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Posted on 03/23/2009 12:59:06 PM PDT by MaryFromMichigan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A candlelight vigil was held Saturday night to mourn the death of Thomas Pauli.
Authorities say he died of hypothermia in January after two downtown shelters wouldn't let him inside. The shelters say they were just abiding by the law.
Pauli's past criminal record kept him out, the 52 year old man was a sex offender.
"The law states they can't reside within 1000 feet of a school," said Rev. Ralph Collins of Mel Trotter Ministries.
Marge Palmerlee of Degage Ministries says it's the wording she'd like to see changed.
"Staying at a mission is not actually residing, it's just staying overnight," said Palmerlee.
Pauli wasn't turned away from Mel Trotter Ministries that night but Reverend Collins knows the law well.
"If they're caught they're arrested," said Rev. Collins.
Several downtown shelters are within 1000 feet of a school and legally they're forced to turn sex offenders away.
"They're trying to have safety for kids and I understand that, but the way it is now it's there has to be a better option," said Palmerlee.
A hundred people gathered Saturday night night to silently remember Thomas Pauli. Silently reminding people that even though it's warmer out now there's bound to be a similar situation next winter.
The group walked five blocks without saying a word. Holding signs and candles to remember a man they say shouldn't have died that cold January night.
"Just a quiet, respectful way of remembering his life and having the spotlight on a situation a lot of people tend to forget about," said Palmerlee.
Saturday nights vigil ended in the 600 block of Division, it's where Pauli's body was found back in January.
Not sure how I feel about this, particularly since I don’t know what kind of ‘offense’ the guy perpetrated. I hate that he froze to death, but I know the laws were put into place to try to protect kids.
And, turning the situation around, lets just say that a shelter let him in and he molested a kid. The same busybodies who had plenty of time to mourn this POS would be calling for the shelter director’s head, I’m sure.
There is no evidence that he tried to get into any mission that night. Little evidence that he ever tried to get into a mission (someone thought he might have seen him a couple of weeks before). They aren’t even sure he froze to death.
I’m still curious, how would the people at the mission know he was a convicted sex offender? Do they pull a rap sheet when you try to get in?
He was convicted of a second degree offense on a child under the age of 13.
I am just sick and tired of these “vigils” — grotesque public displays of misplaced sympathy designed to make the vigil attendee feel morally superior.
As others have already pointed out, if only one of the vigil attendees had been so concerned about Pauli’s plight yesterday, there’d be no need for a vigil.
Keep in mind that is what he was convicted on. He could have been charged with a lesser charge in order to get a conviction. That happens all the time.
Michigan Penal Code, page 3 of 4
750.520c. Second degree criminal sexual conduct.
Sec. 520c. (1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree if the person engages in sexual contact with another person and if any of the following circumstances exist:
(a) That other person is under 13 years of age.
(b) That other person is at least 13 but less than 16 years of age and any of the following:
(I) The actor is a member of the same household as the victim.
(ii) The actor is related by blood or affinity to the fourth degree to the victim.
(iii) The actor is in a position of authority over the victim and the actor used this authority to coerce the victim to submit.
(c) Sexual contact occurs under circumstances involving the commission of any other felony.
(d) The actor is aided or abetted by 1 or more other persons and either of the following circumstances exists:
(I) The actor knows or has reason to know that the victim is mental incapable, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.
(ii) The actor uses force or coercion to accomplish the sexual contact. Force or coercion includes but is not limited to any of the circumstances listed in sections 520b (1) (f) (i) to (v).
(e) The actor is armed with a weapon, or any article used or fashioned in a manner to lead a person to reasonably believe it to be a weapon.
(f) The actor causes personal injury to the victim and force or coercion is used to accomplish the sexual contact. Force or coercion includes but is not limited to any of the circumstances listed in section 520b (1) (f) (I) to (v).
(g) The actor causes personal injury to the victim and the actor knows or has reason to know that the victim is mentally incapable, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.
(h) That other person is mentally incapable, mentally disabled, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless, and any of the following:
(I) The actor is related to the victim by blood or affinity to the fourth degree.
(ii) The actor is in a position of authority over the victim and used this authority to coerce the victim to submit.
(2) Criminal sexual conduct in the second degree is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years.
S’Okay. He’s plenty warm now.
“...Just a quiet, respectful way of remembering his life and having the spotlight on a situation a lot of people tend to forget about”....
I bet his victim won’t ever forget about him....
With an outcome like this -not to mention the whole “shrinkage” problem-it might not be a good idea for folks like this guy to act out on their impulses up there, eh?
People who protest this are full of crap until they make room in their homes for sex offenders just like Pauli.
The nearest school is Catholic Central, which is probably well within 1000 feet of Mel Trotter Mission, and is practically across the street from Guiding Light Mission. DeGage’s is a women’s shelter, but a lot of folks go there to eat for nothing, or next to nothing. Folks can earn a meal voucher by volunteering there. DeGage’s is in the old Moose lodge building, cool lookin’ moose heads sticking out from near the roof. Mel Trotter is a big operation, the building covers a block downtown, and gets lots of food donations.
I’m not sure whether I knew the guy slightly , but I’ve known a number of other homeless folks around here who have died — and nearly all of them were not deaths by natural causes, but death by thugs, and/or alcohol-related death (including passing out drunk and dying of exposure, ‘cause that ain’t natural causes, folks) similar misadventures.
there is another class of law breakers which they all do welcome - I betcha!
the illegal alien
I'd also want to point out that Illinois, from which I escaped, would very much like to see EVERYONE with a felony conviction. It keeps the proles without FOI cards.
There was a juvie judge in DuPage County, Lukas or Lupas, who seemed to get some deep joy out of dropping a hammer on every person who had to appear before him. It went badly for anyone who couldn't afford one of his pet defense lawyers...
Thanks for that link.
I checked the Mi. offenders list and couldn’t find what he was charged with.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Liberals: the sort of people who hold candlelight vigils for perverts yet spit in the faces of our returning soldiers.
They are the death of us.
I wonder how many of those involved in the vigil are also abortion supporters.
Oh.
I read it the other way too. Perhaps the “journalist” who wrote the story should learn to write more clearly.
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A candlelight torchlight vigil was held Saturday night to mourn celebrate the death of Thomas Pauli.
When will urine-alists learn to write?
Good catch.
That's why child molestation is called the "perfect crime."
The guy who molested me for 10 years never paid any penalty. And lots of people knew about it at the time, and later, too. I have had to live with traumatic nightmares and flashbacks for 30 years. Do you also think my case is "questionable"?
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