Mathew Limon being discussed on Australian radio this morning

[anakie]

Another amazing legal saga is dragging on in the US. A young American has been in jail for the past five years - because he engaged in oral sex with his even younger boyfriend. At the time, Matthew Limon was 18, his partner nearly 15. Both were residents at the Lakemary Centre, a school for 'developmentally delayed' youngsters in Paola, Kansas. The younger boy initially agreed to the sexual liason, then changed his mind; as soon as he asked Limon to 'stop', he did. How the police were alerted to the encounter has never been clear.

But Matthew Limon's trial was based on the undisputed fact that the teenagers engaged in consensual oral sex, which falls under a Kansas law prohibiting 'criminal sodomy' with teenagers younger than 16. He was sentenced to 17 years - and for the past five has been detained at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility in Kansas. Not surprisingly, he's appealed the severity of his sentence.

Author and journalist Ayelet Waldman has been monitoring this case for Salon.com. She joined us from Berkeley, California.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/brkfast/stories/s1356064.htm

Audio of interview also on the site. I was truly astounded by the severity of the sentence. 17 years. Way to go Kansas.