The tragic story of Justin Berry

[JTD]

How horrible this is

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/04/web.ch ... index.html

CNN is showing his entire congressional testimony right now. It's so emotional. What happened to Justin is just so horrible.

[gtalum]

I don't buy the victim bit. This kid knew what he was doing and decided he'd make a fortune doing it.

[alicia-w]

what a golddigger

[gtalum]

Just to clarify, the adults who partook of his displays were also clearly in the wrong. I just don't buy the victim bit. He should be charged with crimes as well, since much of what he did was illegal for him to do.

IMHO he's playing the victim card so that he stays out of trouble and can make som emor emoney from this whole thing.

I can't believe that even congress has fallen for his bit.

[Janice]

I believe him and it is going on all the time. A major member of the Homeland Secuiity just got arrested for propositioning a 14 year old. I watched the hearings yesterday. The most horrible thing is he reported over a thousand names and only one person was arrested. And they know this is going on the internet all the time and little done. This kid was 13 when he started and was approached by a preditor. We have to protect our children, not blame them. This boy went forward to get help and no one helped him. He had paperwork, names, credit card numbers, etc. A child has to get raped or killed before something gets done or some law goes into affect.

[gtalum]

Sure, the guys who went afte rhim shoul dbe arrested. But IMHO his illegal acts should be punished as well.

He's copping out the victim card to stay out of trouble.

I don't buy his act.

As for the Homeland Security guy, I just can't believe someone is stupid enough to actually admit that they didn't know it was a cop and thought it was really a 14 year old girl.

I mean seriously, what prompts a moron to say "Wow you guys really got me. I thought Officer Fatty "Toothless" McDonutmuncher was really a hot 14 year old girl!"?

[vbhoutex]

Even though I agree with you Janice that WE MUST PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, I do not buy the entire act of Justin Berry. He knew what he was doing was wrong, at least later in the whole scheme of things. He was in it for the money. There is wrong doing on both sides of this one and both sides should face punishnment IMO. And shame on LE for not acting on the proof they do have!!!!

[Janice]

These preditors spend a lot of time getting to know these youngsters before approaching them. They do not approach the kid who has a life, family and friends. They head for the kids with broken homes, no friends and lonely. Just like Manson approached the homeless teens on the streets to brainwash. He made them believe he was a God. And James Jones in Africa. Those were people with no life. He picked those kinds of people. These are what preditors are. No, the smart, normal kid would catch on, but they pick the weak and lonely. And remember, they made him a drug addict right away. You shove drugs in kids at a young age, that says it all.

[gtalum]

Just because he says they made him a drug addict does not make it so.

His story has more holes than swiss cheese. I for one don't buy it.

[GalvestonDuck]

Victim? I don't see where he said he was completely a victim.

Didn't he say sometime yesterday that he knew it was wrong for him to enjoy the attention he got from it?

[MiamiensisWx]

These preditors spend a lot of time getting to know these youngsters before approaching them. They do not approach the kid who has a life, family and friends. They head for the kids with broken homes, no friends and lonely. Just like Manson approached the homeless teens on the streets to brainwash. He made them believe he was a God. And James Jones in Africa. Those were people with no life. He picked those kinds of people. These are what preditors are. No, the smart, normal kid would catch on, but they pick the weak and lonely. And remember, they made him a drug addict right away. You shove drugs in kids at a young age, that says it all.

What defines "smart and normal"? Explain your logic.

[gtalum]

It's also important to remember that this kid was very smart and from a well-off family. He is not some downtrodden stupid kid.

[MiamiensisWx]

It's also important to remember that this kid was very smart and from a well-off family. He is not some downtrodden stupid kid.

EDIT - Thanks for telling me the truth, Janice.

In my opinion, I define "stupid" by a person's actions, NOT by so-called "intelligence".

[Janice]

The smart and normal child is the child who is taught at school and home about these types of preditors. This boy said his mother got protective software for his computer, but him going in a normal Yahoo chatroom is where these preditors go too. But, remember, this child went to Mexico to stay with his father and his father participated in this scheme too, to make money off his son. So, this child was not your normal child. I should maybe have said from a normal environment instead. I should have said WEAK instead of smart or normal. His family was not normal at all.

[Janice]

It's also important to remember that this kid was very smart and from a well-off family. He is not some downtrodden stupid kid.

How can you say that. His father was using him too.

[MiamiensisWx]

The smart and normal child is the child who is taught at school and home about these types of preditors. This boy said his mother got protective software for his computer, but him going in a normal Yahoo chatroom is where these preditors go too. But, remember, this child went to Mexico to stay with his father and his father participated in this scheme too, to make money off his son. So, this child was not your normal child. I should maybe have said from a normal environment instead. I should have said WEAK instead of smart or normal. His family was not normal at all.

Who is really "normal"? Even those kids who are taught about predators are not "normal". Everyone is different and has their own unique abilities (note that I do NOT like what the kid did AT ALL). Your speaking on "normal" kids stinks of prejudice. I'm sorry, I don't want to be mean, but I don't like that type of attitude (especially since I am "cursed" with a "disability").

[Janice]

Well, I apologize, I worded it wrong.


What about the thousands and thousands of young boys who were molested by priests. They had to keep this to themselves all their lives until others came forward.

Nothing in this whole issue has anything to do with disabilities and no one brought that up.

This is an issue that I should probably stay out of now, so I am out of here.

[JTD]

Blame the Victim.

That's what many of you are doing here. I'll write more later when I'm not busy.

Janice, I agree 1000% with you.

[alicia-w]

he isnt a victim if he helped to perpetuate the crime by taking credit card numbers, etc.

[GalvestonDuck]

I agree with Janice and Jason to a large extent.

If we blame Justin, we send a message to other victims (yes, he is a victim in many ways) of those who exploit children -- we tell them to keep their mouths shut and not tell on the perpatrators.

Just because one victim is 13 and should be smart enough (if taught about such things at an early age) not to do those things, that doesn't mean the other victims are that old or smart.

Justin is doing is part to stop what happened to him from happening to others. You can't totally blame him -- he was, in fact, exploited.