Another Blackeye for Craigslist

[BewareofNick]

Thanks Coop. Glad to be back. It's been a LONG time.

 

Certainly, I have no idea whether Weber knew his date was 16 or not. Just looking at the pictures I've seen, he could easily pass for older, so I'll give you that.

 

However, I do not believe that Craigslist bears any responsibility whatsoever. This is from the "men seeking men" page:

*********

Unless all of the following points are true, please use your "back" button to exit this part of craigslist:

 

1. I am at least 18 years old.

 

2. I understand "men seeking men" may include adult content.

 

3. I agree to flag as "prohibited" anything illegal or in violation of the craigslist terms of use.

 

4. I agree to report suspected exploitation of minors to the appropriate authorities.

 

5. By clicking on the links below, I release craigslist from any liability that may arise from my use of this site.

********

 

Basically, Craigslist is saying enter at your own risk. How can CL possibly know that someone is under 18? How can they know if someone has bad intent towards someone else? Anything can happen to any of us any day. What happens if we step off a busy street and get hit by a bus and killed? Should the city have posted warnings about the possibility of getting hit by a bus? Should the bus company have posted warning signs?

 

As i said, I think its terrible what happened, but Weber should have vetted his date a little more thoroughly.

[AdamSmith]

Ironically, Herb Moses is also the name of the guy who lived with Congressman Barney Frank all those years ago.

 

Minor footnote to clarify: Herb Moses was Barney's first open boyfriend, following the scandal over one Steve Gobie escorting out of (or, rather, in) Barney's home.

[Cooper]

Who's to blame?

 

Basically, Craigslist is saying enter at your own risk...

 

BON, Either way, if this case does go to court it will be interesting to see if Craigslist is called in to testify or supply evidence, however, I think the boy will opt for an insanity plea.

 

As for the CL rules, who enforces them? Do they have monitors? I see their option to "flag" a post (and many are removed) but other than that, who's supposed to monitor this site?

 

Regarding your comment about "enter at your own risk", I don't think that will hold up in court of law. When I was a teenager, I went horseback riding. There was a sign posted "ride at your own risk". Well, my horse got spooked and I went flying. My collarbone was fractured and the stables settled out of court. Personal injuries occurring on your property, regardless of what the sign reads, are still the owner's responsibility, at least that's what the lawyer said. ... Not that this has any bearing on this tragic case, but I'm just wondering if posting rules that aren't enforced by the administrators can be used against Craigslist.

 

Personally, I've had much success with finding matches on cl and would hate to see anything change, however, I've seen a big drop in ads that would attract my interest.

 

Coop

[BewareofNick]

Regarding your comment about "enter at your own risk", I don't think that will hold up in court of law. When I was a teenager, I went horseback riding. There was a sign posted "ride at your own risk". Well, my horse got spooked and I went flying. My collarbone was fractured and the stables settled out of court. Personal injuries occurring on your property, regardless of what the sign reads, are still the owner's responsibility, at least that's what the lawyer said.

 

Personal injuries are not always the responsibility of the property owner. If it can be shown that the person was acting in an irresponsible manner or that the person brought about the injury through their own actions, the owner may not be held liable. In your case, you had a better lawyer than the property owner and they could not show that the horse being spooked was your fault.

 

Also, in this case, the crime did not occur on Craigslist's property.

 

You could argue that Craigslist facilitates meetings in the same way that David Forest's "Meet the Stars" program works, except Craigslist is not requiring a fee to be paid. If a client and a star agree to have sex for a fee (not saying that occurs, mind you), is Mr. Forest guilty of anything? So far, it would seem not. Would Rentboy be culpable if an escort murdered a client or a client murdered an escort?

[Cooper]

Cash Offers Only

 

Suspect John Katehis is now at Bellview Hospital undergoing psychological testing for the murder of George Weber. Katehis, 16 yo, is being charge as an adult with 2nd degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon... During an interview when Katehis was asked to tell his side of the story, he shouted out, "Cash offers only" and was removed from the visiting room by hospital staff.

 

http://froggypic.com/image/04/e460e1eae083ec510b01aabe44061954.jpg

 

John Katehis arrested and charged with murder.

[BewareofNick]

Here's another Craigslist murder:

 

SHAKOPEE, Minn. — A man convicted of murdering a woman he had lured to his home with an online baby-sitting ad was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the chance of parole.

 

The sentence was mandatory for 20-year-old Michael John Anderson, who was convicted Tuesday of first-degree premeditated murder and other charges in the October 2007 shooting death of Katherine Ann Olson, 24.

 

"Mr. Anderson is not just a murderer — he's a thief of the future of our family's joy," said the Rev. Rolf Olson, the victim's father. "He needs to be prevented from inflicting evil on anybody else's life ever again."

 

The Lutheran pastor said he believes God will help him to forgive Anderson, but "in this situation, I don't sense that there is any hurry."

 

Prosecutors said during the weeklong trial that Anderson, of Savage, ran a phony ad on the Craigslist classified-ad Web site in order to lure a woman to his home so he might experience what it felt like to kill.

 

The defense argued that the shooting was accidental. Anderson's lead attorney, Alan Margoles, said he plans an appeal because he wasn't allowed to present evidence that Anderson has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

 

Anderson declined to comment during or after the sentencing. Margoles conveyed on Anderson's behalf his "deepest regrets for his actions."

 

"Why did you do this? You are the only one who knows and I won't pretend to understand it," Scott County District Judge Mary Theisen said from the bench. She added that Anderson was a "coward" when he shot Olson — who Theisen believed was "running for her life."

 

"You have shown no remorse and I have no empathy for you," Theisen said before handing down the life sentence. She also ordered Anderson to pay restitution of $6,500 from his prison wages to reimburse Olson's family for her funeral expenses.

 

Sarah Richter, Olson's older sister, said her sleep is interrupted nightly by horrible images from the murder.

 

"I'm haunted by Anderson's face, by Katherine's screams, the gun, her body in the trunk and now, the real bloody images of my sister," she said. "When will I sleep again?"

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6354497.html

 

 

Doesn't appear that CL was held liable in any way.

[+ glutes]

What a boob. Don't use CL!

 

San Jose police Officer Patrick D'Arrigo pleaded not guilty Friday morning to charges he engaged in unlawful sexual activity with two teenage boys.

D'Arrigo and his attorney, Brian Madden, walked quickly away from the courtroom after the arraignment. Neither would comment.

D'Arrigo, 44, who has been placed on paid administrative leave, could face up to three years, eight months in prison, if convicted. He was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday and arrested later the same day.

Prosecutor Stuart Scott said based on evidence -- including computers and flash drives seized from the veteran police officer's Gilroy home -- there is a "strong possibility" there may be other victims in addition to the 15-year-old boy and 17-year-old boy.

Asked if anyone else had contacted law enforcement about D'Arrigo after the widespread publicity about his arrest, Scott said: "no comment."

D'Arrigo did not meet either boy through his police work, Scott said. He was a campus police officer at Leland High School from 1997 to 2007.

D'Arrigo responded to a "dating" ad that one of the boys had placed on Craigslist, according to Scott. While the ad indicated the boy was 18 years old, Scott said there is evidence D'Arrigo knew both boys were underage South County high school students.

D'Arrigo provided alcohol and partied with both boys, engaging in sex acts, according to Scott. The veteran San Jose police officer gave one of the boys a $300 iPod and both of them gift cards, the prosecutor said.

D'Arrigo's next court date is Sept. 15

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18813938

[jjkrkwood]

Craigs List has become a joke. They say CL is the only site where you can really MEETUP with people, but then they Kill you.....

[leigh.bess.toad]

Craigs List has become a joke. They say CL is the only site where you can really MEETUP with people, but then they Kill you.....

 

I can't complain about CL. It was where I met my bf.

[Samai139]

I may get blasted for this, but.....looking at the photos of the young man who killed George Weber which appeared on youtube, I am wondering if Weber had had access to them before he contacted the kid. If he did, what was he thinking? A young man, no matter how attractive, flashing a collection of knives??? Then you ask him to your apartment for "rough sex?" To me it sounds like a prescription for disaster---knives+rough sex+young male????

It's sad that Weber was murdered but I believe the ultimate responsibility for this is his----he took way too many chances and paid the ultimate price.

[orbital sander]

Craigslist..whats that:confused:

[Michael Wayne]

craigslist is like anything else that becomes big and wildly successful: with the GOOD, comes the BAD. I have met dozens and dozens of EXCELLENT clients from cl who would NEVER be caught dead on r.b. or m.4.r.n. ............................lately, though, in the last 6 months I would say that cl could be accurately renamed, "CHEAPSLIST." Increasingly in the escort (callboy) business there are two very distinct leagues developing: rb m4rn and rm are the big leagues (major leagues) and cl, backpage adam 4 adam and many others constitute little leauge or more nicely the MINOR leagues. Now a minor league game is cheaper for sure , more convienient, no hassle and more fan friendly but USUALLY the level of play is inferior and the players inferior. That is just the fact. In this economy most clients are going to the minors and most escorts who are truthful are heading there too. When I started in this biz I was totally broke so I understand and I fault no escort for charging whatever he needs to to eat and pay rent. $60-$100 calls are now very common all over the country and alot of clients are flat out refusing to pay 150-300 no matter who you are.I do not blame any client for seeking a deal but I will say this: FOR MANY LEADING ESCORTS THE QUICKEST WAY TO TURN HIM OFF IS TO ASK FOR A DISCOUNT. MONEY GETS OUR DICK HARD OR MAKE OUR ASS WANT YOUR COCK. I am only speaking for myself now but a beer belly or a bald head or a small dick or a older guy does not turn me off. I actually LOVE my older clients and enjoy older guys. But when a guy tries to make a deal it immediately turns me off. That is why I post my rates and don't do the , "rates vary, " thing. I am not judging any escort who does that. We all have our own ways and no one is wrong or right here. The clients are colluding to drive down the rates. Some of the top guys on this forum and on rb and m4rn are holding out but how long can they afford to hold out?????? THE RATE WARS HAVE BEGUN. We shall see great attrition and survival of the fittest.