NOTE: Attorney Rebecca Kiessling is representing a rape victim whose case is being heard in Sanilac County. Kiessling is attempting to get the word out on what she believes is a possible injustice by officials at the Sanilac County Courthouse. She has contacted numerous local and state media outlets and spoke with WMIC late Friday afternoon, regarding the case. Below is her press release.
SANILAC COUNTY JUDGE GRANTS PARENTING TIME AND JOINT LEGAL CUSTODY TO CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER WHO SHOULD BE SERVING A MINIMUM OF 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR RAPING MOTHER OF CHILD CONCEIVED IN RAPE
After DNA testing established paternity, on Sept. 22, 2017, Judge Gregory S. Ross, 24th Circuit Court Family Division of Sanilac County, MI awarded parenting time and joint legal custody to a convicted sex offender, Christopher Mirasolo, who forcibly raped and threatened to kill the minor child’s mother 9 years ago when she was 12 years of age and Mirasolo was 19 years of age. The child conceived in rape is now 8 years old.
The Judge also restricted the child’s domicile and residence, disclosed the rape victim’s home address to her rapist, and ordered his name on the birth certificate — all without the mother’s consent or any opportunity to be heard.
Just by the age of the rape victim alone, Mirasolo’s actions — penetration of a minor under the age of 13 — constitutes 1st degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. MCL 750.520b(1)(a). The sentence “for a violation that is committed by an individual 17 years of age or older against an individual less than 13 years of age” should have been a mandatory “imprisonment for life or any term of years, but not less than 25 years.”
MCL 750.520b(2)(b), but the prosecutor’s office and the court granted a plea deal for “attempted” 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct, and he only served 6-1/2 months in county jail, before committing another sexual assault on March 19, 2010, against a victim between the ages of 13 and 15. He served only 4 years for that second offense.
A so-called “Consent Judgment of Filiation” prepared by the family support division of Prosecutor James V. Young’s office, was entered by the Court, without the mother’s consent.
By state law, the prosecutor is to file paternity cases in order to establish child support, but the law states the prosecutor cannot represent either party regarding custody and parenting time.
After being informed by the prosecutor’s office that she had to move from her residence in Florida back to Michigan and that her rapist had been granted parental rights, she sought assistance through Right to Life of Michigan since they had championed a bill to suspend and terminate the parental rights of rapists, along with Attorney Rebecca Kiessling, co-founder of Hope After Rape Conception and President of Save The 1.
The Rape Survivor Child Custody Act was signed by President Obama in June, 2015 giving an incentive to states if they pass the law using the “clear and convincing evidence standard,” without the necessity of a rape conviction. The Michigan version (MCL 722.25(2)) was signed into law by Gov. Snyder last year.
Rebecca Kiessling, herself conceived in rape, is now representing this rape victim mother on a pro bono basis and Right to Life of Michigan has agreed to pay the court costs in her case.
Objections and a motion were filed on behalf of the rape victim mother on Fri. morning, Oct. 6th, with a hearing scheduled for Wed. the 25th at 2:30 p.m..
This case is believed to be the first case of its kind in Michigan, and perhaps in the U.S., in which a rape victim will seek protection under the new Rape Survivor Child Custody Act and proves why a rape conviction should not be required.
