one count isnt enough?

This country has become so obsessed with the rights of the perpetrator that the victims are being thrown under the bus. There are people in this society that don't want pedophiles to have to register because it is causing them mental harm that might hurt them in trying to get back into society. Well, personally I don't want them back in society. When do we stop and think of the children. I'm sorry but I don't think all of the pedophiles are worth the chance one child might be violated.

I don't think that he was allowed to accrue anything. He was simply flying below the legal radar until his recent arrest; that is what sexual predators do. Now they are finding all kinds of evidence and I'm sure they are charging him with everything that might apply.

It is a tragic fact that it is virtually impossible to catch such people before they commit an offense. The police just can't lock up anybody who looks weird and lives with his parents.

How do you get 55 counts off 1 crime? Seems like the government is mroe corrupt than ever.

Really NoobPatrol? Are you actually trying to defend this pervert whose crimes against a child are on videotape? I'm all for "innocent until proven guilty", but when it's all on tape what more proof do you need--a signed confession?

1 crime, 1 crime. How the hell do you get 55 charges from 1 crime? That just screams police state to me.

Noob - you're an idiot. If this guy did 55 crimes, he needs to be charged with all of them. It would then be less likely some bleeding heart juror would let him off 'causehe looks like a nice guy. He video taped himself sexually assaulting a minor. Castrate him with a dull knife then execute him and don't give me any BS about compassion or re-habilitation. Prisons are already overcrowded.

I guess the big thing I disagree with is getting 55 crimes about of 1 physical crime. I know it's done alot, I disagree with it.

I'm not defending him directly, I do not like this behavior that the state can get away with.

I don't know the specifics, but I am assuming he was charged like this:

Count 1 - Kidnapping across state lines, Count 2 - Murder, Count 3 - Child Endangerment, Count 4 - Sodomy, Count 5 - Child Rape, Count 6 - Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a child under 14 yrs old, etc.

It could go on and on. No corruption here. The prosecution is just ensuring that if he gets off on one charge, they can get him convicted for the others. They want him to get the most prison time possible, because they are very sure he is guilty. I say to them - GO FOR IT!!!!

Solving random-murders is pretty difficult.

Kudos to the Investigators in this case and the hard work they put in to lead to this arrest.

NoobPatrol, I don't think all counts were directly related to Somer. I think they also include charges for the child porn and other disgusting activities for which evidence was uncovered. He is being held for those acts as well.

BCinFL, that makes more sense.

Think man! Think!

let me get this straight: this despicable mutant was TAPED ASSAULTING A MINOR CHILD, has over 50 assault charges pending, has killed this little girl after doing unspeakable acts to her child's body and he still draws breath??? Something is horribly wrong with 'justice' when it becomes a joke as evidenced by this little girls brutal rape and death!! Once his DNA evidence is linked to this and other degenerate crimes (although ONE IS ENOUGH) let's simply kill him........no fanfare, no ACLU rally and NO SISTER PREJEAN vigils at the penitentiary. Just kill him. Done and over - his presence on early sullies the lives of all children and all law abiding, taxpaying members of civilization. Better yet - send him to someplace like Singapore where they'll cane him in the public square until he bleeds to death. THAT is a death which he merits by his life of verminous stalking and murderding of other innocents. Whatever his upbringing was - I don't give a s--t! The sooner he dies the better.

AMOM-They charge him with multiple counts so there will be NO chance this guy is let go.

NOOB- No there wasn't one crime....Kidnapping=1 crime, murder=1 crime,rape=1 crime,molesting a child=1 crime,possessing child porn=1 crime per possession...So yeah....Sure smells like a police state huh??

NoobPatrol

If a person takes a person against their will that could be considered kidnapping. However, if during that time that a person is being held the perpetrator repeatedly rapes the captive and tapes themselves doing it, there are multiple crimes being committed. Each time the victim is raped during that same detention is a separate crime as well as each of the tapings. So, yes, it is possible to amass many charges from a single event.

Also, the prosecution will bring as many charges as they can support so that there is less chance of pleading it down to some minimal amount.

gmainco -

the victims are being thrown under the bus.

The victims aren't being thrown under the bus as much as they are being ignored. The victim's rights have already been violated and and no amount of prosecution can negate the offenses. The only times the prosecution is interested is when they need the testimony of the victim. However, they protect the accused's rights to make sure that a conviction is not overturned on a technicality.

It is a jacked up system but until the bleeding hearts get off of the mantra of the perpetrator "being misunderstood" it will stay a jacked up system.

Good! And to the 'powers that be': If you are not going to put this POS to death, then make sure he NEVER, EVER gets out from behind bars again!

Rest peacefully, Somer Thompson.

One more example these maggots need to be exterminated. They don't rehab

I just hope Bubba is hung like a horse when he bends this pervert over and has his way with him in prison.....

It is time to execute all pedophiles, don't let them live in prison for us to support. Execution immediately.

cutlass

If I'm not mistaken when in prison for any crimes against children they are kept separate from the other prisoners. Once the other prisoners find out what crime or crimes they committed against children they will take matters into their own hands. Just because someone is in prison doesn't mean they don't have some moral charactor regarding children because most probably have children of their own. Since some are in prison for life and have really nothing to lose they will serve justice in their own way and I can't blame them. Being a father if someone ever harmed one of my children and it was proven beyond any doubt and he was released from prison or did not serve because of some tecnicality I would take it upon myself to ensure it will never happen to another child. I'd be interested to see what a jury of my peers would enter as a verdict.

1 crime, 1 crime. How the hell do you get 55 charges from 1 crime? That just screams police state to me

How do you come by a handle like noobpatrol? Seriously, as the story mentions, other crimes are being uncovered, such as videos made by the alleged perpetrator of a sexual assault of another child. And there are often multiple charges one can face for a single incident. If you shoot somebody, you might be charged with aggravated assault, attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm and firing a gun withing city limits.

If the man (and I use this term loosely) in this story were a political activist who was being prosecuted for disturbing the peace during a political demonstration, and then, was additionally charged with assault, resisting arrest and use of obscenities in public, then I could understand your remarks. But worrying about the number of charges being filed against an accused child murderer and sexual predator really screams to me of political paranoia.

If I were the prosecutors I would charge him under every possible statute on the books and see that he served his sentences consecutively ...or that he was simply taken out and shot and fed to the dogs - not necessarily in that order.

Sad...another story about how our "Judicial" system basically let another freak walk the streets and harm/rape/MURDER another child!!!!!!!!! WHEN are they going to start caring about our children?......When they find this monster guilty...give him 30 days to get his financial affairs in order...then take him DIRECTLY to a room and put him to sleep like the rabid dog he is...........But no...He'll get MORE time for the porno charge than raping and killing a little 7 year old child..........God bless her soul.

poor sheeple - Explain to me how the legal system was supposed to punish him before he was caught.

He'll definitely get what is coming to him. There are others out there, flying below the legal radar. Perhaps most will eventually be caught. But until their crimes are reported to the police, there is literally nothing which can be done.

First things first, start by cutting off the scum bags balls.

Only if he believes in a "hell" and an afterlife.

there is a hell whether you believe in it or not

I think the authorities should ask this monster's former teachers what he was like in school and I bet you will get a number of stories of mayhem, meaness and "something is just not right with this kid!"

These children died in their HELL right here on earth.

Too bad there ain't no hell

Only if he believes in a "hell" and an afterlife.

I don't know if there is or is not a hell. But if there is, your personal skepticism is as irrelevant as your belief in the laws of gravity.

If there is, I'm sure he'll qualify for special treatment, maybe being placed in the same fiery pit as Rosie O'Donnell and Ralph Reed.

there is a hell whether you believe in it or not

How do you know?

The issue isn't whether I believe but whether he believes.

dman -

why is my skepticism any more irrelevant than yours?

If there is,

Though I do agree my position, whether skepticism or belief, is irrelevant as to where this criminal lands.

The Old and New Testaments of the Bible use the word "hell" in 53 verses. So, "hell" is very definitely a biblical word and a biblical concept. It was originally designed for Satan and his demon spirit followers. But it is now also holding the spirits of people who have rejected God's salvation in Christ Jesus and decided to live supremely for their own selfish satisfaction just like Satan.

Evil people are never punished enough to satisfy public or divine justice in this life, so, there has to be a hell to fully serve what simple justice demands of evil doers. Since evil is finite rather than infinite, just punishment for wickedness must also be finite. I believe the Bible indicates that hell and those who dwell therein are finite, thus their suffering in hell must eventually come to an end when their debt is fully paid. At that time, there will be no evil thing left in God's universe, no demons, no Satan, no hell and no wicked spirits of lost human beings. They will all cease to exist.

There are also many examples of people who have died, gone to hell and been brought back to life by modern medical technology. Doubters should read one of the books written by Christian doctors on that subject. They will blow your mind and make you decide to do whatever it takes to avoid going to that place. In that regard, I would suggest ratifying one's paradise passport (Luke 9:23) to assure a safe landing in much different climes and that without the slightest doubt.

The Old and New Testaments of the Bible use the word "hell" in 53 verses. So, "hell" is very definitely a biblical word and a biblical concept.

The Bible is a text written by man and rewritten and edited many more times. Each revision overtly and covertly pushes agendas. This position is supported by the fact that there are revisions. When has anybody had an irrefutable visit from God to modify his text? For example, why is there a "King James Version" if King Jim wasn't pushing his agenda? How does the "word of God" change from one generation to another without God's direct input?

The word "hell" may be written in a text called the bible thus making it a biblical word. But the concept of "hell" could be nothing more than an unenviable condition or location and not necessarily a place of elevated temperatures and guarded by a monster, with horns and a barbed tail, brandishing a pitchfork. I have been in hell right here on earth a couple of times where I wished I hadn't been - uncomfortably hot in the boss' office and started sweating.

Nothing like getting waaaaay of base there "Thinker"...lol...No one cares about your religious views...For you're information...the Bible has more (proven text) than ANY OTHER book EVER to this day...

if you do not believe in heaven and hell, just wait until you die and are left to burn and rot in hell when your name isnt in the book of christ. then maybe, just MAYBE you will rethink that. GOODLUCK!

You're right. It should be "Locked in prison for the resy of their lives." In this case, it should be death.

Those are some good points. I know someone who was labeled a sex offender for pissing in public. They should have a different definition such as 'lewd behaviour', to distinguish their offense from that of a real predator. As for the real predator, no mercy. Strike one and you are out.

This guy is now charged with first degree, premeditated murder. Assuming they don't sit him down on o'l sparky, he'll spend the rest of his life in prison, and I'm sure he'll live in constant fear from violence from other inmates.

I agree absolutely. We need to know who are the truly dangerous predators still "legally" able to be out on our streets. We do not need to waste time labeling people who simply pulled something stupid, like peeing in public. I don't think any of us care that someone pee'd in public. I don't think we need them on any register. I don't think peeing in public leads to anything else either. We have a right to know who are pedophiles so we can protect our children. I don't believe that anyone who molests a child just does it once. They are predators - and actually shouldn't even be allowed "out" period.

I think most of us are in agreement that these animals should be off the street permanently. I also agree that there should be a distinction between urinating in public and a couple of teens fooling around. Maybe if everyone started voicing this opinion to our politicians we could get something done about it. I can't believe the total disregard given to child safety. We nurture them, love them, and try to protect them and then some maniac snatches them, sometimes right out of their beds, tortures and kills them. Enough is enough, it has got to stop!

Unfortuantely, it's not going to stop. New ones are born every day.

These perverts started out as little children. The question we should be asking is; what type of upbringing breeds this kind of behavior?

And believe me, I'm certainly not trying to defend this atrocity, but the problem has become so prominent in this society, there has to be warning signs.

I'd be interested to know if this young turd was on any medications, both during his childhood and his........well, his childhood I guess. He certainly never grew up, except to say he's an "adult" for criminal purposes.

When you start sexually assaulting young children - there is something that is wrong upstairs and no amount of counesling is going to make you right. These guys should go to jail for the rest of their lives. They will continue to pose a threat to society.

I don't believe that anyone who molests a child just does it once.

The potential of having done it "just once" is there if they are caught after the first time. However, that just interrupts the pattern bu t usually doesn't stop it. It does prevent it from happening - for now; and only for as long as they are locked up.

Clint -

You are right. Humans will continue to breed these demented types of individuals. But society plays into the nurturing of those same individuals by the liberal laws that protect them by allowing excuses for their behaviour. To excuse somebody because they were on some meds when they were younger doesn't turn them into sexual deviants as adults. Being brought up without proper parental oversight should not excuse behaviour either.

Social more's and lax or unenforced laws only propagate the problem. When there is little or no deterrence against acts that a society has deemed inappropriate it becomes nothing more than an idle threat. Often times criminals elevate or escalate the crimes as a challenge to the system. There will always be a certain number of individuals that will violate the laws but when a legal system is so overburdened with liberals trying to excuse the actions of the criminals and extend the rights of the free citizenry to the incarcerated criminals, then the effect of deterrence is lost. Those that might be considering some action that is illegal but determines that the risk is worth the reward. Posting a sign on the front lawn may not be a sufficient deterrent but being locked up in general population for a minimum number of years might be. Why should sexual predators be afforded "special" rights for their demented behaviour?

relieving yourself in public, while trying to hide, and someone chances to see you, well, your intent was to hide and it wasnt for a sexual act, so it shouldnt be pedo charges, it should be improper disposal of human wastes or something, and with the intent to be hidden, the charges wouldnt stick anyway. just the word lewd attached to the crime makes the guy that has to pee like a race horse, sound like sexual pervert...... anyway............if you were to make hand gestures that simulate a sexual act.....that would be lewd act but not sex crime.

there should be a better defined ranking of charges........but we still need to be able to strengthen or lessen the punishment on a case by case degree. and once you commit a sex crime, say a 20 year old even touches a 5 year old in a sexual manner.......ok, thats the death penalty, no questions asked. with a severe punishment attached, that may just curb some of the worse attacks that will eventually come from the perpetrator.

also i feel that the old ways were better as far as the news coverage, back in the day, it was quitely explained to only people whom one could trust to have a respectful reaction. now seems like every detail of the crime and many pictures of the childs home life are plastered everywhere that i feel gives these guys the stalker mentality and leads to uncontrollable desires. if the mums the word was "the child is no longer with us, and uncle bob was tortured to death for it"......pedos would get the unspoken message.

I think all of us here who love our children and are revolted as each day seems to bring another horrible story of a baby killed by one of these mutants. That we want this sort of vermin dead is beyond the point. They CAN be spotted and reeled in when they're young - it's a well known red flag that these dirtbags begin by torturing small animals. Ever see or know anyone like that? You'll be looking at a future child predator. They get off on hurting smaller, weaker life which cannot defend itself in any way from their deviant behavior. The problem is the JUDGES who accept plea bargains and allow the lawyers to deal deals allowing mutant scumbag pedophiles who have offended in serious ways but are nonetheless permitted out on the streets. These demons in human skin who kidnap, sodomize, suffocate, set on fire and then kill our beloved children before they finish grade school cannot continue their killing spree and parents cannot fight them without to help of those judges. Too much attention is given to their 'rights'. Once the child is DEAD, she/he has no voice any more. That child counted on us to keep them safe from harm. Parents do everything possible to protect them and then one mutant decides YOUR child is the one he'll target today because she/he is alone for two seconds on a bike and so she/he is grabbed off the street and chloroformed, passes out and thrown in a truck and THAT IS THE LAST TIME YOU WILL SEE YOUR PRECIOUS BABY AGAIN! It was not a family member, it was a STRANGER who was already HAD a rap sheet a mile long and was let loose by a vile lawyer and an evel viler judge. Shore of vigilante justice - who can provide the solution to this hideous open season on your child and mine by these degenerate devils? BTW - forget about life without parole. Too many demented governors who, on their final days in office, decide to 'commute all sentences' and release these 'lifetime in prison with not hope of parole' heathens, just to piss off the voters for not re-electing them. They truly must die and we need to start executing them in record numbers. First offense, death, no parole, one bullet from a good sniper to the frontal lobe and bye=bye. Let's start eliminating their numbers because they're clearly taken over the gene pool. PS - in prison, they'll qualify for FREE HEALTH CARE.......I don't want them taking up my AIR, let alone my tax $$$. The country IS ON THE VERGE of a scary apocalypse, and these crimes are part of the reason why.

I agree absolutely. We need to know who are the truly dangerous predators still "legally" able to be out on our streets.

Justthinkin - And when there is some clear way to differentiate between the simply weird or eccentric and the truly dangerous, it will be possible to spot such predators before they act. Unfortunately you can't prosecute somebody for being weird and living in his parent's basement. If you could, this nations prisons would be twice as crowded.

I don't think this guy is going anywhere.

Clint - what breeds molesters, is most often other molesters. If we stop them and never let them take another breath or hurt another child, it will eventually die out. Harsh but true. We would literally be obliterating the offenders, and would also be imposing a penalty so harsh that it would be bound to make any one even thinking about touching a child think twice!

As a mother, I completely agree. There is absolutely nothing that could keep me from making this man pay. Just the thought of someone hurting my child makes me sick to my stomach. My heart and prayers go out to this poor child's family. May God give them peace.

As a true pacifist, I am amazed at myself. I find I am thinking of all the wicked, vicious things that needs to be done to this monster BEFORE or AS he dies.

Just Thinkin.. many of us here feel pretty much the same regarding this guy and those like him. He definitely would be a prime candidate for being tossed into the volcano.

As a medical provider I truly believe in BAD DNA. It cannot be repaired and there is no

CURE! There is nothing which can be redeemed from anyone capable of such depraved acts and there are NO resources which can undo the murder, after raping and sodomizing, strangulation, suffocation and burying alive of our precious children. THIS is BAD DNA which must be terminated and executed. THAT WE EVEN have this discussion over 'what to do' illustrates the degree to which American parents have been mocked and co-opted by the legal profession. Kids deserve protection from these demons. The demons do not deserve anything - other than execution the moment their DNA evidence is verified. Their appeals should end then and there and until we start killing these monsters - we ourselves, along with the babies which we love, cherish and struggle to protect will all be doomed to live at the mercy of degenerate and mutant scumbags. We are reaping what we have sewn when we permitted State Attorney's General to feed us the bill of goods that Capital Punishment was TOO EXPENSIVE. It only got that way when Lawyers decided they could milk a death penatly case for their entire careers as a means to an end. Do you think they give ONE THOUGHT to the dead child and the pain, terror and suffering she/he had to endure as they left this earth in darkness at the hands of a real, live DEVIL stealing their last breath as they cried for their mothers/fathers/siblings and pets????? THEY DIED IN UTTER ANGUISH. What will we do about it, America? What will we do? Let's NOT worry about health insurance - but let's go after the real enemies of civilization.........those who flagrantly kill our kids. THEN, when they're all gone - we can march on the insurance companies (the real stealers of health care dollars). I know - a big rant - but I get so physically ill with each new story of an innocent child taken by these vermin I just want to kill them myself with my bare hands.

Somer's mother has a website, rememberingsomer.com. Buche de noel, you bring up many of the reasons these animals still roam the streets. Those are some of the things that need to be changed. Everyone needs to take action and join groups to pressure lawmakers to make laws that will keep them locked up or put them to death. Too many have proven they cannot be rehabilitated.

That is true. The other charges held against him will at least keep him locked up for a long time. It sounds like he is the type that should be locked away permanently.

They talked of the evidence during the press conference. It's very air tight evidence. I don't believe he will see the light of day ever again!!

You are right TOR. The Sheriffs office just picked his name from a local telephone book for fun. I can't believe some of these "defend the perverts" comments.

.... Harrell had been charged with more than 55 counts as well as charges — unrelated to Somer Thompson — that he sexually molested a young girl and videotaped the assault, according to court records.

TOR...I think there is adequate probable cause to detain this person....a child's right to safety and life far supercedes this pervert's rights...he forfeited his rights when he first molested a child and denied them their rights. The courts, state or whoever are within reason to detain and investiate someone of this level of danger. He lived near Somer's home and on the direct path of her route to and from school. I don't know how anyone could be concerned for this pervert instead of his potential victims.

I agree Boomer, but don't waste a rope. Try it with a lenght of frayed [in just the right spots of course] electrical cord, plugged into a 220 Volt outlet.

bretso25 - You're one sick, twisted individual . . . I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You too, CHIACH2.

I will supply the rope.the one with razor blades enbedded in it.

Unfortunately, sociopaths do not feel anything. Remember when Saddam was being hung, he was YELLING at his executioner even in the final se conds. Fast and easy.

new haven - that's ok,, he's still DEAD!

When you're single and in the 25% tax bracket, you get numb to paying for anything. If they kill him there's one less maggot on the street and 1 less deduction for some loser parent that probably didn't contribute to society anyways.

[[Why bring a child into this world if someone is just going to kidnap, rape and murder them?]]

Now, that's getting a bit hysterical. These cases are actually fairly rare. That's why they make the national news when they do happen.

Don't forget that your child can turn into one of these monsters as well. Think about what you could unleash on the world.

By that logic, I could never do anything because it "might" have some terrible consequence.

You couldn't do anything if you want to prevent bad things from happening to the world. Most of the world doesn't really care, so go ahead you wanna be breeder.

Um, we DO have capital punishment in most states. And it hasn't done much to deter violent crime since you have LESS crime in countries without capital punishment.

OomYaaqub-Granted, however, our justice system is so slow, that many on death row die before their sentense can be carried out, or their sentenses are commuted to life.
If justice were swift, when there is no doubt, I think it would a real deterrent. But these guys know if they are caught, it could be 20 years before they are put to death.

Father Time takes out more criminals on death row than the euthanizing process. When someone tortures and kills another, we certainly don't want the criminal to feel pain or have his feelings hurt by broadcasting it.

I highly doubt the reason they don't broadcast the execution is due to the condemned feelings. It's probably because they don't want to public to see it and risk them turning against it. Or out of respect for the victim's family or something silly like that. I wish we could see the executions publicly.

More detail should be brought up about why prisoners hate child molesters so much, considering the over population within our jails. They hate the molester because they can identify with the child victims - as so many are damaged/abused as children, and have their own nightmares. The prisoners can take it out on a predator found in their midst. Society needs to be far tougher on stopping VIOLENT, PREDATORY child sex abusers. Then, we need education about child abuse prevention/recognition, and protection of those abused kids - to include treatment.

But society is broke, and where will the money come from. Depressing.

where will the money come from.

Pay-per-view. Broadcast the "euthanizing" of the convicted murderers. A self-supporting penal system and any excess could pay off the national debt.

castration doesnt change their way of thinking, they will just use some object, that usually makes the description of the crime even more sickening to hear. now, castrating the nuts from society, and burning them........i can envision that right now and in eating.

Very well said!