Chris Hanson weeps: Appeals court rules "no actual victim, no actual crime"

Shhh. I didn't really get a "law degree." I just do whatever I think Ben Stone would do and then make up legal mumbo-jumbo from there. Don't tell anyone.

 

Fruit of the poisonous tree!

 

I'm not the one on trial here, and I'm the one who asks the questions!

 

Sometimes we get so caught up in the letter of the law that we forget why it is there in the first place. That is exactly what you and Fenian are doing.

 

I will always get caught up in the letter of the law. I'm a great fan of the U.S. Constitution and its attendant justice system, despite its flaws. I think the ideals of the Constitution ought to be followed, to the letter, and I won't apologize for it.

 

In what way do stings to nab potential child molesters violate the Constitution?

 

I guess you're a fan of protecting pedophiles over children. There is no rationalization for protecting them, none.

 

They don't, and I have no problem with the government undertaking sting operations to nab potential child molesters. But being a potential child molester isn't against the law. Being a child molester is. Whatever lesser charges can be brought against these people based on Internet chat transcripts, I welcome the government to bring them. Practically, there may be no difference between a dirty chatter and a child rapist. But legally, you can't convince me that they are the same thing.

 

They don't. But some people would rather worry about technicalities that protect the rights of people who abuse children.

This isn't clearly defined in the constitution. It is a judgement call. And a judgement call should go in the direction of protecting people who are unable to protect themselves.

 

All laws are technicalities. You worry about some of them. I worry about all of them.

 

See what you are doing here, FirstDownPirates? You're making me agree with JC.

Make all the speeches about the Constitution you like. This isn't clearly written there. There is plenty of gray area to work in. When in doubt, you lock up the guy who tries to abuse a child and you sure as hell don't let him back out without making him register as a sex offender.

 

I agree, a guy who tries to abuse a child should receive the appropriate legal punishment. In these stings, that act didn't occur.