I am not arguing per say whether or not he is guilty. I have no idea. I have reservations about how this case was handled. I am very much for police and very much against public indecency of any sort. However, I also know that sometimes the police are over zealous, and that people can get caught up in the moment, especially if they have reason to fear the consequences and are not thinking clearly. We don’t all handle pressure well (which may make someone a poor senator, but that’s not what I’m arguing).
I don’t read anything in the transcript that makes me certain he did intentionally did what the officer says he did. I’m also not certain that pleading guilty to disorderly conduct under duress makes someone guilty of soliciting sex.
So, while I probably do agree with you most of the time, since you’re clearly a Freeper, on this one, I am unconvinced that Craig is guilty of more than buckling under in an effort to make something that might harm his career go away.
And, the bottom line is none of us was there, so all we have to go on is this transcript and some he said/she said.
susie
imho, this cop got more than he bargained for. do you think he enjoys these types of operations? they are trying to curb this type of behavior. the best way to do that is to hammer the location hard and arrest everyone. then, the location will get a lot of negative buzz by word of mouth and the internet and people will avoid the location.
you have successfully dealt with that particular condition and someone else has to deal with it. they know these people aren't "criminals" but the quality of life issue needs to be dealt with.
so you get them all to plead down to DIS CON and you'll never see them again. problem solved.
but then you get a high profile offender and your methods are scrutinized and held up to the legal lamp, which can burn pretty hot.
bottom line for me: deft wanted gay sex. got caught in a shotty, hodge-podge operation.
imho, the cops should have called a big supervisor to the scene and made it all go away on the spot. the cops do have discretion in cases like this one. should have let this guy go but let him go after a very long lecture that scared the daylights out of him.