TheAgitator.com
Sex Offender Law Nabs Man Shooting Hoops in His Driveway
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009According to the news site AnnArbor.com, 23-year-old Matthew Freeman is facing a year in jail for violating Michigan’s laws for convicted sex offenders. He was caught by a police officer playing basketball within 400 feet of a school. He also happened to be in front of his own home. Michigan law requires him to remain more than 1,000 feet away from places where children congregate. Freeman’s mother says she checked with Pittsfield Township police before moving to the home to be sure it complied with Freeman’s status. She says they told her it did. They now say it’s Freeman’s responsibility to make sure he doesn’t violate the sex offender law.
Freeman was convicted of fourth-degree sexual assault in 2003 for having sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend. He was 17 at the time. The conviction required him to spend 10 years on the state’s sex offender list. After seeing the girl again and later getting caught stealing a video game, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail, and ordered to remain on the list until 2028. At that point he dropped out of high school, and hasn’t gone back.
But let’s not be too harsh on Michigan’s law. I’m sure that because of the continuing harassment of people like Freeman, 17-year-boys and 15-year-old girls are no longer having sex in Michigan.
It’s unfortunate, but you’ll never lose an election by advocating for getting tougher on crime.
You will never get within a parsec of elected office by standing up for “pedophiles, criminals, and assorted other evildoers”.
I feel safer already.
I imagine there are a lot of jobs created in handling this new class of “sex offenders”.
Edmund, that’s it !
Now all I have to do is invent a secret device that mind-controls EVERY elected or appointed politician (and all of those who aspire to such) into standing strong and firm for the rights of paedophiles !
We’ll end up with anarchy within months ;)
Radley, please let us do the trolling. ;)
I know I shouldn’t be surprised anymore, but I can’t help but get frustratingly angry every time I hear about some poor kid’s life being ruined for doing nothing wrong because of some twisted vendetta to PROTECT children, of all things. It really makes me want to shake all of those idiotic politicians who decided to pass these asinine laws and demand to know if they actually know what they’re doing.
And of course they know what they’re doing: they’re getting votes. However many have to suffer as a result is just necessary collateral damage.
“We view these as public safety issues,” Hiller said. “That’s the paramount concern we have when dealing with sex offender registry cases. This particular law is in place to protect children, so that’s obviously a very serious matter.”
Wait a sec. Let me interpret this for everyone.
“We’ve declared this a public safety issue and by invoking the fear that children are in danger, we now have carte blanche to throw our weight around and persecute this guy any way we want. Anyone who doesn’t agree with this must be a child hating pervert and should be closely watched by all child loving members of the community.”
Meanwhile, God only knows how many actual child rapists are slipping through the cracks because Michigan police are padding their statistics with these low-hanging fruit…
Wesley,
Here’s one that’ll really throw you over the edge.
What pisses me off more than anything about these laws is that I know they probably make my daughter less safe, yet I have to hear everyone in my ear about how much safer these laws make things.
Too bad he dropped out of school, but if he goes to jail for a year, he’ll learn how to steal cars and rob liquor stores, so he’s got that going for him.
Also ironic that his name is Freeman.
If they can inflate sex offender convictions, it’s easier to make the case that child rapists are hiding in every neighborhood behind every corner. In fact, they are probably drinking buddies with all the guys who are known to embed razor blades in Halloween candy.
Given that a 17 yo is a “child,” then how can punishing him be “for the children”?
For the same reason that putting 15 year olds on the sex offender list for “sexting” is “for the children”
SJE,
Do not attempt to use logic. When someone uses the “for the children” argument, all reason must be thrown aside.
That will only work until people start noticing that it’s mainly high school students getting locked up. People are already starting to notice that, if some of the things I’ve overheard in various settings when the issue gets brought up are any indication. Its already starting to backfire because more and more parents are realizing that it’s their own kids being targeted, not creepy adults.
Since he couldn’t go within 1000ft of where children congregate, how could he have stayed in school in the first place?
Well he should have thought about that before he diddled the girl!!! Pedophile!!!!! /”for the children” bot
I’m sure that because of the continuing harassment of people like Freeman, 17-year-boys and 15-year-old girls are no longer having sex in Michigan.
I apologize. I’ve been blaming the exodus of people from Michigan on the piss poor employment prospects when it’s probably because it’s just getting too hard for high schoolers to get any pussy anymore.
Sex offenders list=scarlet letter.
The fact that they were both in the same grade in high school has no bearing on the case? He was 2 years older but if they were in the same grade they might as well have been the same age.
I don’t know how this is allowed to happen. I also don’t know how any judge could actually impose this sentence.
There has to be someone out there in a position of power who could/would help this young man. There has to be…
DD_838: Not a chance. They’d be handing an argument to political opponents on a silver platter: “John Smith says he cares about you. But he’s fought to preserve the rights of sex offenders that could harm or kill everyone you love! Vote for Michael Jones — the candidate that will protect your rights, not the rights of dangerous sex offenders”
But what of the good that comes from placing people on sex offender lists?
After 10 bodies, search of sex offender’s home to continue
Ok, maybe that’s not the best example. How about
GPS parole monitoring of Phillip Garrido failed
Yeah, that’s not a good example either. But they did catch Matthew Freeman shooting hoops, proving the system works.
GRRRRR!
the people who make these laws care so much about 15 year olds that they pass legislation that can put them in prison for life where they get raped on a regular basis and are 8 times more likely to commit suicide. That’s how much they care. I know, I’m supporting a 15 year old 8th grader who was put in an adult jail and a maximum security prison. But they care alot!
In more “for the children,” I read today that Tiger Wood’s wife is being investigated by child protective services because she put the beat down on Tiger. So
1. Philandering husband who sleeps with a dozen or more women outside his marriage: OK for the kids.
2. Wife who beat husband for cheating on her: dangerous for the kids and must be removed from the children.
//“John Smith says he cares about you. But he’s fought to preserve the rights of sex offenders that could harm or kill everyone you love! Vote for Michael Jones — the candidate that will protect your rights, not the rights of dangerous sex offenders”//
“Fred Jones says he cares about law and order, but he’d rather have the police spend their time busting 17-year-olds who date their fellow students, than going after the dangerous criminals.”
If you think that argument would work better, supercat, you have more faith in the American public than I do.
It was a setup.
When Freeman’s mother went to the police to get the okeydokey from them, they made some notes.
Then they sent the probation officer or whoever it was.
Crystal clear. Police like two things: donuts and low-hanging fruit.
And the moral of the story is — NEVER TALK TO THE POLICE!!!
“1. Philandering husband who sleeps with a dozen or more women outside his marriage: OK for the kids.
2. Wife who beat husband for cheating on her: dangerous for the kids and must be removed from the children.”
I’m actually OK with that line of thinking. Which one used violence? Is she going to go after the kids with a golf club when they piss her off?
Hell no Stephen! I am glad that I married a woman who would wack me with a golf club if she caught me cheating (not that I have). I think that most women, in that situation, might have gone ballistic. I doubt that it is a useful barometer of how she behaves with the kids. They are different universes….like the 17yo who sleeps with his 15yo girlfriend, but is now punished for playing hoops near an elementary school. What relevance is teenage horniness to pedophilia?
i’m with those expressing concern that both were “children”. Is the rule in these cases, there both are technically monors, that the older one gets prosecuted? would that have happened if the older of the two were female? there are soooo many things wrong about this!
Matt, at least the scarlet letter was just about shame. This is jail time. The scarlet letter system would actually be an improvement. Once people see dozens of ‘lettered’ individuals they might begin to realize how vague and useless the laws are.
Does anyone else notice that when you bring stories like this up to people they go “thats not right”, and yet still support the legislation as having good intent? That seems to be the Libertarians Dilemma, getting people to divorce themselves from this notion of what ‘feels right’ or ‘should be’ and realize how the law actually works.
FUCK.
DA.
PO.
LICE!
[...] people in this country, and I say it out loud. I’m really fucking tired of reading these stories: 23-year-old Matthew Freeman is facing a year in jail for violating Michigan’s laws for convicted [...]
America is one messed-up country. Don’t these idiots realize they’re condemning a perfectly upstanding young man to a life of misery? What is the point of any of this????
If I were in Freeman’s shoes and my chance of any kind of acceptable life was essentially over, I can’t imagine what would stop me from getting my hands on a gun and hunting down the people who did this to me. Seriously.
Insanity… period.
And what would Michigan have made of musician Jerry Lee Lewis marrying his 13 year old cousin?
Probably would have executed him.
My way of dealing with the police:
Cop: “Mr. CRNewsom?”
Me: “Yes?”
Cop: “I/We would like to speak with you about something.”
Me: “Do you have a warrant?”
Cop: “No.”
Me: “Have a nice day.”
In the unlikely event they do have a *search* warrant:
Me: “You may search my car/residence once my attorney arrives. Until then, we can sit here and wait silently.”
In my book, this is the ONLY acceptable communication with police. I once had my wallet stolen at the gym. I knew it was one of the kids there. I wouldn’t have called the cops if I found out which one it was, either. There are some things that vigilante justice was meant for.
[...] “Sex Offender Law Nabs Man Shooting Hoops in His Driveway” [Radley Balko, The Agitator] [...]
SJE,
You’re right that neither of the Woods’ conduct seriously merits much more than a check-in with child-protective services (CPS), but Stephen is also right that if eithe rof their conduct does merit more, it’s the wife’s.
As a visitor of this sight I will assume you are a person who loves and values liberty and despises government intrusion into people’s private lives. As such, I would guess you would agree that CPS’s only legitimate role is to protect children from *actual* harm (either current or likely), and not from parents with questionable morals. (That’s actually what CPS-related law says though it is hardly followed.) Only Elin’s conduct can be viewed as a potential threat to the wellfare of these children because violence between parents can be seriously traumatic.
Disclaimer: this of course says nothing as to whether I understand why she did that or whether or not I think Tiger is a giant douche ;)
CRNewsom,
That sounds good but you may want to find out what it is they want to talk to you about. It can only help you to get information from the cops. But yeah, my motto is that if a cop has to ask then you have a right to say no, and you *should* say no, just on principle.
“Can we come inside?” – No
“Can we take a look in your trunk?” – No
“Can you tell us where you work/who else lives here/where you were at [time x]” – I will not
“Why not?” – I have a personal policy of always asserting my rights and not cooperating with government agents any more than I am required under laws consistent with the Bill of Rights.
hopefully Elin doesn’t have HIV/AIDS or any other communicable diseases that might put a damper on her ability to take care of her kids. Maybe that was part of the rage with the golf club.
@SJE,
I would agree, if CPS would actually investigate promiscuous mothers who have live-in boyfriends. It’s been established that such women really badly expose their kids to danger because of the men they bring home.
Of course, if Woods had been faithful to his wife, and found her getting banged by two pool boys at the same time, chased her with a club and whacked her car, the bipartisan lynch mob would have had his head.
Because, you know, it’s ok to harm a man for cheating, but don’t ****ever**** touch a woman, even if she is literally trying to kill you.
Nick T,
Unfortunately, it’s been established many time that there often is a direct correlation between unmarried mothers who sleep around and shack up with the boyfriend-du-jour and their kids getting beaten or molested. What is needed is to empower police and judges to overrule CPS whenever they think they’re out of line, but let’s not kid ourselves. Single parents who shack up with their latest fling also tend to be the sort of people who aren’t exactly good parents to their kids. They’re not you’re run of the mill adult who establishes a secure relationship and then moves in with them.
WHy can’t there be registered White Collar Offenders.
A database.
Mugshot, living quarters, employment etc
I wanna know where, say, Scooter Libby lives, a guy
who outed a CIA agent as retribution during wartime.
Perjury, obstruction, etc tanatmount to treason.
That’s worse than a 17 year old and his 15 year old girlfriend.
#46
I am hearing a lot of assumptions in your argument. Yes clearly *some* single parents make bad choices of romantic involvements and this can be bad for children. But unless you are arguing that any and every single parent who has a set number of paramores over a given period of time should automatically be investigated or have their kids removed, then you are not disagreeing with me. Again, the question is whether what the parent is doing is actuall or is likely to (for reasons other than “Single parents who shack up with their latest fling also tend to be the sort of people who aren’t exactly good parents to their kids) harm the child.
Out of curiousity would you apply the same logic to drug use? “Parents who smoke pot on a regular basis for recreatonal purposes also tend to be the sort of people who aren’t exactly good parents to their kids.” If you are speaking generally enough, that statement can become completely accurate.
Um, sorry, but he was already in the sh– and he committs shoplifting. f— him. he made his bed now lie in it.
@ A.W. And thats why you are a douche and nobody likes you.
Equating shoplifting committed by a high-school dropout to being a dangerous criminal in need of harassment shows that you and logic are definitely drinking in different bars.
#49 how’s the view from your high horse? I’m sure your judgement was spot on when you were 17…
this kid’s had his freedom STOLEN from him for some bullshit technicality (consensual sex with your gf, who happens to be 2 yrs younger, is a bs technicality) and you feel this is justified because of some dumb petty-theft?
I’m guessing your initials stand for ‘ass whole’.
The idea that a mother is putting her child at risk for molestation simply by having multiple boyfriends is a bit much. Living near a big city probably raises their risk of lung cancer, too.
Folks, I’m am certain the world is full of bad characters and children are sometimes the victims of horrendous crimes, but during the 80s and 90s the U.S. went through an epidemic of child sex abuse accusations that were not only false, but so far outside the realm of credibility that the prosecutions themselves should have been considered a crime.
After that phase in our history, I will no longer take at face value any charge of sex abuse without wondering if the accusation is a fabrication by warring parents, ambitious prosecutors, some overly zealous CPS bureaucrat, rebellious children, or adults who have suddenly “recovered” memories of events that happened decades ago. We have Walmart photolab clerks turning parents in and we have laws that require doctors and shool administrators to report bruises. With that much machinery in place to churn out suspicion, you’re going to get a lot of accusations.
If history has taught us anything, its that a mere hint of sex abuse is all it takes to prejudice an entire community (if not the entire country) against someone. The mere accusation will suddenly alienate you from anyone who was ever a friend and people (including juries) will rush to condemn you because there’s no quicker way of proving their own enthusiasm for protecting children.
At the same time, what constitutes sex abuse is becoming ever broader until it now encompasses activities that in the past would have been considered nothing more than harmless mischief.
When it comes to child sex abuse, if there’s anything we don’t need more of it’s paranoia and guilt that common social activities put children at risk for devastating irreparable psychological and physical injury at the hands of child predators who are all around us cleverly disguised as ordinary people.
It’s getting to the point where the war against perverts is creating more victims than the perverts.
#48
You apparently don’t want to even make a value judgment against someone for their personal choices. The sort of women who run through boyfriends like toilet paper, and who are single mothers, tend to bring real shitheads home with them.
This sort of thing between you and I is why I am increasingly disillusioned with the libertarian movement. GOD FORBID that someone not only deny someone their precious validation of their lifestyle, but actually say that it is irresponsible and tends to result in harm to others.
Pot use isn’t even remotely comparable to the other. Hard drug users may be shitty parents, but unless it is PCP, or the parents are having withdrawl, they’re unlikely to be creating a threatening environment for their kids in their own home.
The sort of people who pick up a new fling, bring them home to their kids without much thought are a different case. If you’ve known poor communities or certain types of career-driven people, you know what sort of person I’m talking about as I said there is a difference between them and the average person who meets someone, develops a relationship and carefully brings them into their home with their kids.
While we debate about whether sex offender laws (registration, fake recidivism reports, etc.) are “good” or bad, they get more and more draconian every passing day.
And when you allow government to trample on the God given rights of some fellow citizens, you tacitly allow govco to trample on your rights as well.
It’s been found by the USSC that a law that is obviously ex post facto to anyone not wearing a black robe isn’t ex post facto if the intent by the lawmakers wasn’t to punish.
So all these new restrictions against people (REAL child molesters and REAL sexual offenders) who have already served their time and paid their debt to society which we “good” people don’t personally have to concern ourselves with, will eventually be used to persecute us as well.
[...] The Agitator: 23-year-old Matthew Freeman is facing a year in jail for violating Michigan’s laws for convicted [...]