Is Craigslist doing enough to keep its users safe? We know about the Craigslist murder but what about all of the other scams occurring on the popular site. Below is the most recent event.
Joseph Brooks the Oscar-winning composer and director behind "You Light Up My Life" raped 11 women he lured to his apartment with the promise of a starring role in a movie, prosecutors said at his arraignment Tuesday.
The women read an online ad placed by the director, Joseph Brooks, applied for the audition, "and thought this was their chance to become a big star," Manhattan prosecutor Lisa Friel said.
Instead, once the women were in Brooks' Manhattan apartment, he plied them with wine and forcibly raped them or used threats and coercive behavior to make them have sex with him, prosecutors said.
District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said Brooks used his Hollywood credentials on the Craigslist classified ads Web site to attract the victims, aged 18 to 30. He said Brooks' ad specified attractive young women for a starring role in a movie.
Morgenthau said nine of the 11 women were from the Portland, Ore., and Seattle areas and the others were from California and Florida. He said Brooks paid to fly 10 of the women, who didn't know each other, to New York.
Craigslist, unfortunately, is about much more than just buying and selling things. There have also been issues with prostitution, child exploitation, stolen property, ID theft, and a number of other crimes. Law enforcement across the country have arrested many people in recent years for Craigslist-related crimes.
However, substantially reducing Craigslist-related crimes may not be possible. however. Federal courts have so far ruled that Web site operators are not liable for what people post on them, and local law enforcement officials say they do not have the resources to constantly monitor Craigslist.
Founded in San Francisco in 1995, Craigslist claims to operate more than 300 sites in 50 states and more than 50 countries. According to organization statistics, Craigslist is now the seventh-most popular English-language Web site in the world, hosting more than 12 million ads viewed by more than 15 million people a month.
Attached is one of the segments I did on CNN regarding Craigslist.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Rihanna, Chris Brown and Domestic Abuse
Note: The first paragraph is an abbreviated version of the Rihanna assault but it’s also a “very graphic” account of Chris Browns assault on Rihanna.
The real deal:
When this vicious assault was first reported I appeared on CNN's "The Nancy Grace" show and had the opportunity to review the search warrant affidavit filed by the Los Angeles Police Department. It was lengthy and rather descriptive. Chris Brown punched, bit, viciously choked Rihanna and threatened to kill her. His punches caused Rihanna’s mouth to fill with blood and splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle. Rihanna attempted to text her personal assistant. Brown threw Rihanna’s cell phone out of the vehicle. Brown pulled Rihanna close and he bit her on her left ear. Rihanna saw that Brown’s cell phone was on his lap. She picked it up and she was placed in a headlock by Brown with his bicep and forearm applying pressure to Rihanna’s left and right carotid arteries causing her to be unable to breathe and she began to lose consciousness. She reached up her left hand and attempted to gouge his eyes in an attempt to free herself. Brown bit her left ring and middle fingers and he released her. Brown continued to punch her and she put her back against the door, brought her knees to her chest and began to kick him (a technique taught in my "Fight Like A Girl" program). Brown continued to punch Rihanna about the feet and legs. Rihanna began screaming and Brown exited the vehicle.
The case disposition:
Chris Brown pled guilty to one count of felony assault against Rihanna today.
As part of his plea bargain, he was given five years probation and 180 days of community labor in Virginia.
According to court records, he must obey a protective order and a stay-away order, which requires him to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna, who did not testify but did appear in court.
Brown's attorney Mark Geragos addressed the media afterwards stating: "This is a kid who has never been in trouble before. He embraces this as a chance to get the message out that domestic violence will not be tolerated. He wants to get his life back on track."
Conclusion:
When we look at the dynamic of the assault we see that the “choke’ is a rage move. In a domestic or social situation anytime someone places his hands around your neck he/she is intent on causing you serious physical injury and or death. You don’t plan to choke someone but rather it’s an emotional response brought about by an extremely emotional interaction with another person.
The sad fact of this case is that Chris Brown's probation and community service sentence is a typical disposition for a first time batterer, despite the violence involved in this case. Will he publically apologize for punching Rihanna in the face, choking her, and biting her, or will it all be forgotten in time and will he as his attorney suggested “get the message out that domestic violence will not be tolerated. Only time will tell.
Battered Women’s Syndrome:
I will write more on this subject later but history tells us that it is unlikely that this is the first time Chris Brown acted out in this manner and just as unlikely that this was the first time that Rihanna experienced similar behavior from Brown.
When this vicious assault was first reported I appeared on CNN's "The Nancy Grace" show and had the opportunity to review the search warrant affidavit filed by the Los Angeles Police Department. It was lengthy and rather descriptive. Chris Brown punched, bit, viciously choked Rihanna and threatened to kill her. His punches caused Rihanna’s mouth to fill with blood and splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle. Rihanna attempted to text her personal assistant. Brown threw Rihanna’s cell phone out of the vehicle. Brown pulled Rihanna close and he bit her on her left ear. Rihanna saw that Brown’s cell phone was on his lap. She picked it up and she was placed in a headlock by Brown with his bicep and forearm applying pressure to Rihanna’s left and right carotid arteries causing her to be unable to breathe and she began to lose consciousness. She reached up her left hand and attempted to gouge his eyes in an attempt to free herself. Brown bit her left ring and middle fingers and he released her. Brown continued to punch her and she put her back against the door, brought her knees to her chest and began to kick him (a technique taught in my "Fight Like A Girl" program). Brown continued to punch Rihanna about the feet and legs. Rihanna began screaming and Brown exited the vehicle.
The case disposition:
Chris Brown pled guilty to one count of felony assault against Rihanna today.
As part of his plea bargain, he was given five years probation and 180 days of community labor in Virginia.
According to court records, he must obey a protective order and a stay-away order, which requires him to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna, who did not testify but did appear in court.
Brown's attorney Mark Geragos addressed the media afterwards stating: "This is a kid who has never been in trouble before. He embraces this as a chance to get the message out that domestic violence will not be tolerated. He wants to get his life back on track."
Conclusion:
When we look at the dynamic of the assault we see that the “choke’ is a rage move. In a domestic or social situation anytime someone places his hands around your neck he/she is intent on causing you serious physical injury and or death. You don’t plan to choke someone but rather it’s an emotional response brought about by an extremely emotional interaction with another person.
The sad fact of this case is that Chris Brown's probation and community service sentence is a typical disposition for a first time batterer, despite the violence involved in this case. Will he publically apologize for punching Rihanna in the face, choking her, and biting her, or will it all be forgotten in time and will he as his attorney suggested “get the message out that domestic violence will not be tolerated. Only time will tell.
Battered Women’s Syndrome:
I will write more on this subject later but history tells us that it is unlikely that this is the first time Chris Brown acted out in this manner and just as unlikely that this was the first time that Rihanna experienced similar behavior from Brown.
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