Ken Buck Explains Why

This story has been updated

A five-year-old rape case that was never prosecuted is suddenly causing major ripples in the Colorado Senate race and headaches for Republican candidate Ken Buck.

Three weeks from Election Day, stories have suddenly emerged about Buck's refusal to follow up on rape allegations involving a University of North Colorado student during his stint as Weld County District Attorney. He declined to file criminal charges against the alleged victim's attacker on the belief that not enough evidence existed to win the case, a conclusion that is not entirely rare with such delicate cases.

Renewed criticism, however, has erupted over Buck's handling of the case in light of some of his newly-resurfaced remarks, including a conversation he had with the victim and his suggestion that a jury would view the rape charges as merely her "buyer's remorse."

Buck's campaign told Politico on Monday that the entire topic was a non-story driven by a partisan organization. "Reputable news organizations should not be an echo chamber for Progress Now [the progressive group that first surfaced this incident]. We obviously can't trust them," Buck spokesman Owen Loftus said.

The Huffington Post has obtained the audio of the meeting Buck held with the victim as well as the pertinent police report -- both of which, critics say, make him seem callous and even hostile in dismissing her pleas.

"I know there are a lot of circumstances prosecutors take into account when prosecuting cases," said Kjersten Forseth, the interim executive director of ProgressNow Colorado. "I just think she was treated badly by Ken Buck. As a prosecutor, you are there to be a victim's advocate and not the rapist's advocate, and I just felt he was being more like the rapist's advocate."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/12/ken-buck-refused-rape-victim-case-audio_n_758890.html