Posted on 04/22/2005 9:42:50 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
Residents in a Ocala neighborhood could face charges after a convicted sex offender apparently committed suicide in despair over signs labeling him a "child rapist" posted in his neighborhood, according to Local 6 News.
Clovis Ivan Claxton, 38, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in Washington in 1991, had lived at 3230 SE. 45 Street in Ocala for about two years.
Tuesday, Claxton noticed bright yellow, laminated signs displaying his picture, date of birth, address and the words "child rapist" hanging on power poles in his neighborhood. A county commissioner proposed posting such information in the community but Sheriff Ed Dean rejected the idea.
After seeing the signs, Claxton called the sheriff's office and said that he felt "extremely scared and feels that people in the neighborhood are now out to possibly hurt him."
"Once he made these type statements our deputies took this man into custody under the Baker Act law and transported him to a local mental health facility for evaluation," Marion County Sheriff's Capt. Denis Strow said. "He was later released."
Tuesday morning, Claxton's parents found him dead of an apparent overdose with one of the child rapist flyers by his side.
Jane Claxton blames County Commissioner Randy Harris, who proposed the flyers, for her son's death, according to a report.
"Just don't get on the bandwagon," she said. "There's going to be other (deaths) if Randy Harris has his way. He hasn't been in trouble for 18 years, and he's branded for life."
Harris said sex offenders need to take responsibility for their actions.
"I don't blame his death to the signs," he said, adding he was undeterred in his quest to alert people to sex offenders living in their neighborhoods.
Dean said it is an example that police work should be left to authorities.
"We need to keep calm, do the right thing," Dean said. "Not go overboard with it. Protect our children. Use all of the resources we can but not stir a community up to a frenzy."
Claxton's death follows the high-profile arrests of sex offenders in the separate killings of two Florida girls less than seven weeks apart. State lawmakers have responded by passing a bill to require lifetime supervision of some child sex offenders.
State law allows for flyers to be printed and distributed, Local 6 News reported. But, altering the signs or flyers is against the law.
Claxton's address had been added to the top of the flyer along with the words "child rapist."
"It is a violation of the law," Strow said. "And should we find who perpretrated it, I'm sure it is a case that would be reviewed by the state's attorney office to see if they wish to pursue it."
The person responsible for the flyers faces up to 1 year in jail.
The sheriff's office is investigating and an autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
Marion County is located northwest of Orlando and has more than 600 registered sex offenders.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
FWIW From the Miami Herald...
Claxton was developmentally disabled and wheelchair-bound after being struck in childhood by meningitis and encephalitis. His parents cared for him, and he lived in an apartment adjoining their neatly kept house in a forested enclave of southern Ocala.
In 1991, when his family was living in Washington state, Claxton was charged with first-degree child molestation over an incident involving a caregiver's 9-year-old daughter. He was 24 at the time but, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, had the mental capacity of a 10- or 12-year-old. He served 27 months in prison.
When his family moved to Florida in 2000, Claxton was listed as a sexual offender on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website. For reasons still unclear, the FDLE website also indicated that Claxton was charged with the rape of a child, though he had not been. Sheriff's deputies checked in on Claxton and did not consider him a threat but took him into custody at least five times for threatening suicide.
Keep telling children about this burden they carry, and you will end up with a dysfunctional adult who will never recover, and perhaps perpetuate the crimes on other children.
We need prison reform in this county, and until we get it, expect more of the same. However, lots of unions and government politicos make good money on imprisonment, so that won't happen.
In addition, asking someone if they have been a victim of such a crime does nothing to further the discussion but rather satisfies your sense of voyeurism, in my opinion.
You said that children who are molested aren't ruined for life, which is true *if* they get the right help. However, it usually doesn't happen right off the bat in most instances because the freaking family is screwed up. Those are the one's predatory child molesters target. If the child gets the appropriate support when they first disclose then yes they usually recover faster. It also depends on the severity of the offense. Fondling is much easier to overcome than actual rape.
I agree about the prison reform issue.
****In addition, asking someone if they have been a victim of such a crime does nothing to further the discussion but rather satisfies your sense of voyeurism, in my opinion.****
THat was not the intent, the way you made the statement regarding molestation not ruining lives made it sound like that you probably had not been through it. Which is what I hope. I have and would not wish that on my worst enemy. I did get over it, but only by the healing touch of God.
First of all, some housekeeping: I find it hillarious that post #159 (mine) was deleted by the moderator-nazi- I guess because I called child-molesters "sick bastards". Then somebody quotes it exactly, and THAT can stay.
Now as to your point: I am not interested in whether "secular" psychiatry or religion is more likely to "reform" pedophiles. I'm not interested in taking the chance on these SICK BASTARDS. You seem to be defending the practice of granting them a second chance to live among us on the asumption that "oversight" by the authorities will be enough to protect our children.
There is a convicted pedophile living four blocks away from me and my three children, and I don't like it one bit. And I doubt anyone's made this scumbag go to church. And if they could do so, it still wouldn't be a risk I'd be willing to take.
While you all have focused your anger on someone who was trying to give you information, [me] 100's of other children who needed advocates have been abused by "the guy down the street" and the "the guy who went to church every Sunday."
The countless victims of abuse who have been able to rise above the degradation of that predatory abuse to lead productive lives and rear emotionally healthy children, have done so with no help from you, and hundreds of people like you.
The children who perpetuate the abuse onto the next generation are the ones who had no help when they asked for it, and that's because the people they went to for help [teachers, relatives, neighbors] scoffed at them, and told them they "had it coming," including those who are victims of "statutory rape."
You should seriously consider what your vituperous words and attitudes toward me really mean. I would suggest that you save the thread, and in a week, read it from the beginning.
We are either in a common effort to save the children of this nation from ALL predators, or we are of a common mind to ignore the obvious.
If all you have to say to me is acidic, save your breath and the bandwidth. I already know how you "feel" about me because you tried very hard to make me run away and hide. Wrong answer. I'm still here, and any time I feel like adding something to a thread, I will do so, just as you will. Some people can't tolerate the truth, no matter how it is presented.
'Face
Good luck with your lives.
I don't think you meant to PING me as I didn't write anything inflammatory to you (I will re-check the thread to be sure). My "Dahmer" comment was an honest question. I've never heard the accusation that he was a child molester.
?
Dunno why you addressed this to me. If you just wanna flame, please exclude me in the future.
"Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press"
I'm old enough to remember when that actually meant something.
THAT is the main point. Too bad our society would rather make the criminal out to be the victim.
And we also know that pedophiles are very often repeat-offenders, sometimes remaining "dormant" for years.
I am sorry, but I would not want a child rapists living in my neighborhood - period.
I understand. I pulled the list for my neighborhood, the number's are staggering and worse 2 elementary schools and 3 parks.
They are everywhere. I suggest using what you have, sharing the info with your neighbors and sitting down and talking with your kids about it.
There is one sex offender of a young child, he can sit on his porch and watch the kids walk to the elementary school. Something is very wrong with that.
What a GREAT bumper sticker!!!
This man didn't kill himself because he felt guilt about hurting a child. If he had felt guilt about what he had done, he would have killed himself years ago. No, he killed himself because he was hurt when he was publicly outed. It seems to me his pity was for himself.
I think this one requires the wisdom of Solomon to figure out. He was a child molestor, but after 18 years of no signs of repeat offenses does he not have the right not to be threatened? Putting up a sign calling someone a Child Rapist is pretty much an invitation for someone to take a shot at him. On the other hand, he was a child molestor.
I just don't get it. How do any TRUE child molestors ever survive long enough to once again be a threat to society?
The guy that molests my kid either dies before jail, or the day he gets out.
Or even, sleep in their own beds.
Time for a bump on this.
The child molester or rapist relies on anonymity to be able to commit his deeds. When forwarned, society watches these people to prevent recurrence.
Their crimes are not committed in public.
Speeding, on the other hand, is a very public offense - anyone else on or near the road is able to see it.
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