Ellie Nesler, who sparked vigilante debate by killing son's accused molester, dies at 56

StarTribune ^ | 12/29/08 | AP

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Ellie Nesler, who sparked a national debate about vigilantism after killing her son's accused molester in a courtroom in 1993, has died of cancer.

Nesler shot Daniel Driver five times in the head during a break in his preliminary hearing in a Tuolumne (too-WAH'-lum-ee) County courtroom. Driver had been accused of molesting four boys, including her son Willy.

[Carpe Cerevisi]

I always thought Bernie Goetz sparked the debate back in the 80’s.

[mel]

It is sad this woman spent a day in prison for this while others get zero time or 3 months.
She should have gotten off with temporary insanity if nothing else, a hurt like that with a child would drive one crazy

[ChocChipCookie]

Nesler shot Daniel Driver five times in the head

Man, that was some shooting! I'm impressed. I wonder what type of firearms training she had or if somehow just being really, really pissed off gave her some type of super-hero aim. I'll bet there are hundreds of parents out there who would have loved to do the same to the perverts who molested their children.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

I only vaguely remember this story. I was hoping that some others here would have a better recollection and add some thoughts on this.

Hopefully, she got the right guy.....

[theDentist]

I remember long ago, mid-late 70’s I think, some father who shot his child’s molester in the head right in front of a TV camera. He was “on” a pay phone and as the creep was being led past him, he pulled a pistol and fired point blank.

[nuconvert]

I remember this story. It was the source of a lot of debate as to whether she deserved any jail time.

[bubbacluck]

I think the only problem I had with what she did was to(understandably so) take the law into her own hands. He hadn’t been convicted of anything yet.

[Peter Horry]

“I always thought Bernie Goetz sparked the debate back in the 80’s”

It’s like the “loss of innocence” it keeps happening at the writer’s whim.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

“Law And Order” probably did three or four shows based on this, over the years, is my bet......

[Scotswife]

I wonder how many children she saved from molestation and/or murder.

RIP

[nina0113]

I’ve got no problem with executing molestors (unfortunately the Supreme Court DOES), but it needs to be after a fair trial. Since the proper punishment for the crime is no longer available, I expect to see a lot more of this, but please, parents! Wait for a conviction.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Yeah that’s a problem, for sure. But lots of parents don’t believe that the courts are going to get it right (imagine that!)

Then, they act.....

[library user]

Is there YouTube video of the murder?

** fingers crossed **

[Star Traveler]

Of course, most people in that kind of situation are convinced that they have the right guy and are convinced that they are doing the right thing. But, there are problems with that sort of thinking. I mean *even the system* itself ends up putting a lot of wrong people in jail (just from DNA evidence “releases” that we have now). That makes it clear that one doesn’t always have the right guy.

That reminds me of Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone Arizona. I remember one headstone that had the saying “Hanged by mistake”. The story that went along with this one was that a mob chased a guy down the town street and caught him and hanged him — but found out later that he was not the right guy. Ooops...

And there you go...