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« Today's News: Our Take
20/20 Investigation Preys on Dateline's Predator
Chris Hansen by Virginia Sherwood/NBC
Hot off an Esquire article as well as a lawsuit positing that NBC's Chris Hansen-hosted Dateline: To Catch a Predator series went above and beyond the call of journalism in the name of exposing Louis Conradt, a former Murphy, Texas, DA who took his own life as a camera-toting policeman breached his home, ABC's own newsmagazine is getting in on the action. In a rare instance of a program acknowledging the existence of a rival, 20/20 is working on a story about To Catch a Predator's four-day sting operation, to determine whether Conradt was the victim of questionable or compromised law-enforcement tactics.
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Aug 16, 2007 9:33 AM
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Rolling Stone just had a big article about this, too. Some of the "perverted justice" people they have luring these guys into the houses are truly insane. I commend what they are trying to do, but a lot of it is blatantly unconstitutional. I'd be interested in the 20/20 story...
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Aug 16, 2007 10:11 AM
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Yeah, me too. I do approve of getting predators off the street. But, in order for charges to stick you have to do things by the book and it seems like the more To Catch a Predator continues, the more leeway they're taking with the law.
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Aug 16, 2007 10:24 AM
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While their intentions are good that show is starting to do more harm than good. If they are going to insist on trying to do policework they need to start doing it by the book so they can get convictions. Lately judges have been throwing out "to catch a predator" cases because of their improper tactics. The police have taskforces who are well trained to catch child predators-TV people need to step aside and let them do their jobs.
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Aug 16, 2007 10:30 AM
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I'm all for getting these predators off the streets and behind bars; but like Katcon said, in order for the charges to stick they've got to do things by the book.
I hope the 20/20 treatment will be objective and not just an hour-long trashing of folks who are out there trying to protect our kids (even if their methods are getting out of hand) or worse: an hour-long pity party for the DA who killed himself. (I'm sorry, but I'm not shedding any tears over the death of someone who preyed on kids for sex.)
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Aug 16, 2007 10:36 AM
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Honestly, nothing will happen to the show. After the killing attributed to a gay crush outed on the Jenny Jones show, did that stop shows from having confrontational guests? Uhhh, nope.
If the guy wasn't guilty, he would have cooperated to clear his name. And I'm pretty sure to they wouldn't have targeted him as a suspect if they didn't have the proof. People forget that yeah, this time he propositioned someone pretending to be a minor... but how many REAL minors was he doing this with in the past? Was he using his position of authority to get what he wanted with other children in real-life situations? If they hadn't gone after him.. how many other children would they have hurt in the future?
I think we're condemning the wrong side.
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Aug 16, 2007 11:01 AM
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We're not condemning anyone, Daesey, and I think, perhaps, you didn't read the comments before yours very carefully. We're just wanting the show's people to be more cautious and make sure any charges resulting from their actions can actually hold up in a court of law.
I do agree that Conradt's suicide does make it appear he was guilty, guilty, guilty. But, there are other explanations for his doing this and we can never be sure what motivated him. Saying the show wouldn't have targeted him if he wasn't guilty doesn't hold up, either. By saying that, you're saying he's guilty until proven innocent. Sorry, but it's the other way around.
We do want predators put away. But, weak cases based on what "sells" on TV don't really do the trick. Those people are released to prey again.
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Aug 16, 2007 11:16 AM
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Hi Katcon. You're right, I did generalize a bit with the "we".. but I meant that as the "public" itself, not just the bloggers here. I've been reading so many articles and hearing so many conversations condeming the show for "pushing" this guy into killing himself.
It's a sore subject, I guess and I just wrote passionately from personal experience having a family member molested by a neighbor at 2 1/2 yrs old. At 30 yrs old, she STILL has recollection of it and it still haunts her.... so I guess when it comes to people preying on children, I'm a little biased. I'll admit it, but that's just my opinion. Which was what I wrote above. You don't have to agree.
But, thanks for the feedback. 
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Aug 16, 2007 11:50 AM
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What's next? CBS's 60 Minutes lauching an investigation into ABC's 20/20's investigation of NBC's Dateline?
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Aug 16, 2007 12:08 PM
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I am truly sorry to the man's family who killed himself, but the fact that they're suing NBC for wrongful death just infuriates me. I mean the man broke the law and preyed on young children ... that is against the law. Should NBC and whoever else let these people get away with this kind of stuff just because one day one of these people may be "slightly" off balance and decide to kill themself?? I think not.
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Aug 16, 2007 12:41 PM
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While it's unfortunate that the judge took his own life, I applaud any efforts to get these sicko perverts off the streets!
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Aug 16, 2007 12:52 PM
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I have watched the program several times. I agree Shannonm93, it is sad for the family, but like u said the man broke the law! duh!!!!!!!!
Reminds me of people that smoke suing the tobacco companies.... hello!!!!! You know that smoking is bad for you! You know it will kill you!!! Why are you suing????
But I have also thought several times while watching the show, that Perverted Justice does seem to take quite a few liberties.... I mean if the accused has a good attorney I can see where they would get off, because it does appear to me that this could be construed as crossing the line. Granted they are doing good work, but if these men are going free due to irresponsible police work then it is all for nothing.
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Aug 16, 2007 12:54 PM
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I always thought this was
"entrapment", but hoped they would actually lock these guys up anyway. I can't watch the show anymore it's so disgusting, but maybe the predator laws will get stronger with all this publicity.
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Aug 16, 2007 1:48 PM
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I've seen several of these to catch a predator shows and they always state at the beginning that the people at Perverted Justice do not initiate any contact with anyone. They sign in as kids and hang out until someone talks to them and even with that they don't make the first sexual comments because that situation would become entrapment. I think they really do go to great lengths to not cross the line so these people can be prosecuted. It does them no good if the pedifiles never suffer any consequences. The idea is to get them off the street and away from children.
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Aug 16, 2007 1:56 PM
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Seriously!! Who cares if some low life, disgusting, piece of s*** child molester killed himself? That's one less pervert in the world!! I say expose these bastards for what they are! Who cares if it's on TV. The more humiliating the better! Why is it that when we do nothing to put these pathetic wastes of human flesh away for the rest of their lives we're not doing enough, but then when someone actually does something it's wrong? I say round em up, put them all in an enclosed building with no way out, light them on fire and watch them burn!!!!! I sure as hell won't lose any sleep over it. And to all of you morons who think it's a sickness that can be cured, you're unrealistic idiots! The only way to cure them is to exterminate them!
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Aug 16, 2007 2:33 PM
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