John Mark Karr News & Discussion Thread

Mercury News/AP Wire ^ | 9/2/06 | MARCUS WOHLSEN

[stlnative]

Posted on Sat, Sep. 02, 2006

Karr hires new lawyer in child porn case

MARCUS WOHLSEN Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - John Mark Karr, exonerated as a suspect in the slaying of JonBenet Ramsey, has asked a San Francisco lawyer to represent him as he awaits extradition to California to face child pornography charges.

Robert M. Amparan is set to appear Tuesday in Sonoma County Superior Court to officially take over Karr's defense from the public defender's office, which has represented Karr in the case since it was first brought in 2001.

[stlnative]

Praying that justice will be served and that John Mark Karr is taken off the streets for some time. Karr may be facing federal charges depending what is found his laptop computer that he brought back with him from Thailand. (post was intentionally put into Chat, as I will post all other information that comes up on Karr on this thread)

John Mark Karr - Ping List

Please FReep Mail me if you want on or off the John Mark Karr - Ping List

This is not a Ramsey/Karr ping list - you will not be pinged to media articles that only relate to or rehash Karr's false confession to the JonBenet case, unless Boulder's LE has found something to connect Karr to the JonBenet case (like if they finally learn of Karr's whereabouts for December 25th and 26th of 1996)

[stlnative]

Ping to the most recent Karr news...

Nancy Grace covered what Karr could be facing depending on what is found on his computer he brought back from Thailand with him. The transcript goes into detail about the PROTECT Act.

Transcript is here...

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0608/31/ng.01.html

[stlnative]

This thread was set-up for future news reports and discussion on only John Mark Karr and the Child Porn Charges or any other charges Karr may be facing in the future. It is not a JonBenet Ramsey Case Thread.
Discussion of the JonBenet Ramsey case can be done on this FR Thread.

[stlnative]

I wanted to tell you that on another show I was watching on Saturday. They said Karr was working for another Thailand School and they fired him (dates unknown). When he was fired from this Thailand School he emailed child pornography to the Thailand School. So there is a good chance that Karr has child pornography on his computer since he was emailing it out at least to old Thai School employer.

From now on when I find a Karr article I will post the link to the article in this thread, so I do not have to start a new thread for each new Karr article that comes out. This is also a discussion thread to discuss Karr on.

[cherry]

please ping me about this little pig.....to me, and its only MHO, but I don't think he was "exonerated" just not chargeable.....

I still think he has some role....maybe only as someone who spook to the actual killer.....but if nothing else, the little creep is evil.....

[stlnative]

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2003/April/03_ag_266.htm

http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005/46618.htm

The PROTECT Act (put into effect in 2003)

An important aspect of the U.S. effort is to strengthen law enforcement’s ability to investigate, prosecute, and punish violent crimes committed against children, including child sex tourism and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The PROTECT Act (Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003) was passed by the Congress in April 2003 and signed into law by President Bush. The act serves as a historic milestone for protecting children while severely punishing those who victimize young people. Of particular note, the PROTECT Act allows law enforcement officers to prosecute American citizens and legal permanent residents who travel abroad and commercially sexually abuse minors without having to prove prior intent to commit this crime. The law also strengthens the punishment of these child sex tourists. If convicted, child sex tourists now face up to 30 years’ imprisonment, an increase from the previous maximum of 15 years.

The PROTECT Act made several other changes to the law with a focus on protecting children from sexual predators, including: extending the statute of limitations for federal crimes involving the abduction or physical or sexual abuse of a child for the lifetime of the child; expanding the potential reach of federal sex trafficking prosecutions by extending federal jurisdiction to crimes committed in foreign commerce; establishing parallel penalty enhancements for the production of child pornography overseas; and, criminalizing actions to arrange or facilitate the travel of child sex tourists.

[stlnative]

will do... Please know that you will pinged back to this thread when more is released about Karr. - I am hoping that he will end up facing Federal charges and will be sent away for at least 15 years in a federal prison.

[stlnative]

Do you want on this ping list?

[A CA Guy]

Is he suggesting the State Penitentiary should be forced to complete his sex change?

[stlnative]

Not that I know of...

Karr owns 2 computers - 1 is still in custody in Sonoma from 2001. Sonoma County has sought a new warrant to research this computer with modern technology to see if Karr had emailed the child porn to someone before he was busted in 2001.

Then Karr brought back a laptop computer that he had with him in Thailand. Karr was not under arrest until he touched down on US soil (he brought the computer back with him willingly). Boulder CO still has this laptop computer and they have also sought a warrant to search this computer. The FBI is also interested in what is on Karr's laptop as they could get Karr on federal child pornography charges and the computer may led the FBI to child victims that Karr claims he molested while he was overseas. Karr was clearly after a 5 year old child before he was arrested, this was all caught on surveillance. So they know he is a pedophile and that he most likely has molested children.

[A CA Guy]

Wow, and there was NOTHING he was wanted for in Thailand?

[stlnative]

Nothing that they can prove at this point but the laptop might have something on it that leads the FBI so some child victims overseas. If they do then all this falls under the PROTECT Act if he has done something since April of 2003.

The old computer, that is if they find out he emailed the child pornography to someone back in 2001 or before then he could face felony charges.

Put it this way... they are trying to get what ever they can on this guy to put him away for a long time and I sure hope they find something one him and can add some new charges.

[A CA Guy]

He's not only criminal and dirty, but seems really deranged and mentally unstable.

[stlnative]

Oh... from the Karr/Tracey Emails Karr tells Tracey several times about his plans for the sex change and that once he completed it Karr would go back to the UK to be a nanny.

Karr lied about a lot of things and a lot things he did not lie about. He told Tracey things about his life overseas, even down to details about how decorated his "last" classroom. Karr went into great detail in the emails and sure enough when US LE went to pick him up they visited the school and it was decorated just as Karr explained in emails. Even the little girl in Thailand was described to Tracey. She was not a Thai child she was little blond Brit living in Thailand. Karr first saw the little girl over the summer while he was going in to decorate his classroom the little girl was there also in some type summer classes.

[Valpal1]

If he brought back a laptop full of criminal material, he will end up doing federal time, IF some stupid liberal judge doesn't throw it out as evidence.

I actually think he will end up taking down a lot of fellow pervs.

[stlnative]

I agree we really don't know yet just how big this could be. They may not find anything though but somehow Karr made money over there enough to pay for hair removal and travel expenses.

[Valpal1]

My husband brought home a horrible sci fi film last night called UltraViolet and the bad guy was named DAXIS. Interestingly, UltraViolet was trying to save the bad guy's clone child named Six.

It's a 2006 anime/film hybrid, but I wonder if the story and name has been around a while in comic books and asian anime and might have some relationship to JMK picking the name Daxis for himself.

[stlnative]

I believe the movie was made after a computer video game (but I could be wrong) - I looked up the movie info and it was cerified to play in Mayalsia. So he may have seen it. Also in the movie info they spell it Daxus.

[hoosiermama]

Robert M. Amparan? So what happened to the two "chick" lawyers that found him SO engaging?

[hoosiermama]

punishment of these child sex tourists?

Wonder if that was what his side trip to Cambodia was all about?

[stlnative]

Since he is an American citizen he would be considered a tourist in any of the countries he visited over there even while he was on the run from US LE. They don't have to prove he went over there just to molest a child, only that he did while he was there or that he obtained child porn during his travels overseas.

[stlnative]

I am not sure why he dumped the 2 female lawyers.

[stlnative]

Nothing real big as Karr is still in Colorado...

---

Sep 5, 2006 9:43 am US/Pacific
Karr's New Lawyer Asks For Speedy Trial

(AP) SANTA ROSA John Mark Karr's new lawyer is asking a Sonoma County judge to hear his case on child porn charges as soon as possible.

Robert Amparan officially took over Karr's defense today and demanded a speedy trial within 30 days.

Karr was charged with five misdemeanor counts of possessing child pornography in April 2001, but fled Petaluma while awaiting trial.

He remains jailed in Boulder, Colorado, where he was ruled out as a suspect last week in the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.
Authorities have not said publicly when they will return Karr to Sonoma County.


http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_248124526.html

[stlnative]

http://pier5law.com/robert-amparan.htm

Robert M. Amparán

A graduate of University of California at Berkely, with a major in Political Science, and the Golden Gate University School of Law, Robert M. Amparán has been practicing law in California State and Federal Courts for over twelve years.

A former member of the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, Mr. Amparán focuses mainly on criminal defense, and fighting involuntary commitment.

Active in the community, and dedicated to causes of civil liberites and individual freedom, Mr. Amparán is a member of the La Raza Lawyers Association, and the California Public Defenders Association.

[stlnative]

JOHN MARK KARR GETS SAN FRANCISCO ATTORNEY
09/05/06 10:55 PDT
SANTA ROSA (BCN)

http://cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2006/09/05/n/HeadlineNews/KARR-ATTORNEY/resources_bcn_html

San Francisco attorney Robert Amparan was appointed to represent John Mark Karr in Sonoma County Superior Court this morning on five misdemeanor charges of possessing child pornography on his computer.

Amparan immediately withdrew Karr's waiver of his right to a speedy trial in order to have his client transferred to Sonoma County from Colorado as soon as possible and to be tried on the charges within 30 days. Karr must be transferred by Sept. 13.

"They won't tell us when he's coming,'' Amparan said, referring to the Sonoma County District Attorney's office.

Colorado authorities are not prosecuting Karr for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey in Boulder despite Karr's claim he killed the 6-year-old girl. Authorities said there is no DNA evidence linking Karr to her 1996 murder.

Amparan said his office must review the documents provided by the Sonoma County Public Defender's Office, which previously represented Karr in 2001 on the pornography charges. Karr failed to appear in court on the charges in December 2001 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department said last week it has re-opened the case against Karr because new technology allows a more thorough examination of Karr's computer on which the pornography allegedly was found.

Judge Cerena Wong said this morning she does not intend to release Karr from the Sonoma County jail under supervision. Amparan said he will seek bail for Karr and that after reviewing the documents from the public defender's office, the trial could be delayed beyond the 30 days.

Amparan, who was a public defender in San Francisco for seven years, said his office was contacted by attorney Tony Serra's office and the Jackson Square law firm to represent Karr.

Amparan said he took Karr's case because Karr was "being beaten about in the press and his character has been attacked.''

He said once Karr arrives in Sonoma County he will appear on the arrest warrant in court within 24 to 48 hours. Karr pleaded not guilty in 2001 to the misdemeanor charges.

Amparan also said he's concerned about people who have been following the Karr story in the media coming forward with fantasy complaints and accounts about Karr in order to get him more jail time.

[Valpal1]

Amparan also said he's concerned about people who have been following the Karr story in the media coming forward with fantasy complaints and accounts about Karr in order to get him more jail time.

Kooks of a feather flock together.

[stlnative]

Karr's new lawyer is suppose to be on Nancy Grace tonight on CNN 8pm eastern time (7pm central).

I will be watching "House" so I will try and catch it later in the evening on the replay. I will post a link to the transcript as soon as it is up.

[hoosiermama]

bttt

[cherry]

" Karr was "being beaten about in the press and his character has been attacked.''"

uh....the guy said he killed a little girl......that's a character that needs to be attacked.....

[sandbar]

>>>Do you want on this ping list?>>>

Yes, thanks. I don't think he'll be in the news much longer though.

[sandbar]

>>>Then Karr brought back a laptop computer that he had with him in Thailand. Karr was not under arrest until he touched down on US soil (he brought the computer back with him willingly). >>>

I think this is the reason they didn't treat him like a 'criminal', even though the press had a field day with it.

[sandbar]

30 days? So he flees the country for 5 five years and then wants to demand he gets a speedy trial. I have to detach for this case, but I don't think they need to rush anything.

[stlnative]

Sorry folks I thought Karr's new lawyer was going to be on Nancy Grace last night but it was Karr's family lawyer who really had nothing to add but a bunch of smoke. I not going to post the transcript from the show.

[stlnative]

Not breaking news so I am not pinging anyone...

Spotlight on Karr will shift to Sonoma County
Published: Wednesday, Sep 6, 2006

By DAN JOHNSON
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF

EXCERPT...

While the intensity of the spotlight on John Mark Karr has faded since DNA tests failed to place him at the murder scene of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, the spotlight soon will be moving to Sonoma County.

After denying the requests of Karr’s attorney to prevent extradition, a judge in Boulder, Colo., has given Sonoma County authorities until Wednesday, Sept. 13 to pick up Karr so that he can face five misdemeanor child pornography charges.

On Aug. 29, Judge Roxanne Bailin denied the request of Seth Temin, Karr’s attorney, who claimed that extradition should be denied because it would violate Karr’s constitutional right to due process. She said that Karr violated a bail hearing in Sonoma County by failing to show up at a court hearing, and ordered him to be held without bond at Boulder County Jail.

more at...
http://www1.arguscourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060906/NEWS01/60905011

[stlnative]

Just to let you know I am having phone problems and my phone service is sporadic. I have a dial-up ISP. The phone company says that they will try to get someone out here before 9/15/06. (yep... 9/15/06 - it sucks to live out in the country!)

I just wanted to let you know and I will try my best to get online and check out the media wires for any new info on the creep, but I may be slow due to my phone service being sporadic until they get it fixed.

[SarahFree]

John Mark Karr told a Boulder investigator when he was still in Thailand that he would agree to plead guilty to second-degree murder in the JonBenet Ramsey case.

"If you don't let me plead guilty, how will you feel? How will you live with yourself when I kill a little girl?" Karr allegedly said.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4980456,00.html

[SarahFree]

Lacy should be fired for this reason alone:

Karr claimed to have been in Hamilton, Ala., with his wife on Christmas 1996, the day JonBenet was killed. But he stated, "I could have flown on a Learjet to Colorado."

[stlnative]

Please see post #3 of this thread.

[sandbar]

>>>• Karr claimed to have been in Hamilton, Ala., with his wife on Christmas 1996, the day JonBenet was killed. But he stated, "I could have flown on a Learjet to Colorado." >>>

But I thought his dad and brother had a photo that was 'proof' that he was in Atlanta at his dad's house? Which is it?

[stlnative]

Karr extradited to California

http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=a4145a9c-0abe-421a-0050-52ecce273edb&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

---

Suspect in JonBenet Case Leaves Colorado

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/13/ap/national/mainD8K3M7700.shtml

---

John Mark Karr Arrives In Oakland

http://www.nbc11.com/news/9833833/detail.html

[stlnative]

John Karr due in court today on child porn charges

http://www.cbs47.tv/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=BC0D91BD-8A23-4C54-AA86-2E36AEE32BE8

---

John Mark Karr Faces Porn Charges

http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/ap/0906/1408_karr_in_calif.html

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department said in a written statement that deputies initially went to pick up Karr on Sept. 7 but abandoned the effort "due to an evolving prospect" that federal charges were possible.

"At this point, we have excluded this option," sheriff's Lt. Dave Edmonds said.

---

Not good... it looks like maybe they don't have enough to bring federal charges on him or they simply ran out of time waiting on the FBI and had to move him back to CA before the 13th. Maybe the FBI is still combing through the laptop and needs more time.

[stlnative]

John Mark Karr Faces Porn Charges

http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/ap/0906/1408_karr_in_calif.html

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department said in a written statement that deputies initially went to pick up Karr on Sept. 7 but abandoned the effort "due to an evolving prospect" that federal charges were possible.

"At this point, we have excluded this option," sheriff's Lt. Dave Edmonds said.

---

You know I am not going to look at this as a bad thing.
CA had to get him by the 13th of September.

It could be that the FBI just needs more time to track down the things they may have found on Karr's computer (for a warrant to arrest him on Federal charges) The FBI may have decided it would be best to let Karr go on CA to face the 5 counts of child porn while they track down the stuff that may be on Karr's computer. The statement in the article tells me that the FBI is looking into what is on his computer, but they may have to follow it more throughly before a warrant would be issued. I have remember that they may have to travel overseas to investigate some of the things on his computer.

Maybe it is just wishful thinking that there is something on Karr's computer that will lead to more child porn or possibly a child he did molest overseas. But I would imagine it would take more time than a week or 10 days to go through his computer with a fine toothed comb.

[sandbar]

According to news reports this morning, John Mark Karr is getting a plea deal to have time served and will be released on probation.

He is going to be a free man in a few days.

[sandbar]

Here is the link:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/09/19/karr.child.porn.ap/index.html

Karr is offered freedom as part of plea deal


SANTA ROSA, California (AP) -- One-time JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect John Mark Karr was offered a plea deal Tuesday on child pornography charges that would free him on probation.

Assistant District Attorney Joann Risse said prosecutors would waive three of the five child pornography possession charges against him if he pleaded guilty on two remaining charges.

Karr, 41, would get credit for time served and would be placed on probation for three years. He also would be required to register as a sex offender.

Defense lawyer Robert Amparan said that he would discuss the deal with Karr but that he still believes his client is innocent.

Amparan said the public had received a "false picture" of Karr, whom he described as a "Southern gentleman with a sense of humor."

Karr's bail was set at $200,000 after Judge Cerena Wong called him a flight risk. Karr spent several months in the Sonoma County jail in 2001 awaiting trial on the child porn charges and fled after being released.

Amparan would not say whether his client could afford bail but said Karr would remain behind bars for now.

Karr, a schoolteacher, was arrested August 16 after making phone calls and writing e-mails suggesting he killed Ramsey, a 6-year-old beauty queen, in her Boulder, Colorado, home in December 1996. He was returned to the U.S. from Thailand only to have the Ramsey case collapse.

DNA tests failed to connect Karr to the crime, and investigators had no evidence he was in Boulder at the time of the slaying.

[stlnative]

Evidence missing in Karr child porn case
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1705460/posts

---

One thing I am still hoping for is that they may get him on something that may have been found on his Thai laptop. He may be released from California's custody but that does not mean the FEDS won't pick him up eventually. (well at least I am hoping that they will)

[sandbar]

>>>One thing I am still hoping for is that they may get him on something that may have been found on his Thai laptop. He may be released from California's custody but that does not mean the FEDS won't pick him up eventually. (well at least I am hoping that they will)>>>

It seems like I read somewhere that the California courts were waiting to see if the Feds were going to pick him up on something and they (the Feds) passed. I don't know. The only family that is contacting him is his younger brother and father (which I do not talk to) so we are all watching the news too.

[stlnative]

Thanks - I am heading out the door for the day.
All these little tidbits about the feds tells me that they are looking into what he was doing overseas.

[stlnative]

---

Sep 25, 2006 9:46 am US/Pacific
Lawyers Meet In Preparation Of Karr Porn Trial
http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_268124810.html

AP) SANTA ROSA, Calif. Lawyers for John Mark Karr are scheduled to meet with prosecutors today as the child porn trial of the one-time JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect looms.

The meeting in preparation for Karr's upcoming trial comes after the former teacher rejected a plea deal last week that would have set him free as long as he registered as a sex offender.

~SNIP~

---

Computer File In Karr Case May Be Lost
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=local&id=4597614

Sep 25 - KGO - In Sonoma County, attorneys for John Karr suspect a computer file linking him to a child pornography case might have gotten lost.

However, prosecutors have located a zip drive which holds 1,600 images.

Karr remains in jail and the judge also set a deadline today for authorities to turn their evidence over to Karr's legal team.

Karr's attorney says because there's no evidence, he hasn't been able to prepare his case. He is expected to file a motion to dismiss on Wednesday.

The charges against Karr date back to 2001.

His trial is due to start on October 2nd.

---

Judge blasts Karr's prosecutors, may dismiss charges
Monday, September 25, 2006
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/25/BAG99LCFQT10.DTL

Sonoma County judge handling the five-year-old child pornography case against suspect John Mark Karr threatened today to dismiss the charges and lashed into prosecutors for not telling her that key evidence -- a computer and hard drive containing sexually explicit images -- had been lost.

Superior Court Judge Cerena Wong said she will consider a motion from Karr's attorney, Robert Amparan, to dismiss the 2001 case on Wednesday, a move that if approved would set Karr free without his having to register as a sex offender in California. Wong also will consider whether to unseal evidence in the case.

~SNIP~

[sandbar]

>>>Superior Court Judge Cerena Wong said she will consider a motion from Karr's attorney, Robert Amparan, to dismiss the 2001 case on Wednesday, a move that if approved would set Karr free without his having to register as a sex offender in California. >>>

If John walks away from this with NO charges anywhere and not even be required to be monitored as a sex offender... Mary Lacy needs to answer to this. At least he could have been further investigated in Thailand and watched and faced charges THERE. But to walk away with nothing, nada, zip???

[stlnative]

Well I am hoping that Feds don't fumble also and that they are working hard on that laptop that Karr brought back with him from Thailand. I find it hard to believe that they won't find anything on Karr's Thailand laptop that would lead them to something that falls under the PROTECT act.

I wonder if the zip drive they have with 1600 pictures on it is Karr's from 2001 or if the zip drive was purchased and used to dump Karr's California computer hard drive on to back in 2001.

I am just hoping that when he is released from California that the Feds will be there to re-arrest him for something they found on his Thailand computer.