Beware the Judge

In 2006, a lot of Republican voters (whether registered as Republican or not), chose to stay home during the national elections.

Their intent was to "teach Republicans a lesson". Frustrated by a myriad of issues from a lack of spine to stand up to congressional Democrats, over-spending , Jack Abramoff to the Mark Foley sex scandals. Republican voters thought that it was time to send a message that "we vote principle, not party" and let the Republicans see what happens when you lose our support.

So was this affective? At this point, I'm not sure. But I do know this, instead of making their point during the Republican primaries, they instead ushered in a very activist Democratic majority that is getting more emboldened with every passing day.

Part of the problem we face now is that the party in control, also controls the judiciary and if you don't think that fact alone is a reason to vote for a bad Republican, read on.

Judge Overturns Sex Offender Conviction
Posted on 09/13/2007 3:24:12 PM PDT by MotleyGirl70

A Sheboygan County judge has overturned a jury's verdict in the case of a convicted sex offender accused of trying to entice a 9-year-old girl into a park shelter to have sex, saying that the shelter the man tried to lure the girl into wasn't secluded enough to satisfy the requirements of the charge.

According to a criminal complaint, Mitchell D. Pask, 44, of Sheboygan, was charged in June with approaching the girl at a playground at Workers' Water Street Park in Sheboygan, offering her candy and asking her to follow him to a nearby shelter.

The girl testified at Wednesday's trial that Pask three or four times asked her to accompany him, offered her candy and made hand gestures signaling her to follow him to the shelter.

A witness overheard Pask tell three other men standing nearby, "Look at those sexy little salty girls."A 13-year-old friend of the girl witnessed the exchange and took her home, where the girl's mother called police.

Pask was arrested a short time later, according to the complaint.The jury visited the site on Wednesday as part of the one-day trial and found Pask guilty of felony child enticement after deliberating for about 30 minutes.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.Sheboygan County Circuit Judge Timothy M. Van Akkeren immediately overturned the verdict, however, determing that the park shelter was not a "secluded area" as required for the charge.

Van Akkeren did not explain the legal definition of "secluded area" during jury instructions, Sheboygan County District Attorney Joe DeCecco said.DeCecco said he was "stunned" by Van Akkeren's ruling."In our opinion, any area can be 'secluded,' including a park shelter, trees and large bushes.

The jury, having visited the site of the incident, obviously concluded we had met that burden beyond a reasonable doubt," DeCecco said in the statement.Van Akkeren could not be reached and indicated through an assistant that he would not comment on the case.

DeCecco said today he will file a motion with Van Akkeren to reconsider his decision.

If that fails, DeCecco said he will ask a state appeals court for an immediate stay on Van Akkeren's ruling so that Pask will remain in jail pending the outcome of an appeal, which could take up to 9 months."Our aim is to keep him where he is. We don't want him back on the street," DeCecco said, referring to Pask.

Pask is currently in custody in the Sheboygan County Jail on an unrelated disorderly conduct charge.Pask has a long criminal history.

In 1992 he was convicted of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy.

In October 2005, he was convicted of a sex offender registry violation and sentenced to 30 days in jail.Pask is a registered sex offender.

This is just the latest of a long string of rulings liberal judges make that many of us would consider in direct opposition to the laws and customs that a civiliztion such as ours requires to thrive. Whether it's ruling in favor of the confiscation of private property that will be given to a wealthy developer who can generate more taxes, or releasing a convicted sex offender back to the street because he disagrees with a jury. These judges, and the politicians that appoint them to office are a threat to all of us.

So next time you want to teach Republicans a lesson, look at the big picture. your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews may be the next victims of their deranged view of our society.