John Grisham calls for lighter sentencing of some convicted sex offenders
John Grisham calls for lighter sentencing of some convicted sex offenders
Grisham: Child porn consumers not as bad as sex predators
In a controversial interview, author John Grisham called for lighter sentences for some people convicted of sex offenses.
While speaking with The Telegraph , the best-selling author of "The Firm" and "A Time To Kill" explained his viewpoint, stating that he has, no sympathy for real pedophiles God, please lock those people up. But many of these guys do not deserve harsh prison sentences.
The cause is a personal one for Grisham, as he explained a friend of his was sentenced to three years in jail after being nabbed in a child porn sting by the Canadian Royal Mounted Police.
"It happened to a lawyer friend of mine, a good buddy from law school. They haven't hurt anyone. They deserve some type of punishment, whatever, but 10 years in prison?
"We've got prisons now filled with guys my age, 60-year-old white men, in prison, who have never harmed anyone, he said. Who would never touch a child, but they got online one night, started surfing around, probably had too much to drink whatever and pushed the wrong buttons, and went too far and went into child porn or whatever.
He said there are too many such sex offenders who are locked up.
"And there is so many of them now. There is so many sex offenders is what they are called that they put them in the same prison. Like they are a bunch of perverts or something. Thousands of them. We've gone nuts with this incarceration, he declared.
Many bashed the authors statements on social media. Some declared they would no longer be buying his legal thrillers, while others picked apart his points.
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"It happened to a lawyer friend of mine, a good buddy from law school. They haven't hurt anyone. They deserve some type of punishment, whatever, but 10 years in prison?
I'll still read his books.
I have read all his books - as a retired lawyer and Law Professor I find his stories fascinating and compelling. Once you start to read one of his books, you can't put it down, or at least I couldn't.
However, I guess he must have needed good editors and proofreaders:
"And there is are so many of them now. There is are so many sex offenders is what they are called that they put them in the same prison."
There, fixed it for him.
"Who would never touch a child, but they got online one night, started surfing around, probably had too much to drink whatever and pushed the wrong buttons, and went too far and went into child porn or whatever."....Like we've never heard that excuse before. Its like listening to the child predators on "To catch a predator" say I came over to warn the kid about the trouble they could be getting into. Yeah right...they all say that when caught. They even say I would never touch a child, while being caught with alcohol and condoms with them....
I have yet to EVER accidently find a child porn site. Not that I have ever looked for one.
Life is simple, If you CAN'T DO the TIME DON'T DO THE CRIME......
as for "just looking not hurting anyone"...tell that to the kids being forced to preform in the child porn videos.....
"So, do you ask the women (or men) on the porn sites that you visit if they are doing what they're doing of their own free will before or after you lube up?" totally uncalled for comment
"If you had looked for one,..." I have NO desire, NEED or interest in looking for one.
My point was and IS that child porn is illegal and therefore NOT readily available on the INTERNET. To find it you have to KNOW what you are looking for....
The full statement reads: Anyone who harms a child for profit or pleasure, or who in any way participates in child pornographyonline or otherwiseshould be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
My comments made two days ago during an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph were in no way intended to show sympathy for those convicted of sex crimes, especially the sexual molestation of children. I can think of nothing more despicable.
I regret having made these comments, and apologize to all. " - Source
"Look up the stats for human trafficking. Look at how many are women sold into the sex business.
Can you tell if they are willing or unwilling just by looking at them?" Do you ever engage your brain before putting your mouth into gear? Lets look at what you just said. "...Women SOLD into the sex business" Are you saying that there are women who are willingly SOLD into the sex trade business. If that's true then I say you would also think that not all SLAVES (African Americans) are NOT victims of the slave traders as some may very well have had themselves SOLD into the slave business willingly.....
My original comment said kids being forced, ..So are you telling us you know of kids that are willng to do child porn willingly....
"So, how would you know that if you have never looked for one?" Again you need to engage your brain before putting your mouth into gear....The fact that I have never been to or seen a child porn site on purpose or accidently is proof enough for me to know that they are not readily available. Its called deductive reasoning skills....
"BTW. You never answered my question. Why is that, I wonder?" just exactly what part of "totally uncalled for comment" did you NOT UNDERSTAND?
Comment removed for COC "inflamatory" "Sixpick" You did say "but 10 years for looking is stupid..." meaning its OK to just look but 10 years is just too much of a penalty....
You can defend child porn all you want,..It makes me sick,..and I'm done....
JWC,,..if all you want to do is throw insults at each other, lets take it to HD where there are no rule and I don't have to worry about hurting your feelings,...otherwise just grow up....
Often times, laws don't differentiate between the child porn service providers and the child porn service utilizers. Neither one can exist without the other, and they are both extended-stay prison-worthy.
As for the excuses that Mr. Grisham provided as an explanation for his view thatthe punishmentwas too harsh for the crime, I was immediately reminded of Chester Stiles . Chester was full of excuses, as well, and hedirected his disappointmentin his21 life sentencesto the judge in his case:
Did I mention thatthis particularvictim was 2-years-old? Mr. Stilesvaginally and anally raped a 2-year-oldbaby girland filmed himself while he did it. He was also charged and convicted of raping a 6-year-old,possessingchild porn, intent to distribute child porn, and quite the laundry list of other despicable offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children under the age of 10. After all that,he still refused to take responsibility for his crimes. He even used the old 'I was abused as a kid'excuse.
For the record, I've read and enjoyed Mr. Grisham's books for years.But apology or no apology, I think it will be difficultnotto takehis original stanceinto consideration when I am contemplating a future book purchase.
And this:
...makes me want to vomit. Someone needs totell him that'sex offender'is the politically correct term for 'pervert'. They might sound different, but the meaning is the same.
AMEN !!
""Throwing insults?" Is that what you call dragging your hypocrisy out into the light and exposing you for what you are?" really? you say "So, do you ask the women (or men) on the porn sites that you visit if they are doing what they're doing of their own free will before or after you lube up?" which is something you made up unless of course you can show where I said I watch porn or even talk to the porn stars....
Then you say "All it proves is that you must have looked for one to KNOW that they aren't readily available..." again REALLY,...I don't have to look for or even try to buy a '71 Cuda hemi convertible to know there were only 11 of them ever made making them NOT readily available.
then you say "Yeah, that's what I thought. No wonder your spelling is so bad. You're typing with one hand! You won't answer because you're an uptight, sexually repressed hypocrite" I now have to ask do you even know what Hypocrite or hypocrisy means?
"I'll decline your silly invitation." probably a good thing for you....
To all of those who were vehemently against what Grisham said , have you ever looked at porn online ? If you have your computer may have picked up an illegal thumbnail without your knowledge . If the law gets a hold of your computer they can charge you with a sex crime even though you had no idea the picture was there .
Most states will still throw the book at you . I only know of one state that has invalidated such frivolous prosecutions .