NC Supreme Court Liberal Majority Handcuffs Law Enforcement and Empowers Child Predators
June 9, 2020
For Immediate Release
For Immediate Release
Raleigh NC- In yet another in a series of out of touch decisions this past Friday, the radical liberal majority on the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed a jury’s guilty verdict of a 52-year-old man who sought to have a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old boy.
Though the facts were clear that the defendant believed he was talking to a 15-year-old boy and continued to pursue him after learning of his age in a child pedophile sting operation set up by Lincolnton police, the leftwing majority vacated the verdict ignoring previous case law on entrapment. As Justice Newby rightly notes in his dissent, the defendant continued to pursue someone who claimed to be underage, sent graphic text messages, and even drove to meet this person in hopes of engaging in those acts. The liberal majority seemingly ignored his actions and clear intent to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Though the facts were clear that the defendant believed he was talking to a 15-year-old boy and continued to pursue him after learning of his age in a child pedophile sting operation set up by Lincolnton police, the leftwing majority vacated the verdict ignoring previous case law on entrapment. As Justice Newby rightly notes in his dissent, the defendant continued to pursue someone who claimed to be underage, sent graphic text messages, and even drove to meet this person in hopes of engaging in those acts. The liberal majority seemingly ignored his actions and clear intent to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Beyond the new life, the court gave to the formerly convicted pedophile, this decision in State v. Keller sets a dangerous precedent for law enforcement’s ability to capture child predators in the future. One of the most well-known methods that law enforcement utilizes to identify and catch child predators is to pose as a minor in internet forums. Now the leftwing supermajority on the state supreme court has sent a message to North Carolina law enforcement that this practice may be considered legal entrapment.
“The radical liberal majority on the North Carolina Supreme Court continues to side with criminals over victims,” said NCGOP Press Secretary Tim Wigginton. “The decision in State V. Keller wrongly puts sex offenders over victims because they unnecessarily broaden the entrapment defense to situations where the defendant can knowingly pursue minors for sex, but then score a not guilty verdict by claiming the police forced them too. Thankfully, North Carolina voters have a chance to register their own verdict on three of these extremists judges in November."