‘I was raped’: Victims urge judge to deny former Covington Catholic student parole
COVINGTON, Ky. (WXIX) - Nearly 100 letters are being sent to a judge urging her to deny a convicted serial rapist probation.
Joseph Eubank is awaiting the judge’s decision to find out if he will be transferred to adult prison or be put on probation after only serving a fraction of his 25-year sentence for his 2020 guilty plea.
Eubank was 17 when he pleaded guilty to raping a teenage girl and sexually abusing three others. Since the Department of Corrections allowed him to stay in a juvenile facility until his 21st birthday, he can file for probation.
His attorney filed the motion in early September. On Saturday, he provided a statement to FOX19 NOW:
“In Kentucky, when a child commits a crime, the law requires our juvenile system to work to rehabilitate the child so the child will become a positive citizen. Our system has succeeded with Joseph Eubank. Under our law, we don’t give up on children. Our law recognizes that children who commit crimes are fallible human beings who, with mercy and hard work, can become better people as adults. Joseph has earned the support of people in the community who have had the courage to stand up for what is right and just.”
As the judge ponders her decision, she has received letters from two victims, victims’ family members and friends, and dozens of concerned citizens and some former teachers of Eubanks.
A part of one victim’s letter reads:
In the motion, it says Eubank has demonstrated that he is not likely to re-offend. It further says he is best suited for community care, not correctional treatment and probation will not lessen the seriousness of his offenses.
In the letter from victim No. 5, she writes her disagreement with the motion.
The mother of victim No. 3 wrote a long letter to the judge, saying her daughter gets panic attacks and that her carefree personality was taken from her.
She ended the letter saying, “Please do not let my daughter’s rapist out on parole.”
The prosecution filed their response on Thursday to Eubank’s motion, greatly opposing his release. They said it would be an injustice, and there is nothing he could have done or accomplished in less than three years to make up for being a serial rapist.
The judge said she will make her decision by Sept. 29.
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