"To Catch a Predator" Rabbi Sentenced In Internet Sex Sting

This is far better than having a father come home and catching him with his 13-year-old son. In rage, he might shoot him or something. A jury would probably go light on the father, and in a way, that's understandable. But that would be double hell for his kid.

This whole program still strikes me as sleazy though. If you watched the recent one on last night, you know that the Perverted Justice decoys often repeatedly contact the men after the initial contact and pretend to be "eager for sex," because psychologists told them that was normal. Is it really? Or is it an excuse to borderline entrap? If it is normal, could "To Catch a Predator" help put those ideas in some kid's heads? Some of the chats are weeks or months long, as well. So how long does this eager trolling take before the decoy convinces the man to go to the house? And how many gazelles seek out lions to play with? No, can't believe it's normal at all and anyone who thinks they are really chatting with an eager teen is an idiot. What's more, will this really act as a deterrent? That's how they justify what they are doing. Is "To Catch a Predator" really our knight in shining armor or will "normal" teens "eager" for sex and eager adults become more sly?

The problem with the show is that it is like a Nancy Grace prosecution where only her side of the case is evidence. Like all reality shows, everything that doesn't support ratings is cut. The chats are sealed so we can't know for sure how Perverted Justice goes about doing this. It's like the new child pornography case: secret evidence. We may or not not object if we did knew how these chats come about, and we may think even if it is entrapment, so what, it's worth it to get these guys. We do know that Perverted Justice has a big financial incentive to "catch predators" and for that reason alone could step over the line. Should we care?

My guess is that if these televised stings were after something far more common, say, "To Catch a Cheater" on incomes taxes, the objections would be far and wide. No ratings there, though, so no worries.

Just because these "predators" asked for it, that doesn't mean we have to agree with the process, and I don't like the idea of secret evidence at all. Think Jose Padilla.

EDIT: Padilla

Is the rabbi going to jail for what he did or what he THOUGHT he was going to do? Thought crimes... very scary.

Conspiracy to rob a bank is a crime, I think, even if they change their mind when they get to the bank.

Any criminal lawyers care to check in?

if there are actions done in furtherance of the conspiracy(in most jurisdictions). For example, If you and I met for coffee and discussed how we could kill Ronald McDonald by switching his regular coffee with Folgers Crystals and Arsenic, not a crime. If I went out and bought Folgers Crystals, and you bought Arsenic-we're looking at a conspiracy charge.

However, that's mostly academic. Most conspiracy cases are usually charged after the crime has been committed. It is sometime difficult for a Jury to convict on "plans" and no action. This is at the local level though. Federal Prosecutions are typically more elaborate. It is more common to find a conspiracy case at the federal level when there is no "fulfillment" of the crime. RICO cases, financial cases, and the occasional drug case.

Often, a prosecutor will neglect to charge conspiracy even when there is on. The elements of a conspiracy, or mens rea, are always different from the actual crime. Often this can lead to jury confusion and an acquittal-so it's not worth the risk.

Should people who consider killing someone but decide not to be charged with intent?

with your picture and a rifle and considers killing you it is illegal. They do not have to shoot you to be breaking the law.

It is illegal to meet a minor with the INTENT to have sex with them.

Conspiracy is just that.

It's actions he took. You can think about anything you want. At least so far. But when you put those thoughts into action...

It's like if you allowed to friends you were going out to blow up a dam fedral bildin' and went down to the Home Depot and stocked up on fertilizer, motor oil, and a timer.

But, in the meantime, you've just got a guy who made a purchase at Home Depot.

Bottom line, I'm not one who wants to see this country become an efficient dictatorship where "the trains run on time," if you get my drift.

It's not a thought crime-although it treads a fine line. His action was going to the home of a perceived minor to engage in sexual activity. It would be treated as an attempt, or a solicitation-which are both crimes.

The statute must read that the perp thought that the intended victim was underage-despite the fact that there was no underage person.

29 Appeal from judgment entered on July 28, 2005, in the United States District Court for
30 the Southern District of New York (Leisure, J.), convicting defendant of traveling in interstate
31 commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with an individual that defendant
32 believed to be a thirteen-year-old girl in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b), and for using a
33 computer, the Internet, and a telephone in attempting to persuade, induce, and entice an
34 individual who has not attained the age of eighteen to engage in illicit sexual activity in violation
35 of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).

http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov:8080/isysnative/RDpcT3BpbnNcT1BOXDA1LTQxNTUtY3Jfb3BuLnBkZg==/05-4155-cr_opn.pdf#xml=http://10.213.23.111:8080/isysquery/irl6a2c/1/hilite">U.S. v. Brand


Good and recent summary of the law. And I didn't know the government could induce a suspect into enticing a Perverted Justice undercover, so evidently pretending to be "eager" isn't illegal. It would still be interesting to know how many, if any, of the claimed busts were actually entrapments but we never heard about it.

edit sp

EDIT again. Source:

have watched the specials in the past and still take their chances.

And still, he went in the house anyway.

That's not just stupid... that's a damn powerful compulsion acting on some of those people.

Is he, as expected, a rapeblican? Need to know before I post him on my wall of shame...

If the rabbi thought the boy was 13, then according to his religious beliefs, he was a man.

Someone notify The Alliance Defense Fund!

Religion is under attack!

:sarcasm:

Lost In Lima Ohio- The Blog: 11/2005 - 12/2005
Google Cache of Rabbi David A. Kaye's previous employer lists his ... a homosexual and should complete a dissolution from his wife next week. ...
http://lostinlimaohio.blogspot.com/2005_10_16_lostinlimaohio_archive.html

Case of Rabbi David Kaye (Potomac, MD; Rockville, MD; San Antonio, TX)
Rabbi David A. Kaye has been a Jewish educator for 30 years. ... Kaye acknowledged that he frequently had homosexual encounters with people he met in online ...
www.theawarenesscenter.org/kaye_david.html

Chaptzem Blog!
Rabbi David A. Kaye, 55, vice president of programs for PANIM: the Institute ... So, now you are saying that this filthy $#@&^%&%^$ homosexual degenerate ...

<snip>

Rabbi David A. Kaye, 55, vice president of programs for PANIM: the Institute for Jewish Leaders and Values, resigned this week after disclosing that he might be featured on a national television news program, according to a statement released by the organization's president, Rabbi Sidney Schwarz.

More:
http://chaptzem.blogspot.com/2005/11/rabbi-teacher-lose-jobs-after-taping.html

Perverted-Justice.com - The largest and best anti-predator ...
UPDATE - SEPT 6, 2006: Rabbi David A. Kaye was convicted of both counts ... sorry for this guy for being "outed" as a homosexual, remember lines like this. ...
http://www.perverted-justice.com/?archive=REDBD

PANIM: the Institute for Jewish Leaders and Values
http://www.panim.org


In this issue of Kol PANIM, we feature the increasingly controversial issue of gay marriage. From a Jewish values perspective, this is a particularly interesting issue. More conservative elements in the Jewish community cite well known biblical and other traditional Jewish sources in explaining their opposition to gay marriage, while those on the liberal side of the spectrum point to the Jewish concern with justice, fairness and compassion as bolstering their arguments in favor of such unions. However you feel about gay marriage, I hope that this issue of Kol PANIM will encourage you to think seriously about the way in which Jewish values might inform your decision, and also to recognize that those on the other side are acting on their ideals as well.

L'shana Tova,
Rabbi Sid Schwarz

http://www.panim.org/kolpanim/KolPSept04.html

It looks like Panim is fairly Liberal

Could be.

Pretty clear cut cases from what I read. These pedophile slime should be removed from society.

Only chats in evidence though the courts are real evidence. Got a link for one of those?

have sex with before he got caught?

I saw the episode and to be honest these guys were all looking for some action with a kid.

They made a trip to a suburban home to have sex with a kid and many of them brought the requested items from the "fake kid"..including alcohol.

You know I don't like the idea of thought crimes either but, these men all showed up...no one went to their home and offered them money to have sex with kids...these guys were trolling for it.

Hell the one jackass got caught twice trying to have sex with a kid...it was just surreal and pathetic and scary.

But as always, there is http://www.corrupted-justice.com/">another side to the story. And scroll down here to http://www.geraldoatlarge.com/video-archive.php?offset=3&go=10&query=1&orderby=published&cending=DESC&where_param=month&month=11&year=2006#theTop">Sting Gone Bad.

The assumption to justify it all is that they must be serial pedophiles, but most of their judges didn't find that to be true and didn't http://www.corrupted-justice.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5409">sentence them accordingly. That's why real Justice isn't a http://longknives.wordpress.com/2006/09/14/caught/">TV spectacle.

Even the mayor of Murphy is accused of being a pedophile because he objects to the sting in his town. The witch hunts didn't end until those in charge were accused.

Just because a cause is a good one, that doesn't by default mean the zealots carrying it out aren't profit mongering freaks with a KKK gene or two.