Brock Turner released from jail after serving half his term

ByABC News
September 2, 2016, 9:30 AM

— -- Brock Turner, the Stanford swimmer convicted of sexual assault, was released from jail Friday morning after serving three months of a six-month sentence.

Turner had been convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster after both attended a fraternity party in January 2015. The assault was interrupted by two students. Turner tried to flee, but the students tackled him and held him down until police arrived.

Prosecutors had asked for six years in state prison, but Judge Aaron Persky opted for the lesser of penalties based in part on the former Olympic hopeful's lack of criminal history and character witness letters vouching for him.

In August, Persky recused himself from all criminal cases.

USA Swimming, meanwhile, told USA Today Sports in June that Turner is not, nor will he be, eligible for any of its sanctioned events.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.