Posted on 02/03/2006 1:48:58 PM PST by Jim Robinson
BURLINGTON - It began with an inaccurate local television news report, with the errors repeated by Vermont print and broadcast media. The story was quickly picked up by Internet bloggers and right-wing talk radio and soon reached at least three sensationalist national cable shows. Within a week, bloggers were posting ever more extreme comments, calling for vigilante action against a longtime Vermont judge and posting his home address and phone online. State politicians jumped at the chance to be on national television, repeating the errors and adding to them. Nationwide, there were calls for boycotts of Vermont if the judge were not removed from the bench. Both the Republican governor and the Democratic Speaker of the House joined in condemnation of the judge.
~~ snip ~~
Another blog which promoted the WCAX story was freerepublic.com where postings were equally intemperate. “Any parent that does not move from Vermont immediately needs their head examined!,” one declared. “More proof liberals do not care about children, although that’s what we keep hearing is the reason to take our money.” Appeals to vigilante justice were frequent: “Time to get a rope,” preached one writer. “Get two, one for hizzoner and one for the perp! Same tree, side by side would send a clear message to perps and judges!” echoed another.
Postings soon included links to the website of Gov. James Douglas, so that complaints about Cashman could be submitted electronically. Another posting provided the judge’s home address and telephone number. Bloggers pushed for national coverage of the story. “Rush [Limbaugh] mentioned this case at the end of his show today, and I hope [Bill] O’Reilly comes on board when he returns on Monday . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at vermontguardian.com ...
The article raises only one question in my mind: Did the prosecutor agree to a deal whereby the defendant would not be incarcerated for more than 90 days? If so, the prosecutor is also deserving of criticism.
Yep, they quoted your post #30, and they quoted the reply to you by Don Carlos at post 42.
Don't Fear The Freeper!
The guy is still free after 60 days. So what if he has to seek a monthly appointment with a psychiatrist. He is still free to abuse again. If anything is misleading is this papers attempt to paper over the fact that the judge is letting a child molester go free with merely 60 days of jail.
That's what I thought, too. If true, the prosecutor should be fired, as well.
And this is the first time I've ever actually heard the facts of the case. It's even worse than I thought.
The judicial system has become the ultimate joke. No one is safe.
I wonder if this fine publication was concerned about the smearing by democrat senators of judges like Miguel Estrada, Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen, John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Judge Pickering, and on down the list.
Equally?!!!
Looks like we 'gotta try harder!
The boycot was the right call.
From the article:
After a sound bite of Deputy States Attorney Nicole Andreson advocating an 8- to 20-year sentence for Hulett because “punishment is a valid purpose,”
LOL
Sighs - once again my inflamatory rhetoric is over looked by lame brained lefties.
Anyway, I like how we, right wing radio and television are to blame for a "mistake" made by a local reporter. If they're mad, they should go talk to whoever made the original mistake.
Seems like the judge had multiple opportunities clear the air, state his case, etc.
I know O'Reilly tried to get him on.
Of course, the judge probably knew his story wouldn't hold up for long.
Yeah, who reported "60 Days" instead of "60 Days and a lot of probation".
Typical leftist revisionist history and agitprop. The writer is trying to put all of the judge's critics in the wrong. The judge and the criminal are the true victims in this liberal fantasy.
The judge sent the pedophile to jail for 60 days for the serial sexual abuse of a child occurring over the span of several years. The judge also expressed quite clearly that he no longer believed that punishment for such crimes served any useful purpose.
First and foremost the judge wants to reform pedophiles, not imprison them. Pedophiles CANNOT be reformed. Their predatory habits can only be controlled to a greater or lesser extent.
The blogosphere, led by Free Republic, did a good job expressing the outrage of the larger community at this attempt to transform "justice for perverts" into "perverted justice."
OMG! I did quoted!
This made my day!
--Congrats!!
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