Suspect in rape at library was freed sex offender

The Boston Globe ^ | February 1, 2008 | Maria Cramer and John R. Ellement

[NYpeanut]

Neither should the judge.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

Richard T. Moses
Address: 50 Homers Wharf
New Bedford, MA 02740-7245
Phone: (508) 999-6414

must be a firm’s address

[plan2succeed.org]

There is the possibility this never would have happened had the library not refused to filter the Internet. And notice the media are silent on this possibility.

Here is a letter I wrote to the community:

Dear City Council President Jane L. Gonsalves,

The library rape of a six year old children is criminal. At this time, all efforts are concentrated on the victim and the criminal. But you are the city's leader. You have a responsibility to see the bigger picture. In this case, the bigger picture is this type of incident might happen again and again as a direct result of the library's "anything goes" Internet use policy.

Was the criminal using the Internet before the rape to view child p*rnography? The media did not address this. If he did, did the library attempt to stop him? The media did not address this. If not, why not? The media did not address this, but the answer is on the library's own web site, "The New Bedford Free Public Library only provides access to the Internet. The Library cannot control and is not able to monitor any information on the Internet for either content or accuracy." http://www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us/Library/internetpolicy.html

Did you know that is false? Did you know communities may filter all computers and the US Supreme Court has already found that constitutional? Did you know the ACLU and the courts have found filters so effective that they no longer block out health related web sites?

Worse, it is possible your library's policy has exposed it, its employees, and New Bedford to liability for failure to take action that might have prevented the child rape in the first place. A simple reading of the library policy tells me the child's rape was likely partially the responsibility of the library for having an anything goes policy and the community for failure to control its own library in the legal manner in which it may control its library. Indeed, I urge any legal action brought by the parents to include counts against the library and especially against the city for, among other things, a likely failure to enforce the library's enabling statute that I am sure does not say anything goes. Indeed I will actively attempt to contact the family's attorneys and advise them to consider the theory of liability I have outlined generally.

I thought you should consider this. You have the power to prevent future such instances by using every means possible to get your local library to apply filters to all Internet computers. Warning, the American Library Association is responsible for these anything goes policies, is specifically named by your library as its source for library policy, and will be sure to bring the full weight of its misinformation campaign to you if you do decide to protect your community's children instead of the ALA's policies.

Articles I am reading show the city is obviously thinking of ways to prevent this in the future, but all I see are methods of moving the deck chairs on the Titanic. For example, "privacy screens" do not function as claimed. Internet filters are the most effective means to resolve the situation, and that is precisely why the ALA attempts to convince people not to use them.

I will be happy to explain and source every statement I have made here. You have the legal means to remove the negative influence of the ALA from your library. It's a PUBLIC library, not an ALA library. Please let me know if I may assist.

SafeLibraries.org - Are Children Safe in Public Libraries?

[beaversmom]

Thanks for the ping. I had posted a thread about it the other day too. I thought to ping you, but couldn’t remember your exact FR name.

Authorities slam release of accused...(freed sex offender assaults young boy in library)http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963086/posts

[BOBWADE]

“50 Homers Wharf’ sounds kind of gay to me.

[plan2succeed.org]

Thanks, and I have more on this case here: http://del.icio.us/plan2succeed/NewBedfordMA.

[Marysecretary]

We do have too many judges freeing these criminals. I hope his grandson isn’t next!

[endthematrix]

"The judge said Saunders...had not committed any major sexual offense while he was in prison... he was not dangerous."

WTF?

[endthematrix]

Thanks!

[null and void]

The judge said Saunders, who was sentenced to four years for the attempted rape of a 7-year-old boy in 1999, had not committed any major sexual offense while he was in prison.

That's because children to rape are few and far between in a prison, judge...

[2nd amendment mama]

More on the judge here:

Objection! Perversion of justice, again

[NonValueAdded]

That's an important step but please don't think filters are a complete cure. Like it or not, libraries are daycare centers for the homeless. All political correctness aside, a large majority of these urban outdoorsmen (and women) have serious problems. Further, there is a new subcategory of homeless: sex offenders (see Florida Orders Sex Offenders From Bridge). Certainly you don't want sex offenders using the library computers to surf porn. But you don't want them surfing the stacks either!!!