Falls City, Neb. — The conflicting worlds of Matthew Koso collided Wednesday inside a tiny Richardson County courtroom.
In one world, Koso is an ordinary 22-year-old factory worker who goes home each night to his wife. In the other, Koso faces rape charges after impregnating and then marrying the now 14-year-old girl, who is expecting their first child in less than a month.
Koso did not say a word Wednesday as Richardson County Judge Curtis Maschman set his arraignment in district court for Aug. 30 - two days after his wife is due to give birth.
The Associated Press is not naming the girl.
Koso's mother, Peggy, and older brother, Nick, sat in the courtroom during the hearing. His wife was not present. She started school Wednesday morning at Falls City High School, where she is freshman.
After the girl became pregnant, her mother gave permission in May for Koso to take her daughter to Kansas, which allows minors to get married with parental consent.
Nebraska Atty. Gen. Jon Bruning has charged Koso with first-degree sexual assault, punishable by up to 50 years in prison.
A Falls City Police investigator testified that the case began last May when the state Health and Human Services system asked the department to look into a report that the girl might be pregnant.
Nebraska requires people to be at least 17 before they can marry.
Kansas does not have a minimum age restriction on marriage as long as both parents approve or it is approved by a district court judge.
If only one parent approves, the judge must approve, as well.
On Wednesday, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said she was asking legislators to establish a minimum age for marriage. She said the age should be 16, 17 or 18, "so we don't, after the fact, cover up abuse of children."
Comments
trueninetiesgirl 12 years, 8 months ago
i got married at 16 and let me tell you that was the worst mistake of my life and no i wasnt pregnant i thought i was in love, but at this age you have no clue what love really is. i think that ever one should be at least 18yrs.i went threw alot befor i opened my eyes and got out of my marriage of 6yrs .he was 5yrs my age i didnt really now what i was doing but he did, i did learn one thing that marriage is no game i have waited 15yrs now i will remarry this time it is for love. so please wait it out it may not work dont get married so young.
Jamesaust 12 years, 8 months ago
Why doesn't our AG Klein (busy filing wasteful lawsuits revisiting well-traversed abortion territory) file a suit in district court claiming that our ever so popular constitutional marriage amendment enacted last year defining the term marriage as being "between a man and a women" invalidates this sham? After all, by what possible definition is a statutorily raped 14 year old girl a "woman"?
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