Dateline NBC "to catch a predator", possible entrapment?

[BEP]

[/ QUOTE ]Maybe you don't know their names, but you can certainly say, "All the patrons of JFK airport would be put at risk."

[/ QUOTE ]

What if there is no specific terrorist plot? It can only be proven that the arrested man intends to kill Americans. Therefore all Americans are potential victims.

All American children who access the internet are potential victims of sexual predators. The evidence collected by Perverted Justice is shown in court and every time the suspects are convicted as sexual predators.

[pergesu]

[ QUOTE ]
What if there is no specific terrorist plot? It can only be proven that the arrested man intends to kill Americans. Therefore all Americans are potential victims.

[/ QUOTE ]
Then I'd say the same thing applies. If there's no specific plot then there are no potential victims. It's just a pipe dream. When they start to truly plot to commit a crime, yeah, step in and take em down.

Of course, I suppose we could take all these guys on TCAP and throw them in Gitmo also.

[gwhiz_612]

Bump Charges dropped in Texas should they be dropped in other states as well?

[amead]

Greetings...

Time to bump up this thread, as there are two new upcoming To Catch a Predator episodes, airing this Wednesday and next Wednesday. As I have my sweet TCAP insider knowledge, I figured I'd give a couple little updates to this debate (which was pretty good and vigorous).

For the folks watching the clusterfunk in Texas, I wanted to pass along some interesting information. The DA over there is about to have himself some really bad days, as there has sparked a jurisdictional battle over the cases, and the United States Department of Justice is about to step in and prosecute. This will go down in the next 2 weeks or so, and should affirm the 100% conviction rate that this program has had to date. The DoJ means business.

Also, another tidbit that was pointed out to me that I don't think was brought up in the debate before. Entrapment is universally definied as action taken by the government with intent to prosecute, and Perverted Justice/Dateline NBC/TCAP can NOT legally entrap anyone. Since they are volunteers and not agents of the government, there can be no entrapment. I'm not a legal scholar, but apparently this is an important distinction that PJ wanted me to point out. They are working in conjunction with law enforcement, but they are not law enforcement, thus no entrapment. I'm sure there are plenty of legal wranglings that come about as a result of this, but that is why you never hear entrapment allegations stemming from these busts.

And finally to fans of TCAP (because all the legal crapola aside, it does make for some entertaining/compelling television). My favorite parts of the shows were the little touches...the fresh baked cookies that the pervs had to snack on, the cops wearing the sweet yeti camoflague suits taking the sickos down, etc.

I'm pleased to announce that there are fresh baked brownies involved in this new sting (in New Jersey, btw). There's also some registered-sex-offender-crossing-state-lines-for-more action, and other fun. Won't spoil it all, but it sounds like it should be good.

Enjoy!