Jesse Butler, a teenager from Stillwater, Oklahoma, who pleaded no contest to sexual assault and battery of two former high school girlfriends, has never spent a day in jail after completing a rehab plan. Butler, now 19, was 16 and 17 at the time of the offences and avoided prison time after a plea deal in 2025 granted him youthful offender status.
Court ruling and sentence
A judge ordered Butler to be placed under the supervision of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs instead of sending him to prison. As per the deal, Butler completed the course on Monday, and Payne County District Judge Michael Kulling ruled to dismiss the case against him on the grounds that he would lose jurisdiction “by operation of law.” Under the “double jeopardy” clause of the United States Constitution, a state is prohibited from prosecuting a defendant twice for the same offence.
Charges and backlash
Charges Butler faced included two counts of attempted first-degree rape, three counts of rape by instrumentation, sexual battery, forcible oral sodomy, two counts of domestic assault and battery by strangulation, and one count of domestic assault and battery. The sentencing sparked outrage and local protests as well as a nationwide backlash across America.
Legal responses and criticism
Butler’s attorney Derek Chance said he will file a motion to have the teenager’s record expunged, which he admitted would likely prove contentious. Chance told The Oklahoman: “This was just a really, really difficult case. At (Monday’s) hearing, we maintained our innocence and explained that we entered a plea to essentially engage in risk management in the case. But again, that was not well received by the district attorney.”
Demonstrations took place outside Payne County Courthouse. The newly-elected County District Attorney Jeremiah Gregory said statements by Butler’s defence were full of “egregious” and “inappropriate” assertions. He added: “The defence portrayed that somehow the perpetrator suffered more than these victims. What was said was insincere, untruthful, and an affront to these victims and what they have endured. Nothing has made my blood boil more.”
Possible further action
Gregory did however raise the prospect of further movement in the case as he said his office would submit a file on Butler’s case for review to the US federal government, which is separate to the state of Oklahoma. Rachel Bussett, representing the family of one of Butler’s victims, said they were disappointed by Monday’s outcome and criticised Chance’s defence of his client. “He was basically saying that Butler was the victim and that he was innocent and that there was video evidence that demonstrated this ― and that’s just not the truth,” Bussett told The Oklahoman.
It’s reported the families of the victims may pursue civil litigation against the Butler family and Stillwater High School, as well as the City of Stillwater.
