Genarlow Wilson is Freed

In 2005 Genarlow Wilson, then only 17-years-old was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for having consensual oral sex with another teenager, was released from prison last Friday. After the Supreme Court voted 4-3 that he be released. The judgment was seen as “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Yesterday, Wilson spoke about getting released from prison and what he learned from his experience. He said, “It’s definitely taught me valuable life lessons. “It would be good to get in anywhere and pursue my education.”

The harsh 10 year sentence created wide protest. Wilson’s supporters say the sentence was related to his race. Although both of the teenagers at the time were both black.

Wilson was sentenced based on a 1995 law that changed in 2005 making consensual oral sex between teenagers close in age a misdemeanor.