Brock Turner to be released from jail Friday morning
Santa Clara, CA (KTVU) - There's a lot of activity in front of the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose Friday morning.
Brock Turner, the former Stanford Swimmer, convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, will be released from jail.
Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith spoke at 4:50 a.m. Friday saying Turner would be released "within the next couple of hours." He will be released with all of the other inmates who are being released Friday, and he's getting "no special treatment."
He will have to be processed and finger printed before his release.
Turner has been receiving hate mail, but Smith says there are no specific, credible threats against Turner. She added, "there is a lot of hate."
Sheriff Smith expressed disappointment with the sentence. She is supporting the Assembly Bill about reforming sentencing guidelines on unconscious victims. Smith handed a letter out to media Friday morning that she sent to Governor Brown. In the letter she wrote, "I write to urge you to sign AB 2888 and make clear that probation is not a fair sentence for anyone convicted of a sexual assault felony perpetrated against an intoxicated and unconscious victim."
On Thursday, final preparations were underway at the jail for what the Sheriff's Office is anticipating a lot of media and protestors for Brock Turner's release. Turner is set to walk out of jail after serving half of his six month sentence for sexual assault.
Parking restrictions took effect at midnight Friday. No one is allowed to park in front of the jail or Hall of Justice.
On the eve of Turner's release, sheriff deputies placed barriers outside the Main Jail. The sheriff can't recall it ever happening before.
"Never that I can think of," said Sheriff Laurie Smith of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. "I just want to make sure that's he's directed the right way and the protestors are in one area and the media is in another area."
Among last minute preparations are added deputy patrols staged inside and outside the jail.
When he leaves the jail's front door, he'll be confronted by cameras. Dozens of media outlets are already at the jail and protestors are expected. They are angered by what many call an overly lenient sentence.
"We are hearing from groups," said Sheriff Smith. "We are also hearing they will be calm and I hope that's true. We don't know as far as fringe organizations. There's a lot of attention on this."
The former Stanford swimmer was sentenced to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an intoxicated, unconscious woman outside a fraternity party last year. He was released early given time served. Prosecutors recommended six years in prison. Judge Aaron Persky followed the probation department's recommendations.
On Friday morning, three bicyclists with the advocacy group Ultraviolet plan to be riding with billboards symbolizing the three months Turner served in jail.
"A light sentence that's what Judge Persky is responsible for," said Adam Bink of UltraViolet. "He let his bias get in the way of justice for the survivor of this case."
Protestors will also gather outside the Hall of Justice to rally in support of recalling Judge Persky. Among those expected are sexual assault survivors and elected officials including Assemblymember Nora Campos who represents San Jose.
"We are coming together as a community and as individuals to say that we need to look at our judicial system because it failed Emily Doe and it fails a lot of other women," said Campos.
Turner could be released before the rallies begin. He must report to the probation department within 48 hours. He plans to serve his probation in his home state of Ohio.
Protesters are expected at Brock Turner's parent's house Friday night. According to a report, Turner is expected to return to Ohio Friday night. It's not the house Turner grew up in. His parents recently moved from one Dayton, Ohio suburb to another and now live in Sugarcreek Township.
Read: Victim's letter to Brock Turner
In June of 2016, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Turner to six months in jail, setting of a firestorm of public criticism accusing Judge Persky of judicial bias.
MORE BROCK TURNER COVERAGE