This case is, I think, an excellent example of why legislators need to look at the laws on the books every few years and update them. The judge didn't want to sentence the kid to ten years; he was pretty clear about that, but the law left him no choice- it was very clear about penalties for oral sex. The jury who found the kid guilty were horrified when they found out what their decision meant. I think the law, due in part to this case, was changed, but it was after the verdict and the kid could not be grandfathered in (again, due to the laws on the books). Whether or not the girl consented doesn't matter in the eyes of the law.
It's a horrific outcome, no question, and I can't believe the state is continuing to pursue this when it could let it go, but the kids happened to break an archaic law that happened to have very stiff penalties. Hey, in Georgia up until 1998, oral sex
even between a husband and a wife was punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Can you imagine THAT pillow talk, "Sorry honey; I don't want to go to jail."
Here's the Wikipedia entry on the Wilson case- it gives a good summary of how it came to pass:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genarlow_Wilson