-case-over-dueling-statements-of-victim-and-attackers-father.html?%5Fr=0). So when my friends started blowing up my cell phone with breaking news accounts of his sentencing, I didn’t immediately understand why there was such a fuss. Don’t white male star athletes always get the benefit of the doubt? Since when has rape ever been taken as seriously as it ought to be? Haven’t the rich always been able to afford more freedom than the rest of us? Do you _really_ believe justice is blind? Justice apparently sees well enough to distinguish between those who get locked up or let go, those who get slapped on the wrist or get the book thrown at them, and those who get to live or not. If there is justice for all, it’s certainly not equally distributed. Let’s be honest: our system of jurisprudence is dysfunctional, and this was my starting point when I first glanced at the alerts pinging on my phone. Then I read the account of what happened the night Turner sexually assaulted a woman. An unconscious victim. I wanted to throw up. Who does that? And gets away with six months and probation? Would a black or brown male perpetrator who wasn’t on the swim team at his private university have gotten that sentence? What happens if, 50 years from now, this kid ends up as a rich and famous actor who has done this almost 60 times? And whose father then says, “His life will never be the one he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for twenty minutes of action out of his twenty plus years of life?” Really? “Twenty minutes of action”? “[Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks](http://biblehub.com/luke/6-45.htm),” so how could his father have uttered those words? He has since clarified his comments, saying he was not referring to “sexual activity” but rather “a 20- minute period of time.” But does he really believe that rape is just another random human act? Does he not understand that sexual assault is against the law regardless of social class, race, gender or any other factor? And that his son was _convicted_ of it, on [three felony counts](http://www.stanforddaily.com/2016/03/30/brock-turner-found-guilty-on-three-felony-counts/)? Nonetheless, for a moment, I didn’t know what to be more incensed and insulted by — the sins of the son or the condescension of the father. Apparently, father doesn’t always know best. Reading the news accounts, I thought of my parents, who used to (and still do) remind me often, “Tavis, we’re with you when you’re right.” I never took that to mean that my parents would abandon me if I ever made a mistake, because God knows I’ve made plenty of them, and my parents have never given up on me. But it was always made abundantly clear to me that if I was wrong, I could not expect my parents to condone my bad behavior. I learned that in grade school when my mom and dad would come to parent-teacher conference. All of my instructors were clear that my parents wanted to be contacted immediately if said teacher ever had a moment’s worth of trouble out of young Tavis. Consequently, I cannot imagine any circumstance under which my parents could ever be so dismissive of such a brutal crime committed by their son. We love you, Son, but if you do the crime, you do the time. Too much privilege can be poisonous. When kids grow up getting what they want, when they want it, and not asking or waiting to get it, they’re on their way to delinquency and debauchery at some point. And then, when it’s too late, the father stands up in court after a lifetime of accommodation, to tell a judge that his son is a great kid who shouldn’t be judged by “twenty minutes.” Incredibly, [Judge Aaron Persky](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/recall-effort-launched-against-judge-aaron-persky-stanford-rape-case-n586381) bought the appeal of Turner’s father and only meted out a six-month jail sentence with probation. Judge Persky went on to say that, “A prison sentence would have a severe impact on him.” Really? On _him_? What about _her_? There is now a petition fast gaining steam to recall Judge Persky, so we shall see. Too many fellow citizens are subjected to injustice almost daily. For them, what stings most is justice. This one is unconscionable, unacceptable, unbearable. Justice can no longer keep her eyes wide shut. ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/"},"headline":"Tavis Smiley: Brock Turner's Sentence Is a Grotesque Example of Unchecked Privilege","datePublished":"2016-06-07T20:35:02.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:55:29.382Z","description":"\"Too many fellow citizens are subjected to injustice almost daily\"","url":"https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/","keywords":["justice","Rape","Crime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt91cb0b5c4109617c/698896b60a4a2247ba9c9f94/brock-turner.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tavis Smiley","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tavis-smiley/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt91cb0b5c4109617c/698896b60a4a2247ba9c9f94/brock-turner.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"This undated booking photo provided by Santa Clara County Sheriff shows Brock Turner a former Stanford University swimmer who received six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Dan Turner, Brock's father has ignited more outrage ov","caption":"This undated booking photo provided by Santa Clara County Sheriff shows Brock Turner a former Stanford University swimmer who received six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Dan Turner, Brock's father has ignited more outrage ov","creditText":"Santa Clara County Sheriff—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/justice/","name":"justice"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/","name":"Tavis Smiley: Brock Turner's Sentence Is a Grotesque Example of Unchecked Privilege"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Brock Turner Prosecutor Calls for Harsher Penalties for Sexual Assault","description":"The prosecutor in the high-profile sexual assault case against former Stanford University student Brock Turner announced Wednesday that he is sponsoring state legislation that would be tougher on those found guilty of sexual assault, inspired by a se","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/mNFqiDdN/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-06-07T17:29:53.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/mNFqiDdN.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/","duration":"PT1M39S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4360105/tavis-smiley-brock-turners-sentence-is-a-grotesque-example-of-unchecked-privilege/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```