Posted on 04/24/2005 11:28:44 AM PDT by Former Military Chick
A sex offender's suicide, apparently triggered by damning fliers posted in his neighborhood, breeds deeply mixed feelings in Ocala -- and a slight hint of remorse.
OCALA - The molester is dead and the community is divided -- over whether their condemnation killed a man that many had wished would vanish anyway.
At dawn Thursday, as the sun spilled through this woodsy Central Florida city, Chuck Claxton awoke to find his son, Clovis, 38, dead of an apparent overdose. At his son's side lay one of the lime green fliers that had been dropped into neighbors' mailboxes and pinned to nearby trees, listing Clovis Claxton as a convicted sexual offender, highlighting his address and bearing, in oversize type, the words ``Child Rapist.''
Claxton took his life amid the horror and heartsickness left by the murders of Jessica Lunsford and Sarah Lunde, who died at the hands of sexual offenders. He died as the Florida Legislature was writing new laws to mandate that sexual predators serve longer sentences -- or be tracked electronically upon release.
His death raises the troubling issue of how far communities armed with sex-offender registries should go to protect their own.
Several people living near the Claxton home said they welcomed the fliers. While saddened by Clovis Claxton's death, some, like Daniel Bryan, a father of two, were quietly relieved that the question of his presence had been erased, albeit grimly.
Other sentiments raged far stronger. ''I think those people should be shot, those perverts,'' said Robert Parlin. ``There should be signs, definitely, all over.''
And still others worried that the extent of Claxton's crime had not been fully explained.
MENTALLY DISABLED
Claxton was developmentally disabled and wheelchair-bound after being struck in childhood by meningitis and encephalitis. His parents cared for him, and he lived in an apartment adjoining their neatly kept house in a forested enclave of southern Ocala.
In 1991, when his family was living in Washington state, Claxton was charged with first-degree child molestation over an incident involving a caregiver's 9-year-old daughter. He was 24 at the time but, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, had the mental capacity of a 10- or 12-year-old. He served 27 months in prison.
When his family moved to Florida in 2000, Claxton was listed as a sexual offender on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website. For reasons still unclear, the FDLE website also indicated that Claxton was charged with the rape of a child, though he had not been. Sheriff's deputies checked in on Claxton and did not consider him a threat but took him into custody at least five times for threatening suicide.
After the fliers began appearing this week, a distraught Claxton called up sheriff's deputies saying he feared for his life and thought his neighbors were out to hurt him. Agonizing, he said he wanted to kill himself.
He was taken for an overnight psychiatric assessment on Tuesday, but released the next day.
In Ocala, the furor over both the Lunsford and Lunde deaths is closely, rawly felt. The families of both young victims live within an hour's drive. In January, Adam Kirkirt, 11, who is from Marion County, was kidnapped by a sexual offender, though he was found later in Georgia, unharmed.
Still, Claxton's suicide bred deeply mixed feelings and some soul searching among residents here.
SIGNS OPPOSED
Some said that Claxton had served his time and posed no threat. Some opposed the idea of signs, saying it would devalue their real estate and drum up fear.
Others likened the current mood of the town to a witch hunt. And one distraught, close friend of the Claxtons, who did not want his name used, said he was enraged to find the flier in his mailbox. Clovis Claxton was simple and nice, he said, and sometimes mowed his lawn.
''We cannot cast people out,'' the man said, fighting tears.
The town is also fiercely debating how to manage its sexual offenders. Early this week, just before the Claxton fliers went up, Randy Harris, a county commissioner, urged that warning signs be posted in neighborhoods where convicted offenders live.
''I take no pleasure in hearing the report of anyone's death, even in this particular case,'' Harris said of Claxton's suicide. ``But I don't think we can go too far in providing information.''
Harris has found his strongest opponent in Marion County Sheriff Ed Dean, who believes warning signs would foster fear and violence. According to Dean, the county's 530-odd sexual predators are accounted for and have been visited by sheriff's deputies. Dean also said he plans to increase the frequency of such visits and notify people living within a mile of predators.
''I don't see what purpose signs would do, other than have an unintended consequence like this,'' said Dean. ``It creates hysteria.''
On Friday, two bouquets with sympathy cards were placed outside the Claxton home, which sits on a large lot decorated by bird feeders and brightly colored potted plants. A large dream catcher hung on Claxton's door, and a small dog barked from inside. His parents did not answer the door or return phone calls.
PROBE OF FLIERS
The county sheriff's office is investigating the distribution and posting of the fliers. They were downloaded from the FDLE website, which is legal, but the addition of the words ''child rapist'' constitutes tampering, according to sheriff spokesman Sue Livoti, and it is a misdemeanor.
Harris, for his part, said he would only strengthen his push to have warning signs posted in neighborhoods where sexual offenders lived.
''Real simple. There's been a suicide that occurred when we had 530 sex offenders in Marion County,'' said Harris. ``There are still 529.''
I have lived in fear for years. I doubt I will never know anything but fear. While I am glad it was not a sexual assault it was nevertheless and assault and frankly I would not want any Freeper's grand children, children to meet this filth on the street. OK, he is in Tennessee but still, those on drugs do evil to a stranger and where the hell is the outcry? I read everyone worried about children and they should be but we are all at risk.
Why not put those who commit violence of any nature so that we can decide on our own to look? I do not think you would want a career criminal that will make your loved one black and blue, bleed and leave them, who is out on parole? They are everywhere?
I tell you this, because I just am drained, as someone who cannot leave her own home in fear no matter the state we live in. Dave has bought me two brand new vehicles in the last 7 years. First one traded in with 5000 miles, the current SUV Bravada sits in our garage with only 3200 miles and a 2002 model. I do not feel safe. I will never feel safe. When I do go I take the dogs where ever I go, I do not feel safe otherwise, so the summer is tough time of year with the heat. I have never slept through the night, when I see a car I do not know I hide, I cover the windows I just have no trust. While it has been a while that I have gone to the gun range, I would consider myself still an expert from the military days. When I do put myself our there someone does something, that makes me second guess myself and I retireat back to where I know it is safe. I can talk till I am blue in the face, but, how I am feeling is no different for millions in my shoes, so it is a daily hill to climb.
The prosecution flew me back for the trial (it made headlines in the state) and Dave attended with me, I was so afraid and well I knew the trial would be difficult, I just never knew how hard it would be. To point at someone who has violated you, knowing the consequences is very difficult. With prison overcrowding the felon who did this to me has had his sentence shaved down, down and down. While sex was not what he was after, what about the future. Drugs area a horrible mistress. Will prison stop him from using, they use in prison. NO. Sometimes I wonder where society went wrong stopping the help of those incarcerated to make them better people and wardens saying they are there for punishment and not touchy feel kind of classes. So they leave prison as they came in and we are all in danger.
I do not know where I go from here in this discussion because it just frankly hurts to much. I am an adult and if a child who is about to face their end has half the fear I feel alive it is well something no child should ever have to endure.
Some friends may think I flip flop on this, I just think if we are not going to throw the key on all those who commit violent acts upon society than we have to find a way to rehabilitate and rise above of those who do this to our children, to anyone.
Have you considered professional counseling to deal with your fear and anxiety? I say this as someone who has benefitted from it personally and has seen how it has helped others who have suffered from violent and traumatic encounters. Best wishes to you.
Exactly. Prison used to be a place to be avoided at all cost. Our touchy feely judges decided forcing prisoners to WORK was cruel and unusual punishment. Now prisoners get fed, clothed, medical attention and college educations on the backs of the law abiding citizens.
Without TRUE punishment, the people with uncontrolled animalistic tendencies are undeterred.
Certain crimes, like sexual assault, murder and child molestation should be met with the death penalty.
Criminals should be held for their ENTIRE sentence, *good behavior* be damned.
This case in the article brings up the question "WHY did the authorities continually release someone who was clearly a danger to himself?"
As far as the people being culpable...no way.
It's called *shunning*.
Perhaps it is callous of me to feel this way (re: the man who committed suicide) but "better him than an innocent child" is my take on it. No, we don't have all the information. However, even if he was mentally disabled, the fact is that he harmed another person, so much so that he was convicted for it. If he was so completely disabled (mentally) that he could not control himself, or could not determine when actions were so obviously wrong and harmful to others, he should have been committed. That's my opinion.
I had read some excellent comments within a previous thread so I am pinging you to this thread. I also added a few other names for those to see where I draw my point of view.
Yes we can and child rapists should be among the first to go
I have actually pursued that path. While there is anxiety it more about someone violating you.
I may again, I do agree one does benefit from such counseling. One might say many get great counselling on FR, and it is not $200 an hour.
I do appreciate your kind words, I suppose part of me was pointing there are so many ways to suffer as a result of someone breaking the law.
My heart goes out to you FMC.
The bottom line is that most if not all pedophiles cannot be rehabilitated and are likely to strike again given the right circumstances.
The crimes against children that these non-humans commit deserve a more severe punishment than prison however our society prefers to show mercy on the criminal rather than the victim.
We had a case in Cincinnati not too long ago where a mother shot a man in the groin who molested her child. She plead not guilty and to the prosecutor's surprise and anger the jury refused to find her guilty and cleared her of all charges.
I think the answer is to aim a little higher and finish the job...
It is an opinion I value, thank you. Each state's legislature makes law on based on those they serve.
When horrific crimes occur, they are quick to change laws and yet why now and not before. After such a horrible tragedy folks are crazed (rightfully so) with anger, then punishment as they should but lets force the laws that are on the books or shoot them down and make better laws.
It is the laws that say if not life then you will get out sometime, frankly some states life is not life either, but this is were we need to discuss and make a difference.
I can see how you feel, you are not callous you just want folks to be held accountable and serve the sentence imposed. He was a person that nobody trusted even if for all the years he was out amongst us, those around him could not get by that fact.
Amen. Our children need to be protected at all costs. they have suffered at the hands of these kinds of molesters waaaaaay too long. Waaaaay too long. I'm sorry he felt he had to take his life but...he did take HIS OWN life. Better HIS LIFE GONE then the molesting and taking the life of OTHERS like so many of the little children this year.
''We cannot cast people out,'' the man said, fighting tears
______________________________________
No they MUST be cast out!! More Flyers is what is needed. to let everyone know. Like a Red Zone around their homes! This was citizens will be aware of the area they are entering.
When we have JUDGES and Doctors who are willing to serve the prison term WITH the offender IF THEIR DIAGNOSIS/DECISION IS WRONG, that's when I will go along with 'rehabilitating the criminal in society'. Otherwise the offenders should get full life terms.
Protecting children from known sex offenders is not something where we should tolerate mistakes.
I'm so sorry about your ordeal, FMC. I happen to be a family member of a violent criminal. While I have visited him in prison many times and send cards and stuff, if he were ever to be released, I would not want him to know where I live. I think he's in for life, thank goodness. I feel so bad for his victims.
My heart goes out to you. I too have been the victim of drugs and my fear will start back up again come the 22nd of June of this year when he is once again released from prison. I carry concealed and pray he has forgotten about me although I know his next victim will pay the price with her life. You are a brave woman, I could not attend the trial for I truly believed there was no way law enforcement could have protected me and to be in the same state (let alone same courthouse) was more than I could handle. What has helped me through it all was a great family and good friends and I only pray that you have that support also.
As for this article on the suicide of this offender, my first thought was great, one less predator to worry about. I am sorry a life was taken but it is much better than losing another child. I can understand the thinking behind the actions of the residents of the area with all the assaults we are hearing in the news concerning our children. It is sad when we have to resort to tactics such as this to keep our children safe because the judicial system fails. How many more must we lose before something is finally done?
Our prayers go out to you, and I hope that you find something that helps you break the chains of fear that now bind you. I find it intolerable that it's often the victims that serve the sentence instead of the criminals.
I concur however shooting them would save a lot of time and money.
With God all things are possible.
I wonder about the potential legality of actually building a city/village in the middle of nowhere for the "nimby" convicted felons.
Since these convicted criminals are basically unemployable and unacceptable as neighbors, then perhaps there should be a way to develope an "exile".
Clovis made his choice, no one made him do it. I think the neighborhood was correct to warn everyone about his actual crime as opposed to the more general "sex offender". If Clovis didn't want to be known this way, he shouldn't have done the crime. Some mistakes are much harder to live with than others. Clovis decided to take the easy way out of the consequences of his actions.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.