CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Chesterfield Circuit Court judge T.J. Hauler has decided that for now, 19 -year-old Logan Michael Osborn will not serve any jail time.
In September, the ex- Cosby High School student-athlete pleaded guilty to carnal knowledge after he was accused of taking a 14-year-old girl into the woods on school property, binding her neck and hands with a belt, and forcing her to perform a sex act.
Then, in January, judge Hauler sentenced Osborn to two years in jail - but held off on activating the sentence, saying he would revisit the punishment in 6 months.
On Wednesday, Hauler again decided to postpone activating the sentence -a move that got a lot of people talking on social media.
Attorney Ed Riley is not tied to the case but says he’s seen the sentencing strategy before. “It happens but it doesn’t happen often, it’s a tool that some judges are very fond of -- kind of like saying I'm going to suspend your sentence and hold it over your head,” Riley said.
Following court, Osborn's attorney Todd Stone released this statement:
"A sentencing hearing is always a balancing act for the court. There was compelling evidence that my client could contribute significantly to society in a variety of ways and that, despite facing tremendous obstacles as an 18-year-old, he matured and managed to put himself on a very positive track for the future. This was a fair outcome considering all of the factors involved."
Stone serves as a CBS 6 legal analyst on cases in which he is not involved.
Attorney Riley went on to explain that even without jail time, there's still a punishment.
“He’s a felon now, he’s going to be reporting as a felon every thirty days or every 90 days for the rest of his life. He’s 19 years old he will be a recorded felon for the rest of his life. Don’t underestimate that, and I’m pretty sure judge Haul didn’t underestimate that,” Riley said.
This story was updated to reflect attorney Todd Stone's connection to CBS 6 News.
