Once again, vigilantism is not the answer, but I applaud this mom, Tammy Lee Gibson, for enforcing the law herself as no one in charge else saw fit to do so. My questions:
1) he was arrested for "failing to register as a sex offender". Who's his parole officer? Did he do time? I know the system rather sucks, but seriously, why can't they keep track of these disgusting folks? Police, judges, parole and probation exist to monitor this.
2) what was he doing with her child? Nothing good, I can assure you of that.
3) is she the only one who was in jail? Did he go?
4) would you do the same if you saw a sex offender near your child?
I would. She was vigilant, she knew he had moved in, she had the information and she was looking out for her child. I can't say I would act any differently. Of course, he'll get some defense attorney who will claim he was just a God-fearing individual trying to find his way in the world and now he can't get a job or find a home and blah blah blah blah.....ohplease.
PS - he's over 7 feet tall and she broke his arm. Damn!
The surf off Main Beach, EH
9 comments:
liz,
i'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on this one.
the way the mom handled it was totally out of line, not to mention, of course, against the law, which was why she was arrested, as she should have been.
it goes without saying that people should not be legally allowed to attack others except in self-defense or defense of another, which was clearly not the case here.
MARIO
I would have done the same thing, I am ashamed to say, but it's the truth.
Michele
Mario, I disagree... this was in defense of her daughter spotted with a sexual predator.
She attacked him because he was seen spotted with her daughter. I am not saying she was necessarily right, but consider the alternative since the parole board was not doing their job and demanding he comply with the law to register.
And Liz, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't a condition of parole for sex offenders to STEER CLEAR OF CHILDREN??????????????????
What was he doing with this woman's daughter, PERIOD?
She did what she did in DEFENSE of her own flesh and blood. Perhaps she didn't go about in the most appropriate way, but I've learned the hard way, if u want for police to do jack shit about these vile scum, it's often too late.
michele,
i was referring to the *legal* definition of defense, which the mom's actions clearly did not come within, which is why she was arrested, and rightfully so.
MARIO
I had a pretty good idea of what you meant, but what about the legal definitions and requirements of what you must do when you are a convicted sex offender? You must stay away from children & register.
I get it- he didn't register, he was around her daughter, but not at the time the mother attacked him so therefore she legally may not have qualified for the self defense/defense of others "in the moment it was happening" bullshit of our judicial system. But I don't hear you saying... What about him... what about what he did... break I don't know how many laws to get him on parole in the first place, then two others while on it.
1) failure to register
2) contact with a child
See in my view... a broken arm will heal eventually. Healing from rape or sexual assualt takes a lifetime. It's not something you just "get over", not something you just forget. Let's hope he didn't harm this girl the way he did the rest.
michele,
yes, he too broke the law, which is why he was also arrested, as well he should have been.
but two wrongs don't make a right.
they *both* should be prosecuted for breaking the law.
MARIO
I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I don't think what she did while not right, should be glorified, but at the end of the day, I think her actions cary far less severe consequences on him than the consequences for his victims.
I don't suggest that violence is the answer to solving crimes... but, what do you suggest when pardon my french, law enforcement doesn't do their fucking job?
Having been through the criminal judicial system twice on my own rape case, I share Liz's frustration and outrage along with this particular parent that the "serve and protect" often don't do jack shit.
You can not possibly understand unless you have been through the system. I have. It's not a pleasant trip.
I don't think she should be punished too severely... it's not like she killed him. She may have gone about it wrong, but she was just trying to protect her child and send a mesage that he was not complying with the law. A message that our tax dollars go to pay a staff to enforce, who in this case, cleary did not. Think about it...
Oh, I probably would have done the same. Come near my girls and you are heading for trouble, perve!
I hope the slob got the message. I'd like to find that woman and buy her a drink!
I would have done the same or something like NOT because he simply lived there but because I caught him going near my kid. He didn't register, he was violating his probation, etc.
It's not right, but it's OK, as Whitney would say.
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