FUROR ERUPTS OVER U.N. 'PERVY' PROBER (RITTER)

New York Post ^ | 1/22/03 | MARSHA KRANES, ADAM MILLER and FREDRIC U. DICKER

[Nonstatist]

Scotty "the perve" went to a meeting with a young person in mind, but the young person, the object of his crime did not exist. He could never commit the crime nor take any substantial steps to because the victim does not exist.

How is this different from a john picking up a cop dressed like a hooker?. If he did the soliciting (twice in 2 months, mind you), why does one have to wait for a raped minor before you can prosecute for a misdemeanor (!) , not a felony, mind you. This has got to at least be in the same class as walking around drunk in public, don't you think?

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Discredited,i'd like to see Bob Novak defend him now!I just wonder if he will continue to be an invited guest on the talking head shows?

[TLBSHOW]

was it ever explain why Ritter's case wasn't brought to the attention of the DA ?

- That is the 1000 dollar question! -but then again he had how much money at the time? HMMMMM

If Ritter was caught at least twice, my guess would be Ritter has a long history doing this stuff


bttt

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings Mo1, FReepers, et al:

This alleged cover-up and subsequent firing still piques my interest. Smells like dogpatch Bar stuff.

[Dark Knight]

>>How is this different from a john picking up a cop dressed like a hooker?. If he did the soliciting (twice in 2 months, mind you), why does one have to wait for a raped minor before you can prosecute for a misdemeanor (!) , not a felony, mind you. This has got to at least be in the same class as walking around drunk in public, don't you think?<<

There was no minor involved. The basic element of the crime is against a minor. So if a female cop dresses as a minor, and has consensual sex with a suspect, is he committing statutory rape?

As for class, I don't think weenie waggers have any. But remember, he did not even do that(at least this time). What is true is that his reputation is trash now. From a "sealed" case, that the government just let slip out. Don't you even wonder about that?

DK

[WL-law]

No, personally I think with some legitimate police work you could find some real victims and prosecute him based on real criminal activity. What's the average for abusers when they get caught, dozens of victims? All that information is just waiting to be found, but no one in law enforcement looked. Or they could have had a legitimate underage person at the meeting place. Sounds like they did not at either one. NO ONE would have questioned it at all then.

You're not correct on this. "Attempt" crimes are a morally legitimate and necessary part of the criminal law -- otherwise, one could never stop an obviously and imminently "intended" act and punish the actor -- you'd have to let the. i.e., murderer shoot the victim before you pulled your gun and said "drop it!"

The key issue in the solicitation case is whether Ritter's intention was provably to actually engage in his activities with an underage girl -- because he could argue that, i.e., he thought the on-line chat partner was a homosexual male and they were just role playing.

Another key is that the attemptor -- Ritter -- has to commit a "penultimate act" -- i.e., the last necessary overt act before the crime itself -- as part of the 'theory' and thus the key statutory element for punishable attempt crimes. And the logic is, since we're punishing a person for something they INTENDED to do, but hadn't done yet, we want to be sure that they were serious in their intent and were not likely to change thie decision -- hence we want to see that the last preparatory act was committed.

In both requirements Ritter was caught red-handed. First, the "decoy" undercover cop was presumably in the restaurant, and presumably looked underage, and presumably (from what I've gleaned from the reports) Ritter continued to 'engage' rather than withdraw -- hence he can't claim the defense of play-acting. Second, going to the restaurant is the serious-furtherance-of-the-crime ACT that takes idle chat on a computer into the realm of real, imminent, dangerous actions that society is morally right in punishing "as if" the crime itself was already committed.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings Dark Knight, FReepers, et al:

From a "sealed" case, that the government just let slip out. Don't you even wonder about that?
This is very creepy.

[metesky]

Years ago I defended Raimondo on this forum against the "everything he says is a lie because he's a homo" crowd, but over the last few years he's exposed himself (oops!) for what he really is: a nut.

[TLBSHOW]

As I was saying Justine is a rat hero TARGET: SCOTT RITTER

[Nonstatist]

From a "sealed" case, that the government just let slip out. Don't you even wonder about that?

When he violated the terms of arrest agreement and pulled his "weenie" out 2 months later (metaphorically speaking), the DA should have acted on it, but she didnt and was fired instead; so I shed no tears for his "privacy" (coverup, anyone?). BTW, if a john goes to pick up a female hooker, and it turns out to be a male cop, is he no longer guilty? What if it was a robot dressed up as an adult woman? No good?

IMO,they have him on intent as long as theyre correct about him making the solicitation, and it wasnt true entrapment. Next time the inveterate liar/perv wants his name kept out of the paper, he should keep it zippered at least 3 yrs after first being "outed".

[Dark Knight]

>>In both requirements Ritter was caught red-handed. First, the "decoy" undercover cop was presumably in the restaurant, and presumably looked underage, and presumably (from what I've gleaned from the reports) Ritter continued to 'engage' rather than withdraw -- hence he can't claim the defense of play-acting. Second, going to the restaurant is the serious-furtherance-of-the-crime ACT that takes idle chat on a computer into the realm of real, imminent, dangerous actions that society is morally right in punishing "as if" the crime itself was already committed.<<

I'm sure the "law" can convict someone in a case like this, but there is still no underage victim. In a statutory rape case, is there a defense that she looked too old? Or does she have to make a substantial believable claim, like show a believable fake ID? Cops in my state have to be over 21.

You would be hard pressed to find one that could fake 14. She looked over age, and she looked under age are the same argument, one used by statutory rapists and the second used by politically driven "stings" by police. But I did like your arguments.

>>You're not correct on this. "Attempt" crimes are a morally legitimate and necessary part of the criminal law -- otherwise, one could never stop an obviously and imminently "intended" act and punish the actor -- you'd have to let the. i.e., murderer shoot the victim before you pulled your gun and said "drop it!"<< ad absurdem

I never argued against attempt crimes. Just attempt crimes where there are no real victims. What I do object to in this case is the lack of follow-up by using this activity as probable cause to seize his computer and ISP stuff, and find out who he has committed or attempted to commit type of crime with.

From what I gather from your info, he actually met a non minor (probably over 21) in a restaurant and still offered to wag his weenie at her. Pretty pathetic, huh.

DK

[1Old Pro]

Informative article, but it still doesn't name the "town court judge." Would that be an elective position?

Yes, and Colonie is a Republican town so chances are that the judge is a Republican. I'm also surprised that the judges name still hasn't been disclosed.

[Dark Knight]

"Outed" I loved that!

Male or female cop, it is still prostitution. (Robo COP no way! Isn't Weller a liberal?) There is a buyer and a vendor and being either is illegal (in most jurisdictions). Usually when a price is set, that proves intent to have sex.

The crime here was to "out it" at a minor. There was no minor involved at any step of the process. It is not a crime for a married man with two daughters to "out it" with a consenting adult. Is it right? Guess what my attitude is.

DK

[TLBSHOW]

No one told me this was the front page story at the NY POST complete with scotties mug shot ! LOL

Its all over NY State.............

[Catspaw]

In both requirements Ritter was caught red-handed.

Literally or figuratively? (Now let me clean this smidge of coffee off my monitor....)

[Cacique]

Another pedophile worthy of castration with a pair of rusty old pliers.

[woofie]

I hereby earmark this article for future reference

[RippleFire]

BUMP

[MadelineZapeezda]

As wrong as Justin is in this case, he was right about our involvement in Kosovo. America sided with the wrong people, the narco-terrorist, islamo-fascist kla,heroine trading,prostitute running, i can go on, muslims. Also FOB. Meanwhile, the Serbian Orthodox Christians', (allies of the US two WW's), cradle of Serbian civilization, Kosovo, is now being overrun and desecrated by these same thugs. Halfbright should hang for this.

[Xenalyte]

Glenn Beck is discussing this right now - quite interesting. (http://www.glennbeck.com)