Validity of Murphy predator stings under scrutiny

Validity of Murphy predator stings under scrutiny

By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA-TV

The town of Murphy in Collin County became big news last fall after it was the location for a highly publicized sting designed to catch sexual predators, which became the subject of two NBC To Catch a Predator shows. The sting was also behind the suicide of an assistant Kaufman County district attorney.

However, information has arisen that indicates that after the television crews left, little happened to the alleged sexual predators.

While there were 24 arrests, not one case has gone to court. Reports also reveal that the legality of the sting was questioned before it went down, and that a key search warrant was invalid.

The news has led critics, inside and outside the legal system, to ask whether the sting was about law enforcement or making a TV show.

Full Story Here:
Validity of Murphy predator stings under scrutiny

This sting went down in November of last year and many of you may remember it for the national notoriety it generated when a Kaufman County D.A. committed suicide amid the sex sting as he was about to be arrested, that story is HERE

News 8 here in Dallas has one of the best investigative reporters in the business in the person of Mr. Byron Harris, he is great at what he does and I have used a couple of his stories in the past…

I also know that we have some folks that read here that are connected to sites dedicated to taking down the pervs and pedophiles and that’s the reason I am posting this story, to let you guys know that in MY opinion, some folks aren’t necessarily doing the good deed they would like to have folks believe they are…

Read the story and make up your own minds, but in MY mind it looks more like NBC and Dateline may be interested in a reality program more than they are in doing full justice, there have been too many glitches in this operation for my taste, but those that know me also know how I plan out my actions and stories before I post them too…

As a law enforcement effort, the operation had minimal results. Few of the alleged predators came from Murphy, and Murphy police officers who were involved said evidence was poorly gathered and paperwork botched.

The information comes after Murphy police were pre-warned against the project.

And that part of the story speaks volumes, as I said, you decide for yourselves, but just remember this, ratings make the TV world go ’round, and Dateline has been cleaning up with this thing, but as in the case of the sting in Murphy, if nothing has been accomplished, if no perverts have been prosecuted and put in jail, the ball was dropped and that is a travesty…

Kudos to Mr. Byron Harris for this story, Byron, you are definitely one of the best…

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13 Responses to Validity of Murphy predator stings under scrutiny

  1. Joe Citizen says:

    Fred- There is something seriously wrong with these television guys turning the business of catching perverts into entertainment - and that is exactly what these shows are.

    Since the “To Catch a Predator” series started airing on TV, the sheriff here has been including media types on his sting operations too, and of course the news folks eat that stuff up. What they fail to realize is that all of the exposer has tipped off the criminals, and now they have trouble getting any of the pervs to even take the bait.

    I wish the media would let the cops focus on catching the bad guys, and save their video for the courtroom.

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  3. chicagoray says:

    Joe: “Fred- There is something seriously wrong with these television guys turning the business of catching perverts into entertainment - and that is exactly what these shows are.”

    Fred: if no perverts have been prosecuted and put in jail, the ball was dropped and that is a travesty…

    Well said Joe and Fred, good post and as well and your comments there precisely cover it in a nutshell. Turning perversion into nighttime tv at NBC that gives the casual viewers the impression that all involved are doing something useful for society is another MSM illusion.

    Just as is this present flap over Miss America and her involvement in this similar type internet sting operation. WTF did they need her around for to accomplish this other than the massive pub it generated. Discredits the whole thing in my eyes.

  4. Bull says:

    This is yet another item of proof that we are, once again, getting to the point of needing the citizens to form Committees of Vigilance to deal with these perverts.

    Local, State, and Federal law enforcement and justices do nothing to stop these creatures. Hell, schools do a better job, and that is a terrible insult to L.E.!

    I’ve made it my personal business to inform each and every person with a record of sexual based offenses in my zip code that to be seen on my property, or speaking to my children is reason enough for me to institute the Castle Doctrine.

    After all, Great Danes and Reticulated Pythons have got to eat same as worms.

  5. TexasFred says:

    Castle Doctrine refers to a legal concept derived from English Common Law as it is presently applied in sections of the United States of America. It designates one’s home (or any place legally occupied, such as one’s car or place of work) as a place in which one enjoys protections from both prying and violent attack. In the United States, laws informally referred to as ‘castle laws’ can sometimes impose an obligation to retreat before using force to defend oneself. The Castle Doctrine provides for an exception to this duty. Provided one is attacked in their own home, vehicle, or place of business, in jurisdictions where ‘castle laws’ are in force, one may stand their ground against an assailant without fear of prosecution.

    Castle Doctrine

    For those that may not be familiar with the terminology… And in Texas, we DO acknowledge the Castle Doctrine…

  6. Sues says:

    First of all, Perverted Justice has a 100% conviction rate. They can boast this stat for a reason.

    The citizens of Murhpy TX who didn’t want the sting to go down made comments like, “They’re solving a problem we don’t have,” and were upset that the predators came from outside Murphy to disrupt their neighborhood.

    What they just don’t get is that it IS a problem that Murphy has. What if that had been a real kid that was solicited online at that house. All 24 of those arrests were made because predators came to a house to have sex with a young girl. period. They drove to Murphy, TX to do it too.

    “if nothing has been accomplished, if no perverts have been prosecuted and put in jail…”

    I don’t know about that. I have not heard anything in the news about lack of evidence or the inability to prosecute these men. But if it is the case, then it’s a horrible shame.

    I’m sick and tired of people complaining that Perverted Justice is vigilantes entraping poor innocent men online. Bullshit. Get a grip and wake up. These monsters want your children, and they are willing to drive to places like Murphy, TX to get a hold of them.

  7. TexasFred says:

    Sue, the story is there, I didn’t write it, Byron Harris did, and I have a link there that can be used to contact him if you think there’s some discrepancies… I am not blasting PJ, but the facts speak for themselves, 24 arrests and no one is in jail… Someone messed up…

    And after having re-read this story, I don’t think Byron Harris was being critical of PJ, they were doing their job, to the best of their ability, but if there was botched paperwork and poorly gathered evidence, someone, and I am not saying WHO, but someone dropped the ball…

    And now they don’t have that 100% conviction rate you spoke of, and that’s a shame too…

    Would you by chance have a link to something that references their conviction rate?? That would be a great find I think…

    I know Sue is VERY passionate about this and sincere in her deeds folks… Give em hell Sue, we’ll get this thing worked out, and maybe this will be the ‘wakeup call’ for PJ and their involvement with TV and reality shows…

  8. Ranando says:

    I thought that when they started arresting people for just driving by, PJ was going to start having problems.

    Don’t you have to commit a crime before you can be arrested?

    I have watched Dateline and PJ many times and I always wondered how they can arrest someone for showing up after being invited and no crime taking place.

  9. TexasFred says:

    Ranando, the crime is committed when the perv is told that the person they are chatting with is a minor…

    That’s ALL it takes, it’s called INTENT, and by continuing to chat with the underage person, and to have explicit chat and pictures sent, THAT is a crime, and intent is definitely implied when you roll up to the house, even if you don’t go in…

    There’s a lot of local law involved too, and someone really has dropped the ball on this one but the legality of the arrests isn’t the problem…

    Personally, if PJ was run by me, I’d bait the pervs in and then the son of a bitch would go missing, I hate pervs, and anyone that would prey on a child is the most vile excuse for humanity walking the earth…

    And BTW, PJ hasn’t arrested anyone, they work in conjunction with the local PD’s involved and provide them with the chat logs and any other evidence they can come up with, Dateline was doing the video of the Op’s and making a reality show of it…

  10. Ranando says:

    I stand corrected and you make good points, INTENT.

    I never thought of the phone calls with minors.

  11. TexasFred says:

    I’m really pretty smart…

    I just play a dumbass on the blog…

  12. Basti says:

    I told my wife when this all 1st went down that I questioned the legality of the whole thing and I thought it was all done in the ‘spirit of a reality show’. If private citizens are going to do vigilante justice, then get a rope + pick-up + tree + pervert. (Some assembly required. Directions for assembly can be found on the Internet)

  13. Sues says:

    Sorry Fred, I didn’t mean to make it sound as if you or Byron Harris were blasting PJ. I meant to direct it at the citizens of Murhpy at the time of the sting. There was so much controversy over it at the time that it was literally out of hand.

    I’ll let you know if I have a link to the 100% conviction rate, but anyone can join PJ’s forums and see all the info for themselves. There is also a ton of info on their home page with immediate access.

    You are exactly right Fred when you say the intent to meet is all they needed to arrest these guys in Murphy. Each state is different, and in Texas the perv does not have to go to meet. All the police need to do is have a location (like they did with the DA who committed suicide) and then they can go and arrest them. Yes, it makes for more dramatic television footage, BUT, it also shows how blatantly aggressive these predators are.

    This is an ugly topic and it is real and in your face. These are predators. They are calculating, manipulative, deceptive, and very patient when it comes to acquiring their goal. Make no mistake about it, their goal is to rape your children.