"Dateline" criticized by judge as "predator" acquitted
David
'Dateline: To Catch a Predator' Case Ends in Acquittal
by THR staff
A sailor caught in a child-sex sting aired as part of the Dateline: To
Catch a Predator series has been acquitted of all charges, according
to the San Jose Mercury News.
Sonoma County, Calif., Judge Arthur Wick on Tuesday threw out the case
against Joseph Roisman, saying there was not enough evidence to move
forward. The move came after six days of trial testimony.
Roisman had been charged with lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor
after he allegedly arranged to meet up with a person he believed to be
a 13-year-old girl in August 2006.
But it was part of a sting set up by anti-predator organization
Perverted Justice and recorded by cameras from NBC's Dateline.
When Roisman showed up at a house in Petaluma, Calif., he was met by
Dateline host Chris Hansen and cameras from the NBC show. Roisman,
along with 28 other men, were later arrested.
Roisman's is the only case that went to trial; the other 28 men
pleaded guilty.
In his ruling, Judge Wick criticized Dateline and Perverted Justice
for their tactics, saying they lacked credibility and used entrapment.
"The axiom actions speak louder than words clearly does not apply in
this case," Wick said.
After his arrest, Roisman was kicked out of the Navy and spent a year
in jail.
"I'm ready to move on with my life," he said outside the courtroom.
"Hopefully the service will take me back."
Roisman's attorney, Stephen Turer, had argued that client did not
expect sex with a teenager when he showed up at the house in Petaluma,
which was 110 miles away from his own home in Watsonville, and was
planning only on "cuddling and watching movies."
But prosecutor Juliette Olson Assistant District Attorney Christine
Cook said there was enough evidence against Roisman for a jury to make
a decision.
Meanwhile, Roisman's mom, Deborah, said she plans to sue the show's
producers.
"They made my son's life a living hell for five years," she said.
NBC has not responded to media requests for comment.
Mason Barge
wrote:
>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/dateline-catch-a-predator-case-223775
>
>'Dateline: To Catch a Predator' Case Ends in Acquittal
[...]
>
>Roisman's attorney, Stephen Turer, had argued that client did not
>expect sex with a teenager when he showed up at the house in Petaluma,
>which was 110 miles away from his own home in Watsonville, and was
>planning only on "cuddling and watching movies."
I always have wondered why one of these guys didn't go to trial and then
appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary (and if possible).
It is a bit of a paradox, but not only was no crime ever committed, no
crime was capable of being committed.
By way of analogy, you can't be convicted of attempted murder because you
shoot a corpse, even if you think it's a live person.
Professor Bubba
<mason...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:23:38 -0700 (PDT), David <diml...@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> >>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/dateline-catch-a-predator-case-2237
> >75
> >
> >'Dateline: To Catch a Predator' Case Ends in Acquittal
> [...]
> >
> >Roisman's attorney, Stephen Turer, had argued that client did not
> >expect sex with a teenager when he showed up at the house in Petaluma,
> >which was 110 miles away from his own home in Watsonville, and was
> >planning only on "cuddling and watching movies."
>
> I always have wondered why one of these guys didn't go to trial and then
> appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary (and if possible).
>
> It is a bit of a paradox, but not only was no crime ever committed, no
> crime was capable of being committed.
There's a crime involved if he intended to have sex with a teenager and
drove 110 miles to do it. What the state failed to do is prove his
intent.
> By way of analogy, you can't be convicted of attempted murder because you
> shoot a corpse, even if you think it's a live person.
This analogy limps a little. You can be convicted in some
jurisdictions of attempted statutory rape if you solicit sex with a
teenager, even if that teenager is really a 45-year-old cop in a chat
room.
David Johnston
That depends on the jurisdiction. Take "United States versus Thomas".
In that case, the soldiers in question were convicted of attempted rape
because they believed they were committing rape when in reality they
were doing something quite different.
Obveeus
"Professor Bubba" <bu...@nowhere.edu.invalid> wrote:
I think that was Mason's point...as to why it could/should go all the way to
the supreme court.