The Defendant ~ The Accused Predator

I was a juror.  The defendant was charged with the online solicitation of

a minor.  It was my job to listen to the evidence and to decide beyond all

reasonable doubt, his guilt or innocence.  

How many times have we heard that line in movies and on television?

Beyond a reasonable doubt.  When sitting in the jury box, those words

are far more solemn than while watching a scripted performance.  I 

took the job very seriously.

Here is the case in a nutshell.  The accused was arrested two plus

hours away from home, in a park at night, in a city that was 

unfamiliar to him.  He had been followed online by agents of the

state of Texas via a sting operation.

Remember when I told you yesterday that I suspected I was

chosen as a juror because of my response to how I felt

about the idea of a such an operative used by law enforcement?

It is my belief that a sting is permissible because it allows

the prevention of a potential crime.  

The defendant was living in Austin.  He was using the internet to

find a young girl.  He logged onto a website that facilitated the

hook-up between interested parties.  The particular site he was

using, permits the user to request communication within a 

specified age group.  His request was to communicate with 

girls between the ages of 14 and 17.  He didn't use a playful

moniker, but used his middle name.  He said he was 22 years

old.  In actuality, he was 29.

It wasn't very long before he had a response to his request.

A girl responded with a photo of herself.  It was a photo 

that showed her sitting with her legs crossed at the ankles

wearing mismatched socks and and casual attire.  It was

quite an innocent looking picture, not sexually suggestive

in any way.  Text was added to the photo which stated

why do guys always go for the skinny cheerleader type?

The defendant took the bait, and yes, it was indeed bait

because the responder was not a young teen, but rather

an adult officer of the court.  He responds.  She tells him

she thinks she is chubby.  He tells her she is not.  He once again

 verifies that she is 14.  She says she is and will be 15 in

July.  This was probable because the communication was in

the spring.  

As a juror, I was required to listen to the facts and all of the

testimony very carefully.  The evidence showed that he 

repeatedly asked the "girl" he was communicating with if

she was indeed 14.  She said she was.  The dialog from him

became more and more graphic regarding what he wanted and

what he would do to her.  To be honest, I am a fairly modest,

God fearing woman, and the graphic nature of his dialog

was hard to listen to.  Yet, listen I did, as everything that was

shared was pertinent to the case.  

I also watched him very closely.  He is a well educated man

and appears to come from a very good home.  He has a good

command of the language and expresses himself very succinctly.

If you were to meet him on the street, you would not think of

him as a sexual predator.  Looks can certainly be deceiving.

What I noticed was a lack of emotion.  Never did I see him

reveal a sense of remorse for his actions.  That lack sent 

chills up my spine. 

He made a point of expressing his sexual fantasy.  It was to

take the virginity of a 14 year old girl.  He wanted to take

her "V-Card".  The only goal he had was to pleasure himself,

and to exploit a young girl.

I must at this point, let you know that he pleaded innocent

to the charge of online solicitation.  He tried to defend his

words and actions by telling the court that he was simply

involved in "age play" and that he suspected that the 

"young girl" he was communicating with was in 

actuality a grown woman who was age playing as well.

He even went so far as to say that perhaps she was married

and was just looking for some fun, or perhaps she was

just lonely.

We also learned during this phase of the trial that he had

hired prostitutes on three separate occasions, but then said he

was looking for a relationship.  

In my mind, he was losing credibility.  The case would continue.

More tomorrow,

Susan and Bentley