# 'sex offender' hysteria - play along at home! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 1, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747 "2005-07-01T19:58:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![coleridge78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@coleridge78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coleridge78)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/1 "2005-07-01T19:58:29Z")
[http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-molest01.html](http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-molest01.html) He tries to give this dumb kid a lesson that’ll save her dumb life from being ended by her apparently underdeveloped survival instinct. And for his trouble, this is what he gets. Can the law get any stupider? This is a real victory for the Nancy-Grace-loving nutters of America. Congratulations! Way to destroy people for the simple reason that you’re unable to stop projecting your own sick fantasies on them! Sex offenders, my fucking ass. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/2 "2005-07-01T20:07:31Z")
Didn’t you know Cook County has the worlds most advanced PreCrime division in the world? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/3 "2005-07-01T20:10:13Z")
Common sense. RIP 20… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![coleridge78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@coleridge78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coleridge78)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/4 "2005-07-01T20:10:20Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Didn’t you know Cook County has the worlds most advanced PreCrime division in the world? Oh, then all is well. As long as it’s _Tom Cruise_ at the helm, I’ll just stay home and swoon… to the tune… of little aliens in June… (whoops, I’m a day late for that last part). Probably gauche to hijack my own thread on the third post. I’ll stop now. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/5 "2005-07-01T20:39:57Z")
What possible purpose could this ruling serve? How is it of benefit for anybody? What possible motive could the judge have for making this ruling? Does he actually believe what’s coming out of his own mouth? ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/6 "2005-07-01T20:42:01Z")
It is not so much that is has a purpose, that it is required by the law, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/7 "2005-07-01T20:43:22Z")
If the judge can not make a value judgement rather than blindly following the letter of the law, then he shouldn’t be sitting on the bench. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/8 "2005-07-01T20:57:11Z")
Is it possible to sue the courts for defamation of character? Maybe there is more to this case and it does make sense (like the guy tried to get the girl into his car) but somehow I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/9 "2005-07-01T20:58:55Z")
It almost harkens back to the 1980s, and some of the hysteria cases. ---
**Author:** ![coleridge78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@coleridge78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coleridge78)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/10 "2005-07-01T21:01:52Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Maybe there is more to this case and it does make sense (like the guy tried to get the girl into his car) but somehow I doubt it. Most people who’ve had the bad fortune of being involved in a newspaper story will tell you that newspaper reporters seem to be horrible hacks who will put any spin on a story and don’t seem to have problems inventing quotes out of thin air. That said, I have to think the story is more-or-less accurate in the facts. If anything more than an arm grab had gone on, the media vultures (and opportunistic local authorities) would’ve played it up in “Watch as we crucify a leering prevert!” mode. I think. ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/11 "2005-07-01T21:03:50Z")
Let’s hope the ACLU picks up his case… ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/12 "2005-07-01T21:12:30Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > If the judge can not make a value judgement rather than blindly following the letter of the law, then he shouldn’t be sitting on the bench. Gotta disagree with you here… If the law is wrong, the legislature should change it. Maybe by making a sex offense a necessary condition of being put on the sex offender registry, and then passing a bill to get this guy taken off it. ---
**Author:** ![coleridge78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@coleridge78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coleridge78)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/13 "2005-07-01T21:15:47Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Gotta disagree with you here… If the law is wrong, the legislature should change it. Maybe by making a sex offense a necessary condition of being put on the sex offender registry, and then passing a bill to get this guy taken off it. Yeah. I’m sure there’ll be legislators lining up to be the ones who “weakened” “sex offender” laws. I understand what you’re saying, but… good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/14 "2005-07-01T21:26:48Z")
> [@coleridge78](#): > > Yeah. I’m sure there’ll be legislators lining up to be the ones who “weakened” “sex offender” laws. > > I understand what you’re saying, but… good luck. If anything, they’ll modify the law, but it won’t do this guy any good. ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/15 "2005-07-01T21:28:27Z")
I am a parent have absolutely zero tolerance or sympathy for people who commit sex offenses against anyone, but especially children (as I am sure most people are). But, if the facts in the article are accurate, this really pisses me off. Is there anyone we can write to about this case? Would it do any good? ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/16 "2005-07-01T21:31:26Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Gotta disagree with you here… If the law is wrong, the legislature should change it. This sounds a little familiar. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/17 "2005-07-01T21:32:35Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > What possible purpose could this ruling serve? How is it of benefit for anybody? What possible motive could the judge have for making this ruling? Does he actually believe what’s coming out of his own mouth? Well, he did say: > [@](#): > > “I don’t really see the purpose of registration in this case. I really don’t,” Morse said. “But I feel that I am constrained by the statute.” It’s going to help ensure that this guy doesn’t go around grabbing teenagers, but if he does, the DA’ll be ready for him. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/18 "2005-07-01T21:36:22Z")
> [@coleridge78](#): > > I understand what you’re saying, but… good luck. Oh, the system is most certainly fucked up, and sex offender hysteria is reaching a ridiculous degree, but I don’t think that should give judges a license to use their own values as a guide instead of the law. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/19 "2005-07-01T21:46:27Z")
While grabbing a 14 year old stranger is unacceptable, making him register as a sex offender is completely over the top. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747/20 "2005-07-01T21:46:47Z")
If I understand the article correctly, “unlawful restraint of a minor” is a sex offense, he did restrain her, so he’s a sex offender, so he has to register as such. It seems that the judge wasn’t at fault. The statutes are. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-offender-hysteria-play-along-at-home/310747.md?page=2)