-_Hi, Im Chris Hanson..._- v. Show might be done!

[kingtre]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A $100 million lawsuit claiming that NBC prompted the suicide of a former Texas prosecutor who was caught up in its popular sting series "To Catch a Predator" is moving ahead after a ruling by a U.S. federal judge on Tuesday. Louis Conradt, a 56-year-old assistant district attorney, shot himself in November 2006 after he was confronted at his Terrell, Texas, home by police officers. They were accompanied by an NBC news crew that was there to film his arrest.


"To Catch a Predator," a segment of NBC's "Dateline" newsmagazine program, lures men to a house with hidden cameras in the belief that they are about to have sexual relations with underage girls or boys. There, they are confronted by the program's host and promptly arrested. In Conradt's case, he was expecting to meet up with a 13-year-old boy.


Critics of the show say it is a form of entrapment, and they have questioned NBC's partnership on the series with an online vigilante group called Perverted-Justice.


Conradt's sister, Patricia Conradt, sued the network, saying "Dateline" was responsible for his death and the harm to his reputation. She grew up in the house where Conradt committed suicide.


U.S. District Judge Denny Chin, while dismissing some causes of action, said certain key claims in the complaint can proceed to trial, according to a 40-page ruling.


Chin let the case go forward on claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of civil rights, saying if the allegations were proven, "a reasonable jury could find that NBC crossed the line from responsible journalism to irresponsible and reckless intrusion into law enforcement."
"Rather than merely report on law enforcement's efforts to combat crime, NBC purportedly instigated and then placed itself squarely in the middle of a police operation," the opinion read, "pushing the police to engage in tactics that were unnecessary and unwise, solely to generate more dramatic footage for a television show."


A spokeswoman for NBC, which is majority-owned by General Electric Co, said the company will continue to defend itself vigorously.


"We think the evidence will ultimately show that 'Dateline' acted responsibly and lawfully," spokeswoman Jenny Tartikoff said in an e-mailed statement. "The judge's ruling was based solely on the plaintiff's version of the facts. For purposes of this motion only, the judge was required, under the law, to accept the plaintiff's allegations as true."


NBC had argued that it owed Conradt no duty to protect him from suicide, according to the ruling.
I have no feeling of sorrow for these dudes so I hope they lose and the show continues...i mean its a wack situation but they aren't forcedinto it....they go out and look for it-

 

[akf0dy7]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

I have no feeling of sorrow for these dudes

Real *#%+!$ talk.

What if one of these kids he was molesting grows up and takes their own life?

There won't be any multi-million dollar lawsuits then...

Dude one'd himself because he got exposed for what he was and felt embarrassed...Not because he was sorry or guilty.

Imagine living your life and everybody knowing you're a sexual deviant...After you've built up this facade of being a regular, stand up guy...

The pressure had to have been crazy.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[akf0dy7]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

I have no feeling of sorrow for these dudes

Real *#%+!$ talk.

What if one of these kids he was molesting grows up and takes their own life?

There won't be any multi-million dollar lawsuits then...

Dude one'd himself because he got exposed for what he was and felt embarrassed...Not because he was sorry or guilty.

Imagine living your life and everybody knowing you're a sexual deviant...After you've built up this facade of being a regular, stand up guy...

The pressure had to have been crazy.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[lazyj10]

'Tre took the exact words out of my mouth. A guy who I feel was more guilty than not offed himself, but yet, since it's America, gotta put the blame onsomeone and sue.

 

[ghenges]

What if one of these kids he was molesting grows up and takes their own life?
That has happened several times to kids who were molested by Catholic priests. Same priests that the Catholic church paid MILLIONS to thefamilies of the victims to protect

 

[swendro]

did anyone NOT expect someone featured on NATIONAL TELEVISION for being a child predator to kill themselves?

 

[starbucks gtd]

man hell no

 

[chickhien]

^killing themselves is such a cop out. you prey on children, you get all the shame you deserve.

 

[supermanblue79]

These are grown men that know the difference between right and wrong.
When you make a decision to do wrong, you are responsible for any consequences that follow including the cameras, the interview, police force, and anythingelse that's a result of that decision.

As a father, I like the show to continue to protect children against these pedos.

 

[shuhbonkboo]

I hope the show continues.

 

[RyGuy45]

This woman won't have the public's support and faces an uphill climb to say the least.

Dateline was not "responsible" for his death and to claim so is laughable IMO. You can argue NBC's role in some things....but you cannot arguefor NBC being the responsible party in his death. They did not provide the gun and they did not do the shooting. ANd lastly they did not moleste young kidswhich led to the remorse which led to the shooting. Note how she is strictly suing NBC and not the police force or anyone else....gee I wonder if that'sbecause they are the money maker.

It's sad that we have to use TV as entertaiment to catch some of these guys....but if it helps rid them of the streets then so be it. NBC has only helpedto raise the awareness.

 

[bigrockford]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

I have no feeling of sorrow for these dudes

Real *#%+!$ talk.

What if one of these kids he was molesting grows up and takes their own life?

There won't be any multi-million dollar lawsuits then...

Dude one'd himself because he got exposed for what he was and felt embarrassed...Not because he was sorry or guilty.

Imagine living your life and everybody knowing you're a sexual deviant...After you've built up this facade of being a regular, stand up guy...

The pressure had to have been crazy.

Truth! IMO 1 down millions to go....

 

[kingjay718]

I doubt it'll be yanked. This show gets muy ratings, and shows how alot of these dudes with good careers out here are some of the most perverted. Heobviously offed himself, because of embarassment.

So in dude's memory.......

 

[prez t]

best show on television , better not get yanked

 

[friendliest ghost]

The fact that this show continues to catch people is crazy. It's like any time they catch a guy, the guy's like "Damn, I knew it all along."In other words, these pedos walk into the situation, with a gut feeling they're getting caught. But they do it anyway. They're like drug addicts.I'm glad this scumbag killed himself.

If I was this dude's sister, I would be trying to sweep this mess under the rug as quick as possible. By suing, she's putting his business out there(the fact that he's a sexual deviant etc.) for the world to see. Makes no sense.

 

[nyzmagician]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

I have no feeling of sorrow for these dudes

Real *#%+!$ talk.

What if one of these kids he was molesting grows up and takes their own life?

There won't be any multi-million dollar lawsuits then...

Dude one'd himself because he got exposed for what he was and felt embarrassed...Not because he was sorry or guilty.

Imagine living your life and everybody knowing you're a sexual deviant...After you've built up this facade of being a regular, stand up guy...

The pressure had to have been crazy.

 

[goldnboi7]

wow...couldnta said it no better myself...

 

[gko2408]

Did the prosecutor actually commit a crime? It seems like the police were going to his house to arrest him, but for what? Since when did we start arrestingpeople for crimes that they haven't committed yet? Obviously, what the guy was about to do is a disgusting act, but the fact is he never actually showed upto the house.

 

[illmaticsoulchild]

pushing the police to engage in tactics that were unnecessary and unwise, solely to generate more dramatic footage for a television show.
I guess they didn't enjoy police men jumping out of bushes as much as we did.

If I was this dude's sister, I would be trying to sweep this mess under the rug as quick as possible. By suing, she's putting his business out there (the fact that he's a sexual deviant etc.) for the world to see. Makes no sense.
$$$

 

[king lincey]

Originally Posted by Friendliest Ghost

If I was this dude's sister, I would be trying to sweep this mess under the rug as quick as possible. By suing, she's putting his business out there (the fact that he's a sexual deviant etc.) for the world to see. Makes no sense.

Cosign.

Like suing them will make their family's situation any better. How you gon try to cash in on your brother's death? She should just leave it alone,because he made the decision HIMSELF. Dude was a grown man who knew he had no business messin with children. He killed himself (RIP) to escape the pressure,and now she's mad at the show like it's NBC's fault dude liked little kids...

 

[flydaily]

this show really exposed how serious this stuff is....i mean there are some really perverted mf's out there

 

[RyGuy45]

Did the prosecutor actually commit a crime? It seems like the police were going to his house to arrest him, but for what? Since when did we start arresting people for crimes that they haven't committed yet? Obviously, what the guy was about to do is a disgusting act, but the fact is he never actually showed up to the house.

He had numerous online sexual chats with a decoy who he thought was a 13 year old kid. He also sent over naked pictures of himself. In the state of Texas that is a crime. He didnt show up to the house so the police eventually went to try and get him.

 

[grandaddypurp415]

these cats act like they have to sign the release to use their faces. IF I got busted on the show there is no way they would air my face

 

[tupac jordan]

Kill her too!

 

[xxxoverridexxx]

Got what was coming to him..disgusting