Orwellian Criminal-JusticeThink > He grabbed girl's arm -- now he's a sex offender

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | July 1, 2005 | Steve Patterson

[AWestCoaster]

Fitzroy Barnaby said he had to swerve to avoid hitting the 14-year-old Des Plaines girl who walked in front of his car.

She said he yelled, "Come here, little girl," before getting out of his car and grabbing her by the arm. He said he simply lectured her. She said she broke free and ran, fearful of what he'd do next.

In a Thursday ruling, the Appellate Court of Illinois said the 28-year-old Evanston man must register as a sex offender. While acknowledging it might be "unfair for [Barnaby] to suffer the stigmatization of being labeled a sex offender when his crime was not sexually motivated," the court said his actions are the type that are "often a precursor" to a child being abducted or molested.

[DefiantZERO]

Stupidity grows..

[sandydipper]

If his criminal act wasn't sexally related - why does he HAVE to register. DUMB ass judge.

[Clara Lou]

In a Thursday ruling, the Appellate Court of Illinois said
Looks like it's on to the USSC.

[Cicero]

If he actually was a sex offender, this same judge would be defending his right to go free without being stigmatized.

[NonValueAdded]

and grows:

Recognizing the stigma that comes with being labeled as a sex offender, the appellate court said "it is [Barnaby's] actions which have caused him to be stigmatized, not the courts."

[zzen01]

Lawyers AGAIN! O I forget this WAS IL.

[DumpsterDiver]

While acknowledging it might be "unfair for [Barnaby] to suffer the stigmatization of being labeled a sex offender when his crime was not sexually motivated," the court said his actions are the type that are "often a precursor" to a child being abducted or molested.

Judges like this are sending us further down the toilet. I hope Barnaby hires an attorney and fights this.

[timpad]

 In the criminal case against him, Cook County Judge Patrick Morse said that "it's more likely than not" Barnaby planned only "to chastise the girl" when he grabbed her, but "I can't read his mind."

 

 "While acknowledging it might be "unfair for [Barnaby] to suffer the stigmatization of being labeled a sex offender when his crime was not sexually motivated," the court said his actions are the type that are "often a precursor" to a child being abducted or molested."

 

So, just in case he was thinking about molesting her, they're gonna tag him as a sex offender.

 

Insane. Straight-up crazy.

[OSHA]

...the court said his actions are the type that are "often a precursor" to a child being abducted or molested.

Statements like these from a court are often a "precursor" to armed revolution.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Why didn't the guy just continue going about his way? He didn't hit the fricking girl so there was no need for him to get out of the car and "try to lecture" her. Yeah, he was really going to teach her some manners there. My B.S. meter is off the chart.

Sorry, no sympathy for the guy here.

[Felis_irritable]

The IL statute defines unlawful restraint as a sex crime. Thank the stupid legislators. Of course, the DA could have exercised some discretion and seen the situation for what it was, but that would interfere w/his ability to control people's lives.

I had the same basic thing happen to me a couple of years ago. A teenage girl on rollerblades blew a blind corner stopsign in front of my pickup and I almost flattened her (I had no stopsign). I got out and gave her a major dressing-down (inappropriate term here?) but *did not* touch her. Lucky me...

[newbeliever]

Wow. I just watched the movie with Cruise in it. don't know the name but it was about "precrime." Pretty cool movie- even for him.

Precursor huh?

[em2vn]

"often a precursor"
How is "often" defined as a percentage or a probability. Is it twenty percent or eighty percent? Is it a probability of .8 or maybe .1? It seems as a very imprecise word for a court to use.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Statements like these from a court are often a "precursor" to armed revolution.

And statements like that will bring you under the "protection" of the Patriot Act.

[Restorer]

Zero tolerance idiocy spreads.

[Bob J]

"...the court said his actions are the type that are "often a precursor" to a child being abducted or molested."" So he wasn't committing a sex crime, he wasn't even thinking about committing a sex crime, but his actions might have looked like what a someone might do who might have been thinking about committing a sex crime...so he's guilty. Are they convicting EVERYONE who grabs someone else of the same crime? Sex crimes scan be committed against anyone, not just children.

[Modok]

Cower on your knees before your masters, eh?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I was making an accurate observation, not a recommendation.

[oldbrowser]

While acknowledging it might be "unfair for [Barnaby] to suffer the stigmatization of being labeled a sex offender when his crime was not sexually motivated," the court said his actions are the type that are "often a precursor" to a child being abducted or molested.

When you lump sex offenders into an overly broad category (peeing in public, grabbing a child by the arm, all the way to serial predators who rape and kill children)you make it more difficult to manage the situation.