Perverted Injustice? Backlash growing against NBCs "To Catch a Predator"

[FelixDeCat]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15942084.htm

Former Kaufman DA kills self as police try to serve warrantThe Associated Press
TERRELL - Former Kaufman County District Attorney Louis "Bill" Conradt Jr. killed himself as police tried to serve an arrest warrant for soliciting sex with a minor, authorities said.

Conradt, 56, was chief felony assistant attorney for nearby Rockwall County at the time of his death Sunday.

Police forced their way into Conradt's Terrell home after hearing a gunshot when he refused to answer the door, a police spokesman said. The officers found Conradt with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He later died at a hospital in Dallas, about 30 miles west of Terrell.

Police in the town of Murphy in nearby Collin County said Conradt had solicited sex from a decoy posing online as a 13-year-old. Murphy police were attempting to serve an arrest warrant and a search warrant for Conradt's computer when he shot himself, Murphy Police spokesman Sgt. Snow Robertson said.

Robertson said there was nothing police could to do prevent Conradt's death, which happened while an NBC crew waited outside on the street.

"When somebody decides to do this, there is nothing you can do," he said.

Conradt was Kaufman County's elected district attorney for more than two decades before resigning in 2002 to run for a judgeship. He lost and later took the Rockwall County job.

Murphy Mayor Bret Bishop told the newspaper that he hopes Murphy won't be used again as a trap for child predators.

"We're going to do whatever we need to do to make sure this doesn't continue," he said. "I think it's a noble cause, but our police department is hired to serve and protect our citizens, and not to expose them to outside threats."

I had heard about this DA killing himself when the cops showed up to arrest him for solicitation. While he didnt go to the "trap" house, they had enough evidence for an arrest. In other local TV reports they interviewed local judges who said the man went after pedos with a passion. His legal secretary also had high praise for him and just couldnt believe "he was gone." I think if the allegations were true, as a prosecutor of sexual predators he, if anyone else, should have known the law. Upon contemplation he probably did wake up to the sobering reality of being prosecuted and possibly disbarred and decided to end it all.

While no one disagrees that taking pedos off the street is a good thing. the Mayor and neigbors of the "trap / bait" house wanted answers. In another local TV report, the were upset NBC drew 20+ pedos to the house, that was also close to school. The homes leasing agent said that they werent informed by the company that leased the property that a "reality" show would be filmed there (although even knowing that, Ill bet they wouldnt have turned down the money). Neigbors were organizing with the mayor to get answers from NBC.

Has NBC gone too far? Is it ok for Perverted Justice to setup neighborhoods and unsuspecting neighbors with "bait houses"? Hmmmm.....

 

[Lithium381]

if they'd just stop soliciting underage sex there wouldn't be a problem, why are they being made out to be victims?

 

[Kadarin]

That DA wasn't a victim. He made his choices of his own free will, and so be it.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Jeez... Only in America could a pedophile be made out to be the victim. Good riddance.

 

[Gilligansdingy]

Oh man lets all stick up for the sick bastard that preys on children

 

[j00fek]

kill em all

 

[Shame]

Problem Not Found 404

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Jeez... Only in America could a pedophile be made out to be the victim. Good riddance.

Agreed, good riddance. Forget the kids he's chasing around, this guy's the real victim.:roll: Maybe he only went after the pedophiles so hard so he could learn where they found their victims.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Agreed, good riddance. Forget the kids he's chasing around, this guy's the real victim.:roll: Maybe he only went after the pedophiles so hard so he could learn where they found their victims.

Yea! And he shot himself to hide the truth of his underground pedophile sting from the pedophiles that would have most likely found out. Infact, I think he faked his death so he could come back as a masked avenger, taking down pedophiles everywhere!

 

[biggestmuff]

Text

did this guy run for judge in '02?

Edit: oops, just finished the article.

 

[CVSiN]

the show works.. and it works well..
whats the problem..
as far as im concerened he just saved the legal system a bunch of time and money.
good riddance to scum.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Jeez... Only in America could a pedophile be made out to be the victim. Good riddance.

Yeah, seriously.

NBC did nothing wrong. It was Conradt who had the hankering for kids, not NBC.

 

[biggestmuff]

This show should be on every friday night. TGIF!

 

[tm37]

I am just going to say that I AM SOOO LOOKING FORWARD to this episode

 

[NFS4]

And I should feel sorry for this a$$hole because????

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
That DA wasn't a victim. He made his choices of his own free will, and so be it.

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Jeez... Only in America could a pedophile be made out to be the victim. Good riddance.

Sense of Entitlement - FTL

But working in CJ, you find that most sex offenders are actually regular Joes that have a slightly twisted mindset, usually spurred by a poor outlook on their own life. These people do need to be helped, but prevention the best solution.
If communities and churches (temples... whatever) were more open to the idea of helping out people who struggle in these aspects and show them how inherently wrong it was while still accepting them as a person, a lot of these people would slowly be changed. Sadly, this does not happen. Communities and churches stigmatize these people as totally different from everyone else (which usually they are not), and the people themselves also do not wish to change. A sad predicament, which would only be changed if someone was willing to lead out some type of outreach for these people.

On the other hand, when they commit the crime, they deserve justice. That is all.

 

[FelixDeCat]

While the DAs death was a tragedy, what I was trying to point out is that this form of "reality show" & "gotcha" journalism, with its use of bait houses without warning to neighbors might be going too far.

Do you want all pedos to think your neighborhood is open territory? Do you want a bait house next to you? What are the repercussions?

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
While the DAs death was a tragedy, what I was trying to point out is that this form of "reality show" & "gotcha" journalism, with its use of bait houses without warning to neighbors might be going too far.

Do you want all pedos to think your neighborhood is open territory? Do you want a bait house next to you? What are the repercussions?

I don't see the problem. They set up a bait house with a gazillion video cameras and a gazillion police officers hiding in the bushes. How is that a danger to the neighborhood? They catch all the pervs that come by.

 

[chuckywang]

I've watched the show and I must say that some of the things that the decoy does comes dangerously close to entrapment.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: DaShen


Sense of Entitlement - FTL

But working in CJ, you find that most sex offenders are actually regular Joes that have a slightly twisted mindset, usually spurred by a poor outlook on their own life. These people do need to be helped, but prevention the best solution.
If communities and churches (temples... whatever) were more open to the idea of helping out people who struggle in these aspects and show them how inherently wrong it was while still accepting them as a person, a lot of these people would slowly be changed. Sadly, this does not happen. Communities and churches stigmatize these people as totally different from everyone else (which usually they are not), and the people themselves also do not wish to change. A sad predicament, which would only be changed if someone was willing to lead out some type of outreach for these people.

On the other hand, when they commit the crime, they deserve justice. That is all.

How can you even suggest accepting these people? They are different. They are greedy assholes that would trade 10 minutes of pleasure for a childs future. They know that this is inherently wrong. Why would me convincing them of that change thier behavior?

 

[SilthDraeth]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
While the DAs death was a tragedy, what I was trying to point out is that this form of "reality show" & "gotcha" journalism, with its use of bait houses without warning to neighbors might be going too far.

Do you want all pedos to think your neighborhood is open territory? Do you want a bait house next to you? What are the repercussions?

Uhm not having a bait house actually makes your neighborhood open territory. No it isn't going to far.

And Dashen, sorry, but playing Devil's Advocate for child molesters won't get you far. At least not in my book. IT is a sick and twisted thing, and the people are fundamentally wrong. It isn't society's responsibility to put out advertisements saying "If you lust after kids, please come and talk to us, we can help" that is like telling a normal male "If you lust after women, please come and talk to us we can help". What sane man is going to go get help with his attraction to women?

Molesters are mis wired they only feel it is wrong because society says it is wrong, and there are consequences to their action. If they never get caught, they keep doing it. The only way to stop them, is take em out, or take them out of an environment where they have access to children.

I won't go so far as to call you a bleeding heart liberal, but your stance on, lets just help them almost fits the bill. At least you qualify by stating if they do commit a crime, justice should be done, for that I applaud you. And again, this is just my personal opinion on this.

 

[SilthDraeth]

And oh yeah, the DA's death was not a tragedy, it was a blessing.

 

[Amused]

Why do people keep making the mistake of calling these people "pedophiles?"

A pedophile prefers pre-pubescent children. The people in these stings are going after teens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia

Pedophilia, paedophilia or pædophilia (see spelling differences) is the paraphilia of being sexually attracted primarily or exclusively to prepubescent or peripubescent children. Persons with this attraction are called pedophiles.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: rudder

Originally posted by: DaShen


Sense of Entitlement - FTL

But working in CJ, you find that most sex offenders are actually regular Joes that have a slightly twisted mindset, usually spurred by a poor outlook on their own life. These people do need to be helped, but prevention the best solution.
If communities and churches (temples... whatever) were more open to the idea of helping out people who struggle in these aspects and show them how inherently wrong it was while still accepting them as a person, a lot of these people would slowly be changed. Sadly, this does not happen. Communities and churches stigmatize these people as totally different from everyone else (which usually they are not), and the people themselves also do not wish to change. A sad predicament, which would only be changed if someone was willing to lead out some type of outreach for these people.

On the other hand, when they commit the crime, they deserve justice. That is all.

How can you even suggest accepting these people? They are different. They are greedy assholes that would trade 10 minutes of pleasure for a childs future. They know that this is inherently wrong. Why would me convincing them of that change thier behavior?

Obviously you don't work in CJ.
Also, do you want to be part of the problem or part of the solution?

One main things that is the cause of a lot of social problems is the fact that societies view certain people as being totally different than other people when in actuallity most people are pretty much the same. Everyone is inherently evil and selfish.

Yes, what they do is sick and disgusting, but after working in this area for a while, I have found that most of them are pretty normal people, except that they rationalize what they do and think of it as something ingrained in their behavior, which they cannot change. You accept a person for who they are and slowly try to show them how wrong their thinking is while still accepting them, and they may change. Of course, this takes a willingness to change by the individual too. They must recognize that they are messed up individuals.

Actually, what is funny is that AA and other organizations are set up on similar principles.

The ones that do not wish to change, and actually commit a crime, deserve justice, but the ones who want to change should have some type of organization that can help them. But sadly, society stigmatizes them so much that nothing happens and they offend or repeat offend.

You should watch the movie "The Woodsman". It is a pretty good movie that talks about this issue from the side of a sex offender who wishes to change. The fact of the matter is that our system is not set up to rehabilitate people, but rather to lock them up, and more than likely make it even easier for them when they get out to repeat offend because their mentallity gets worse in jail. That is why I like where I am working in CJ right now. Less recitivism. Sure I work in IT, but I see that the long term goal of the department I work in is rehabilitation with justice, not lock up and throw away the key.

 

[MisterJackson]

I for one commend the guy who shot himself for finally making a wise decision and ending his life with a $.30 bullet as opposed to wasting decent taxpayers money.