Dad accused of killing son over sex abuse claim

[DontSayBanana]

Wouldn't that be physical contact ?

Yeah, but maybe he thought I was talking strictly about bodily contact.

On a totally unrelated note, I love how MI's online repositories of statutes are the easiest to use I've yet encountered.

[The Larch]

In a slightly related case, we've had an episode of massive brouhaha over here in the last few days.

A 3 y.o. girl was taken to hospital by her mother's boyfriend, and died due to her injuries. Suspecting child abuse, the doctors called the police and the guy was arrested. Right afterwards the media started quoting medical and judicial reports claiming that the girl had been physically abused and raped, and the guy was basically media-sentenced even before being questioned, with "This is the face and look of a child killer" headlines in serious press and everything. A day afterwards, when the autopsy is performed, it reveals that the girl's death was accidental and due to falling from an attraction in a playground, and that there was no abuse or rape whatsoever. The guy is sueing everybody and the dog, and apparently has a severe psychological trauma as well.

[ulmont]

I think what Ulmont's talking about is how some codes, including Michigan's, include deliberate touching of the clothes over the genitals for a sexual purpose.

No, more like what garbon had.  Check out OCGA § 16-6-4(a):

§ 16-6-4.  Child molestation; aggravated child molestation

   (a) A person commits the offense of child molestation when such person:

   (1) Does any immoral or indecent act to or in the presence of or with any child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person; or

   (2) By means of an electronic device, transmits images of a person engaging in, inducing, or otherwise participating in any immoral or indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person.

So flashing a child or showing them pornography would qualify.  For aggravated child molestation, 16-6-4(c), there has to be physical injury or sodomy, but the baseline offense does not require any touching at all.

[Martinus]

In a slightly related case, we've had an episode of massive brouhaha over here in the last few days.

A 3 y.o. girl was taken to hospital by her mother's boyfriend, and died due to her injuries. Suspecting child abuse, the doctors called the police and the guy was arrested. Right afterwards the media started quoting medical and judicial reports claiming that the girl had been physically abused and raped, and the guy was basically media-sentenced even before being questioned, with "This is the face and look of a child killer" headlines in serious press and everything. A day afterwards, when the autopsy is performed, it reveals that the girl's death was accidental and due to falling from an attraction in a playground, and that there was no abuse or rape whatsoever. The guy is sueing everybody and the dog, and apparently has a severe psychological trauma as well.

Well, I hope he sues them into bankruptcy. I hate media feeding frenzy in such cases. We had a similar case a couple of years ago, with a tabloid printing a guy's face on the front page and calling him a child molester.

[Neil]

In a slightly related case, we've had an episode of massive brouhaha over here in the last few days.

A 3 y.o. girl was taken to hospital by her mother's boyfriend, and died due to her injuries. Suspecting child abuse, the doctors called the police and the guy was arrested. Right afterwards the media started quoting medical and judicial reports claiming that the girl had been physically abused and raped, and the guy was basically media-sentenced even before being questioned, with "This is the face and look of a child killer" headlines in serious press and everything. A day afterwards, when the autopsy is performed, it reveals that the girl's death was accidental and due to falling from an attraction in a playground, and that there was no abuse or rape whatsoever. The guy is sueing everybody and the dog, and apparently has a severe psychological trauma as well.

As well he should.  Paranoia of this sort is disgusting.  Hopefully, every media company in the world goes bankrupt, and journalists are locked in camps where they can be reeducated.

[DGuller]

As well he should.  Paranoia of this sort is disgusting.  Hopefully, every media company in the world goes bankrupt, and journalists are locked in camps where they can be reeducated.

Don't you have to be educated first to be reeducated?