I've been poking around, trying to find out what the deal with Bruce Elmore, Jr is, and how he fits in with the Andrew Reed situation.
I found two items posted at Unknown News that reveal a little.
Item #1
Item#2
The most important thing in the items is the ACLU connection. More below.
Below is an excerpt from the Asheville Global Report from Nov 2002:
Then, I found more that led me to a local blogger, who keeps the WLOSers fan club informed, just scroll down past the racy photos to the sex offender news section:
Asheville, North Carolina, Nov. 19 (AGR)— Asheville Chief of Police Will Annarino presented a proposed anti-begging, sleeping outdoors ordinance at approximately 10:30pm at the Asheville City Council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The ordinance was passed unanimously by city council members despite requests from a vocal majority of citizens at the meeting asking the council to seek more community-oriented solutions to the area’s homelessness problem instead of resorting to legal measures.
All types of solicitation are now illegal in the central downtown area, including those of the Salvation Army, the Girl Scouts, and street musicians with open guitar cases or hats asking for tips. Although inquired about by council members Holly Jones and Jim Ellis, permits are unlikely to be a possible alternative for such groups. According to city attorneys, it is necessary to ban all forms of solicitation to avoid an unconstitutional restriction on speech content.
Bruce Elmore, representing the WNC American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) at the council meeting, called the criminalization of begging or sleeping in public an infringement on First Amendment freedom of speech and assembly rights. In the judiciary, restrictions on the content of speech must survive a “strict scrutiny” review — meaning that in order to pass constitutional muster, a compelling government interest must be present. Elmore stated he felt the court would find attractiveness to tourists and the free flow of pedestrian traffic to be important but not compelling governmental interests.
The sex offender news
Michelle Boudin, who rode the sex offender news last year hard, got back on the train again. There must be something in the WLOSer manual that says that every infotainment-cast must contain at least one sex offender story. Just look at how much mileage NBC has gotten out of their little sting operation, where they pose as a 13-year-old girl looking for sex and invite any and all pervs to meet with them. That makes for some damn good video.Anyway, all Boudin had was news about a bill proposed in the state House that would keep convicted sex offenders from living with 1,000 feet of a school, and prevent convicted sex offenders from going with 500 feet of a school, unless there was special permission. Michelle talked to attorney Bruce Elmore, a member of the ACLU, who said the bill wasn't fair.
And, lastly, I will leave you with this post, at gopunditgo, where Bruce Elmore, Jr is again representing a sex offender aginst the town of Woodfin, NC.
A Superior Court judge Tuesday upheld a Woodfin ordinance barring sex offenders from the town’s three public parks.
David Standley, 43, a registered sex offender living in Woodfin, sued the town in August 2005. The N.C. chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union backed his case.
Standley argued in his lawsuit the ordinance was too broad, in part by including people who have never committed sex crimes against children.
He was convicted in 1987 in Florida of attempted sexual battery with a weapon against an adult and served three years and six months in jail, according to the N.C. Department of Justice sex offender registry.
“I think it’s likely that we’ll appeal,” said Bruce Elmore, Standley’s attorney. “I think he had a strong constitutional case.”
We need to keep the pressure on, and enact change that would result in longer sentences for those convicted of sex crimes, most especially those against children, whom the ACLU seem to have forgotten. We need to keep reminding them, over and over and over. Perhaps we need to take a page from our "progressive" friends and protest, with signs in hand...as I understand is happening as I type this. I hope WLOS gets some good shots, and finally give this story the coverage other national media will.
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2 comments :
We need to keep the pressure on, and enact change that would result in longer sentences for those convicted of sex crimes, most especially those against children, whom the ACLU seem to have forgotten......
posted by Thunder Pig
Every paper, blog, news station, politician, or just plain Joe Smuck says the same thing. Make the laws and punishments for sex crimes longer and longer. Then they aim these laws at those who have been convicted and completed the punishment given them by the courts.
What good will that do? This does little to solve the problem as most sex offenses are commited by someone the child knows, a parent, sibling, coach, teacher, or anyone else that is familial to them. Yet you want blood from someone who has been punished and punishing them over and over and over.
Granted SO's are not the worlds most popular people, but those who have paid the price, as with your murderers, drug dealers, muggers, thieves, should be as under the basic laws of this land, able to rebuild a life free of more hardships.
Yes there are those who do need to be kept under strict control, but you're talking a very small amount compaired to the rest.
The public needs to learn where to use the laws and how to apply them, not forever punishing for life when the law and courts dictated other.
Sex Crimes are of a particularly evil nature, for they breed (if I can use that word) future offenders. People who are sex offenders tend to have been victims of these monsters. The children who have been victimized by Andrew Reed will need special care for years if they are to avoid falling victim to that Predator's lifestyle. In my personal opinion, Sex Crimes are worse than murder, and should be treated as such, multiplied many times for the Molester of children.
Recidivism rates are high for those serving time.
I am willing to give a thief a second or third chance to learn from their mistakes. I am less forgiving of violent offenders, thinking that maybe one mistake in life, maybe more forgiving giving mitigating circumstances. Everybody makes mistakes. I am not willing to extend an invitation to sexual offenders to commit their crimes again. These people do need to be monitored, and they need to be talking to someone in the mental health field for the rest of their lives, whether in prison or out.
What is most particularly odious about Andrew Reed was that he produced trophies of his conquests, something that is an aggravating factor. And (And!) he was able, through his connections, his attorney, able to consolidate charges, and stop charges of a more serious nature from even being brought before a grand jury. This guy has been given very special treatment a regular citizen would not have received, and that will taint those involved in the prosecution of the case. Quis Custodiet ipsos custodes? The District Attorneys, the Prosecutors, the Judges must be made aware that they are being scrutinized by the Sovereign Citizens, in whom the power of this Republic rests.
The commission of a crime is a very serious thing, and if people are given a free pass, then they will not have learned a lesson from their mistakes. People need to take responsibility for their shortfalls, and move on, having added an extra weight to their life journey. Some mistakes should be a millstone.
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