Saturday, June 30, 2007

FEAR AND SELF-LOATHING

We've mentioned again and again the almost-irresistible allure of "To Catch A Predator," the Dateline segments featuring sting operations played out against alleged pervs.

There is reason to resist, and not just because the shows are more hype than anything else. Some excerpts from an Associated Press report about a sting gone awry in Murphy, Texas:
"Dateline" works with an activist group called Perverted Justice, which supplies adults who troll Internet chat rooms, posing as underage boys and girls, and try to collect incriminating sex talk.

City manager Craig Sherwood approved such an operation in this well- to-do community of 11,000 after being approached by "Dateline" and Perverted Justice, but he never informed the mayor or the City Council. He said secrecy was necessary for the sting to be effective.

Over four days in November, 24 men were arrested at a two-story home in one of Murphy's newer neighborhoods after allegedly arranging to meet boys or girls there.

Some other suspects contacted Perverted Justice decoys online but never showed up at the house. Among them was Louis Conradt Jr., an assistant prosecutor from neighboring Kauffman County, who allegedly engaged in a sexually explicit online chat with an adult posing as a 13-year-old boy.

As police knocked at his door and a "Dateline" camera crew waited in the street, Conradt shot himself. ...


last month, Collin County District Attorney John Roach dropped all charges. He said that in 16 of the cases, he had no jurisdiction, since neither the suspects nor the decoys were in the county during the online chats.

As for the rest of the cases, he said neither police nor NBC could guarantee the chat logs were authentic and complete. ...

Two weeks ago, the City Council voted to buy out the city manager's contract for $255,000.

NBC's Chris Hansen said Murphy is the only place the show has encountered such resistance.

"I don't want to get involved in the DA's business or the police business," he said. "I can tell you in the other locations, these issues did not come up."
Sorry, Chris Hansen, but you are involved in police business, and whether or not "these issues" happened in other locations, they did happen in Texas.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to see this site get "hot" I may have helped a little.

I have for years always watched all channels---the same news national and local---I actually had a book and course on that at C of O.

I really wish Ron Davis could break that Habit here! I know it is about money---and who controls the strings---but real stories about real life would draw more people watching which in turn would mean --- more business advertising.

It is risky but life is too---right!

EVERYONE please have a good holiday and break!

A slap at the 4th of July?Read the original story

Saturday Jun 23 | Topix

Breaking News Springfield (MO) A citizen of Springfield Missouri has ask for help from State and Federal officials concerning fair and free elections for the people. Reed tells the story in a letter sent to the local News-Leader and several other local papers. On the 4th let us remember We claim to be the only Superpower not a third world country. We have from the start of our nation based our pillar and purpose on spreading democracy and the right of the people to decide their destiny. All our wars war was fought for the same. We have fought for suffrage. I filed as a write-in candidate for Mayor on April 3, 2007. A week later the City of Springfield law department informed Richard Struckhoff, County Clerk that write ins are not allowed under Springfield City Charter. Yet the Charter does not address the issue just as it does not in other city codes or charters because state law requires it in all cities in Missouri - period. To see the case go to www.reedforcouncil.com. Anyone who wanted to run for school board, city council, or Mayor because they did not like the options should have been allowed to run. I have filed with Greene County Court asking for a free and open election. And yes, Springfield as the buckle of the Bible Belt, needs to practice what we preach. I have asked the Secretary of State and the Attorney General to help enforce state law that says all elections shall be free and open; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage. So, as the Fourth of July comes around, let�s remember the 151,580 thousand people of Springfield who need to be allowed to decide their future. Steven L. Reed Springfield, MO stevenlloydreed@hotmail.com
Comment?

Anonymous said...

Stevie,

Give it a rest. The people did choose. You lost. We didn't want you on council. And if you truly wanted to run for mayor you should have filed. Eat your sour grapes, stop whining and move on.

Anonymous said...

Vince:

It is about all the people
open fair and free elections according to law.

It is not about any one person.

What did they teach in Canada?

Anonymous said...

Yes! More real stories about real life like Paris and that skank with the dirty, pirate's hooker mouth. I can see it now: Pirates of the Carribean 3: Curse of the Dirty, Pirate's Hooker Mouth starring Rachel Aram.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about Chris Hansen, but how about Scooter?

Poor Chucky Schumer. He is on suicide watch tonight?

Well, Clinton pardoned Marc Rich. That's nothing compared to old Scooter.

But, bitch on, lefties, bitch on.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the City wants to try and send out the trops to explain the audit problems early.

News-Leader Editorial---
I pray the council and the voters will see the urgency for solving this dilemma that looms over the city's future and threatens its financial stability.

Conrad Griggs is a former councilman for Springfield.

Anonymous said...

sorry troops

Anonymous said...

Should the Mayor resign?

You judge:

http://podcast.ksgf.com/VincentDavidJerichoThisMorning/tabid/1377/Default.aspx

Anonymous said...

http://podcast.ksgf.com/VincentDavidJerichoThisMorning/tabid/1377/Default.aspx

Anonymous said...

anon @ 7:41 PM - an interesting tidbit about that Marc Rich case - the lawyer representing him was none other than our own beloved 'Skater' Libby.

Matt said...

What would really be interesting is if one could somehow link Boots Randolph and Scooter Libby.

Larry Burkum said...

So anon 7:41, you're saying what Bush did is OK because Clinton did it? If you object to what Clinton, why do you not object to what Bush did?

Oh, and Vince, we don't care what you did on your radio show. Your edited podcasts aren't believable.

Anonymous said...

What about Governor?

The Mayor and his partner gifting the Catalpa house to the Governor---tax credits?

If state media digs in they will need to drain the Missouri swamp.