Man accused of sexually assaulting young sisters gets 11 years
A Madison man who was accused of sexually assaulting two girls, one when she was in grade school, was sentenced Monday to 11 years and nine months in prison, with lengthy extended supervision to follow.
Bruce E. Burns, 45, entered no contest pleas in April to felony charges that he caused the girls to view sexual activity and in turn the additional charges that he sexually assaulted them were dropped but used as read-ins, meaning Dane County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Moeser may consider them when sentencing Burns.
Both of the victims spoke at the sentencing hearing, with the youngest of the two saying, "I've been to so many therapists I can't count them anymore." She was 8 when Burns raped her, she said, and Burns continued his assaults until she was 12, the young woman, now 17, said.
Her older sister was also sexually assaulted by Burns, and Burns masturbated in front of each of them.
Both wrote letters to the court as well as speaking at the hearing.
"I was just a little girl when it happened," the younger of the two wrote to the judge. "My pride, my virginity, taken from me. The pain that I felt, the instant weakness throughout my entire body. I lost myself this day, my life ruined. He hurt me so many times. I started to get used to him. Being raped and molested became part of my schedule," she wrote.
"I remember tasting my tears as they streamed down my face. I remember feeling helpless, I remember feeling used. I am 17 and I am still unable to take down those walls that took me so long to build. I am terrified to let anyone near my heart because of what might happen to me," she wrote to the judge.
"I am afraid to love, or to be loved. After all these years, I am expected to hate and curse the man that did this to me, but I am not going to. After all these years there is only one thing I have to say, I forgive you."
Both girls reported the assaults to their mother, but she refused to believe them. In several instances one or both reported the assaults to social workers for Dane County as well, but they were either not believed or nothing was done, said Assistant District Attorney Shelly Rusch in asking for a prison term of 16 years for Burns.
"He takes no responsibility for these crimes or the victimization he has created," Rusch said. She said Burns' character can be demonstrated by how he lied about his first lawyer so he would be taken off the case, then recanted the lie. "He's willing to throw anyone under the bus to save his own skin," she said.
Defense attorney Joshua Klaff asked Moeser to withhold sentencing in the case and put Burns on probation for five years with one year in the Dane County Jail.
He said Burns' prior record, which involves only minor violations, along with his work record, shows he is a good candidate for probation. "There is no reason to think community supervision would not work," Klaff said. Burns, when given an opportunity to speak, said only that he was "willing to do any treatment that's out there for me."
After making his plea deal in April just before trial was to start, Burns filed a motion in July to allow him to withdraw his pleas so the case could go to trial. Moeser denied that motion in late July.
Moeser said the crimes were too serious to consider probation a possible sentence. "The fact that Mr. Burns did what he did to those children makes his case very grave," the judge said.
Along with the prison term, Moeser ordered that Burns be on extended supervision for 15 years after leaving prison.
The following poem was written by the younger
of Burns' two victims, who began to be raped when she was only 8
years old. She wrote this when she was about 10. It was submitted
to Moeser before the sentencing hearing.
The Untitled
Me
Life without love, and love without life.
Cries without tears, and tears that don't seem right.
Years of pain coming from one,
no one to understand, no one to re-do what's done.
Seeking help, no one there,
no one to save me, no one to care.
Living a lie, feeling ashamed.
Keeping it all a secret, no one to blame.
Scared to tell, but I should,
not knowing who to go too, wonder if I should.
I feel every inch of this unwanted love,
asking if God can feel my heart beat from above.
The clock is ticking as the minutes run.
How long will it take until it's done.
I need someone to see past my smile,
maybe then, I will be saved.
