Judge Gregory S. Ross Suspends Order Giving Christopher Mirasolo Joint Custody Of Rape Victim’s 8-Year-Old Son
Judge Gregory S. Ross came under heavy fire around the world when he granted joint custody of an eight-year-old boy to Christopher Mirasolo, a man who was convicted of forcibly raping the boy’s mother when she was 12 years of age, and Mirasolo was 19, as reported by the Inquisitr. A petition to have Judge Ross disbarred has swelled to nearly 30,000 signatures in the wake of the Sanilac County judge granting Mirasolo shared custody of the boy and adding Christopher’s name to the boy’s birth certificate; all without permission from the rape victim, who is now 21 years of age.
Known only as “Tiffany,” Mirasolo’s rape victim spoke out about how she was taken to an empty house by Mirasolo and held there for two days with her then 13-year-old sister. Tiffany said she was outraged to learn that she would be fined for trespassing in the home, even though she was held there against her will, and that she would get in trouble for a curfew violation. After telling authorities that she had been sexually assaulted by Mirasolo, Tiffany alleged that a rape kit was not performed on her. As a result, only when Tiffany became pregnant the following month after being raped by Christopher in 2008, did authorities believe her accusations, and Mirasolo was arrested.
Judge Ross’ controversial ruling was set aside on Tuesday after growing international outrage put a spotlight on the case. Judge Ross issued the stay, which is the act of stopping a legal proceeding by order of the court on a temporary basis. Therefore, the now 27-year-old Mirasolo’s case will be the subject of an internal review as the court determines how to move forward.
https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaKiesslingProLifeSpeaker/videos/1479235828780111/
The rape victim’s lawyer, Rebecca Kiessling, explained why she took the case on a pro-bono basis and spoke in the above Facebook video about the controversial decisions she had witnessed that were similar to the one initially handed down by Judge Ross. The judge’s decision came after the county researched why the rape victim was receiving approximately $260 per month in food stamps, which she had gotten for three years. After a recent DNA test determined that Mirasolo was indeed the father of the child, the county sought reimbursement. Mirasolo’s name was placed on the birth certificate, and Christopher was ordered to pay child support.
The rape victim has requested that Mirasolo is not allowed to visit the child. Mirasolo has waived all rights to the child and has agreed to pay child support. Judge Ross scheduled the hearing about the case on Tuesday, at 1:30 p.m., after videos like the one above went viral expressing Kiessling’s objections to how some victims of sexual assault are treated by the court.
Who Is Christopher Mirasolo? A Michigan Judge Granted Him Joint Custody With The Woman He Allegedly Raped… https://t.co/wFnpXFSar7
— Rebecca Kiessling (@RebeccaKiesslin) October 8, 2017
[Featured Image by Michigan Department of Corrections/Detroit News/AP Images]
