The Most Dangerous States for American Kids

[Accountable]

By: Bill O'Reilly for BillOReilly.com

Thursday, Mar 16, 2006



For those of you who still believe the justice system in America is working, consider the following. For three years, 46-year old Andrew Selva sexually brutalized two boys, ages 5 and 12, in a small town outside of Columbus, Ohio. In a plea bargain, Selva admitted to the court that he raped the boys in a variety of ways. By all accounts, it was savage criminal activity.



But when Selva appeared for sentencing before Ohio Judge John Connor, he received no prison time at all. Instead, Connor placed him on probation, saying, "He's got a disease like I've got a disease. I don't know that prison would have helped, except for revenge, and revenge is not in the sentencing guidelines."



What the sentencing guidelines did call for was a ten-year stretch in a state prison. But Connor believes he knows better, so it is probation for a child rapist. By the way, the "disease" Connor referenced in his own case is apparently alcohol-related; the judge has at least two DUI convictions on his sheet.



This kind of sentencing insanity is increasing across the country because many states, like Ohio, have no mandatory minimum prison terms for child predators and, as we all know, there is no shortage of loony judges like Connor.



While some states have passed Jessica's Law, which harshly punishes child molesters, other states simply will not do anything. The following are the most dangerous to a child's welfare.



Vermont: Even after the national scandal of Judge Edward Cashman sentencing the rapist of an 8-year old girl to just 60 days in prison (under pressure, Cashman later revised the sentence to a paltry three years), the Vermont legislature failed to pass mandatory minimums for child sexual predators. The effort was blocked by Democrats, and Republican Governor Jim Douglas refused to get involved.



New York: Despite overwhelming bipartisan support for Jessica's Law, Democratic Assemblyman Sheldon Silver continues to single-handedly block any vote. Governor Pataki vows to go around Silver.



Maryland: No mandatory minimums for sexual crimes against children. The Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Democrat Joseph Vallario, has consistently blocked efforts to pass Jessica's Law.



Massachusetts: Absolutely no mandated protection for kids who are brutalized sexually. The judge is free to bestow any sentence. Speaker of the House Sal Dimasi, a Democrat, has killed every piece of tough sex offender legislation that has been introduced.



Wyoming: No minimum prison sentences and no GPS tracking for convicted sex offenders. Governor Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat, doesn't seem to care.



Arkansas: No minimum prison sentences. Governor Mike Huckabee, a Republican, doesn't seem to care.



Tennessee: No minimum prison terms for child sex crimes. Democratic Governor Phil Bredensen doesn't seem to care.



Idaho: No minimum prison terms for child sex crimes. Republican Governor Dirk Kempthorne doesn't seem to care.



North Dakota: No minimum prison sentences for any sexual acts with minors. Governor John Hoeven, a Republican, says he is "studying" ways to change that.



Also, the states of Colorado, Wisconsin, Maine, Kansas, and Montana have weak laws protecting kids, but at least there are politicians in those states trying to change things.



In the Ohio case where the child rapist received parole, and in the Vermont case where the man who raped the little girl initially got 60 days, the three victims were poor kids. Their parents had no money, no influence, and no hope of challenging the wicked judges. I submit those awful sentences would not have been handed down if the rapists had abused wealthy children.



But be that as it may, any state that will not severely punish an adult who rapes a child is a disgraceful state. And everybody living there should know it.

[SOJOURNER]

and when someone gets fed up and takes things into their own hands to punish the rapists, it it they who will be subjectd to the full wrath of the "court" -- cause they "know better.................." they do not have a 'disease'!

[sunny104]

But be that as it may, any state that will not severely punish an adult who rapes a child is a disgraceful state. And everybody living there should know it.

Exactly!:mad:

[Benjamin]

O'Really wrote: This kind of sentencing insanity is increasing across the country because many states, like Ohio, have no mandatory minimum prison terms for child predators and, as we all know, there is no shortage of loony judges like Connor.
O'Reilly doesn't offer any evidence to back up his thesis that this kind of thing is actually increasing. He just says that for emotional impact.

[Accountable]

Benjamin wrote: O'Reilly doesn't offer any evidence to back up his thesis that this kind of thing is actually increasing. He just says that for emotional impact.
:wah:

He complains about these judges one at a time. He ranted for weeks about another similar judge.



So you don't see this as a problem, or do you have such a problem with O'Reilly that you can't agree with him, regardless? Y'know, even a broke clock is right twice a day.

[Benjamin]

O'Reilly can't open his mouth without lying. I agree that the sentencing was wrong and there should be outrage over it. As far as this being an epidemic, I'd have to see some proof.

[BabyRider]

Benjamin wrote: O'Reilly can't open his mouth without lying. I agree that the sentencing was wrong and there should be outrage over it. As far as this being an epidemic, I'd have to see some proof.
I could care less about what O'Reilly has to say about this, but I am concerned about what you say about it. It's a rather light-hearted stance to take when it comes to children being raped and abused. We all know it DOES happen.

[Peg]

No doubt in my mind if the parents were wealthy the sentence would have been stricter.:-1

[Benjamin]

BabyRider wrote: I could care less about what O'Reilly has to say about this, but I am concerned about what you say about it. It's a rather light-hearted stance to take when it comes to children being raped and abused. We all know it DOES happen.
Light-hearted? I said people should be outraged. The word "epidemic" was in reference to the sentencing, if that’s what you’re talking about.

[BabyRider]

Benjamin wrote: Light-hearted? I said people should be outraged. The word "epidemic" was in reference to the sentencing, if that’s what you’re talking about.
So, it's hard to read tone and such in this format, but the "people should be outraged" kinda sounded, to me, like, "yeah, well be outraged, I guess"....just....lighthearted, like I said. If I misread, my bad.

[Peg]

mrsK wrote: I think anyone who abuses children should be shot.No if,whats or buts.

What about the lives these kids are going to live from here on in?

Selva is a disease & diseases should be treated.
From the day of sentencing on out, the judge is just as guilty as Selva for anything else Selva may do.

[OpenMind]

Connor placed him on probation, saying, "He's got a disease like I've got a disease


the "disease" Connor referenced in his own case is apparently alcohol-related; the judge has at least two DUI convictions on his sheet


I'm surprised that this judge is allowed to continue serving the bench. But the first quote reminded me of a case here in the UK a couple of years ago where a judge was found guilty of possessing child porn. He was removed from office but he wasn't sentenced purely because he aplogised.

It so happened that he sat for a number of child porn and child molestation cases and he always passed light sentences. SICK!

Another sick point. In a computer mag that I read, it was shown that there is a huge complacency among company work forces regarding child porn. No one does anything about it. It's almost as if it's become a tolerable nuisance. They don't realise that children are actually being horribly tortured.

I remember that I received quite a lot through spam when I first got onto the internet. But I got the addresses of three sites where it could be reported. And it was so easy to do. Thankfully, for me at any rate, I have not received any child porn for a few years now.