Via Mary Sue Molnar with the group Texas Voices, here's an MSM treatment of sex-offender registration for juveniles that may interest Grits readers:
the Our America Show with Lisa Ling, Labeled for Life, will air tonight at 9:00 pm (Texas time) on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
Lisa Ling investigates the case of a teenage boy who was sentenced to 20 years
in prison for touching a girl's breast - and is now a registered sex offender.
Lisa will try to piece together what happened and find out: did the punishment
fit the crime?
Tune in Tuesday, August 7th at 10/9c for this all new episode of Our America on
"Labeled For Life."
Here's a video preview:
I must take this opportunity once again and remind everyone that more police officers are convicted of child sex crimes than all other professions combined. It's law enforcement's "dirty little secret", and one we are committed to exposing. Police officers use their positions of trust to violate our children. Their victims are threatened with physical harm and told no one will believe their word over that of a police officer. Please take just a few minutes to visit our Facebook pages to understand why all cops are predisposed to molesting children at some point or another in their lives, and learn what you can do to help prevent your child from becoming one of their 100,000 victims each and every year. We don't make this stuff up, we just document it: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-to-survivors-of-child-sexual-assault-by-law-enforcement-officers/180584842010594
ReplyDeleteMy son is also in prision for a very stupid mistake he made at 16, because he was afraid, he lied, and the case went out of control. He was pushed into the adult system, took a plea deal, and is now in prison. From the first phone call to him leaving was 2 years. His father worked out of the country and because of the trial made 6 back and forth trips to Africa in 5 weeks. After our son left, my husband went back to work and triped going up some stairs which in turn a clot was throw, he passed away 4 weeks after our son left. Then 4 months later the victims family sued me in civil court. At this point in time it was all about money. It came out in the civil trial that it was thought it was a good thing my husband passed as my punishment. As of now the only people profiting from this mess are the lawyers because it is in the appeals court.
ReplyDeleteMy son has been away for 2 1/2 years. I removed my rose colored glasses during this time. I never realized how the justice system worked, just asuming like most that the system worked.
After these 2 1/2 years that both my son and husband have been gone have been very hard, but here I stand. Now saying, 'what next?' I have contacted Texas Voices and hope to meet others for knowledge and support. Also, subscribing to Grits to obtain more knowledge as to what the future will hold for my son and myself.
Hey Grits, thanks for the heads-up regarding the new episode. While it's good for the public to learn about bad parenting and the consequences of teenagers (allegedly) touching tittys (to them “breast” is white meat at Pop Eyes) without consent, this new piece will concentrate on the punishment vs. the reason(s) why the public (parents / taxpayers / voters) didn't see this coming?
ReplyDeleteTits / breast / cleavage / are everywhere you look. Janet Jackson's left one almost put out an eye in what's become the world's most famous case of indecent exposure watered down as a simple "wardrobe malfunction". The mag racks in the checkout lanes are full of 'em and right at eye level and anyone can check them out. Some even portraying boys sucking on them vs. using a cup. Entire TV episodes are about them and some sick ass producers think nothing of toddlers dressing up like hookers and pole-less dancing in front of their mothers (cameras).
In closing: only the sick, the goofy and the simple minded go around touching breast of any kind without explicit permission of age appropriate others. Teach them how to spell R.E.S.P.E.C.T. and how to display it and earn it. Teach children the watered down version of the birds and bees and you get confused horny teenagers and inappropriate touching or worse. Teach them that there is no such thing as "Second Base" except in Baseball. WTF? it can’t be that easy? Taking the game out getting laid and reducing the amount of exposure to breast, mandatory training bras, cleavage (plunging necklines) and the desire to touch ‘em goes away? Hell No! Men are men and we come from boys and we learn right from wrong from others. Unless he’s a serial toucher, 20 years for “touching” is beyond wrong, it's a clear message from the court in question. Sadly, this heavy handed punishment will backfire as teenagers put the word out that if you’re going to touch something you might as well get you something because the punishment isn’t much different. Thanks.
I'd like to hold my head up and be proud of who I am
ReplyDeleteBut they won't let my secret go untold
I paid the debt I owed 'em, but they're still not satisfied
Now I'm a branded man out in the cold
When they let me out of prison, I held my head up high
Determined I would rise above the shame
But no matter where i traveled, the black mark follows me
I'm branded with a number on my name
I'd like to hold my head up and be proud of who I am
But they won't let my secret go untold
I paid the debt I owed 'em, but they're still not satisfied
Now I'm a branded man out in the cold
If I live to be a hundred, I guess I'll never clear my name
'Cause everybody knows I've been in jail
No matter where I'm living, I've got to tell them where I've been
Or they'll send me back to prison if I fail
I'd like to hold my head up and be proud of who I am
But they won't let my secret go untold
I paid the debt I owed 'em, but they're still not satisfied
Now I'm a branded man out in the cold
Labeled for Life is a story about a 17 year old boy with mental disabilities who was accused of touching a 10 year old girl on the chest. The Round Rock police lied to the 17 year old during the police "interview" by telling him they knew what he did, said there were witnesses they had talked to and it would be easier on the boy if the boy would just admit it. I've read the transcript of the interview. Very disturbing work by law enforcement. The police officer led the kid to "confess". The court appointed lawyer convinced the kid to plea to indecency with a child -- 5 years probation.
ReplyDeleteNow, almost 17 years later, through Lisa Ling's investigation, we have learned none of the witnesses were questioned by anyone. She also learned that 2 years ago the alleged victim learned the boy was in prison and called her father to say she thinks something she said when she was a kid was over-exaggerated and resulted in horrible consequences, but she was afraid if she came forward to tell the truth she would be arrested.
The boy was revoked within a couple of months of being placed on probation and sentenced to 20 years. He has served 16 of those years. At the revocation hearing, the prosecutor told the court that the psychologist said in all likelihood the boy was a pedophile and the court had no other option but to give the boy 20. The psychologist's report states the probation officer requested that the evaluation address whether or not the boy met the criteria for a diagnosis of pedophilia. However, the psychologist did not administer any tests to make such a determination, nor was there any history of inappropriate sexual behavior. (All in the court record). Court appointed lawyer, Randy Lepley, was a wuss. Thank God he no longer practices law. He did nothing to defend the boy before the plea or after the revocation.
Prosecutor: Williamson County John Bradley; Unfortunately, Judge Billy Ray Stubblefield of the 26th District Court agreed with Bradley and sentenced the boy to 20 years.