Koskan victim steps forward despite pressure, including Koskan reporting her car as stolen

@SoDakCampaigns

This might be one of the most courageous things I’ve read in a while, where this young woman who was victimized stood up despite tremendous pressure by her abuser.

From the Argus Leader’s account of what took place at the hearing for Joel Koskan today:

In May 2022, the victim “summon(ed) the courage to reach out to a friend,” whose father was a retired agent with Department of Criminal Investigation to report further abuse.

“From then on, the pressure was on,” Kempema said, describing Koskan in an act of retaliation had allegedly reported the car she drove stolen.

and..

Dressed in a black dress with yellow and red polka-dots and tan high top sneakers, the victim told the full courtroom Tuesday, “what I want is the truth. What happened isn’t my fault.”

She told Northrup that the circuit court judge knew what needed to be done when it came to sentencing in between shuttering breaths and tears. She had realized in the time away from her family that not sending Koskan to prison was meant for the family’s comfort, contrasting what Clint Sargent, Koskan’s lawyer, said minutes before that the victim did not want him incarcerated.

Read the entire story here.

Powerful stuff.. And I suspect it might be part of what convinced the judge to levy the maximum penalty in a case that only months ago was ready to be settled with no jail time.

12 thoughts on “Koskan victim steps forward despite pressure, including Koskan reporting her car as stolen”

  1. Whomever was stating a few months ago when this story broke that this is a “simple family matter and that the courts should stay out,” should feel absolutely ashamed. It is clear that Koskan is a predator and completely devoid of remorse.

      1. I’m glad this guy is going to prison for a long time. And I hope as part of his sentence, he has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

        Absolutely disgusting.

        And you’re right, Pat. Those comments are not only offensive, they defy all logic.

      2. I’m glad this guy is going to prison for a long time. And I hope as part of his sentence, he has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

        Absolutely disgusting.

        And you’re right, Pat. Those comments are not only offensive, they defy all logic.

      3. Those comments make me wonder about the person making the comment. If anyone I knew personally made comments like that around me, I would wonder what they are trying to hide.

      4. What exactly is a Political Wish Hunt, anyway? Mike’s abilities to embarrass himself seem to have no bounds. He’s constantly blathering on over at SouthDaCola, making the comments section hard to read.

  3. Good.
    My only disappointment with this is that they couldn’t sentience him for longer.
    Thanks to the judge for rejecting that totally awful plea deal.

  4. Earwig for the day:

    “We’re OFF to see the warden, the wonderful warden of oz, because because because because…..because…. because of the need for license plates.”

  5. Will Joel be joining Ted Klaudt in Springfield or will he be in the big house in Sioux Falls? I’m sure Joel will develop new relationships in prison some being involuntary.

  6. About time. Hope he serves every day he was sentenced to. Don’t fool yourself, these guys talk to each other…it’s a sub-culture of perversion. They hide behind “family values” and “law and order” talk but are devious and the damage they do is generational.

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