View Full Version : Teen charged in murder of Sex Offender
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/285047825839436
A 16-year-old Yakima boy was jailed Wednesday night on suspicion of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a registered sex offender, Yakima police announced.
Capt. Jeff Schneider said detectives believe that the boy had rejected James Garrett's sexual advances shortly before the suspect shot him in the head Tuesday morning at Garrett's apartment in the 400 block of South 18th Avenue.
Schneider said Garrett, 53, was killed with his own single-shot rifle. The caliber was not released.
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michelle
12-29-2005, 09:14 AM
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/285047825839436
A 16-year-old Yakima boy was jailed Wednesday night on suspicion of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a registered sex offender, Yakima police announced.
Capt. Jeff Schneider said detectives believe that the boy had rejected James Garrett's sexual advances shortly before the suspect shot him in the head Tuesday morning at Garrett's apartment in the 400 block of South 18th Avenue.
Schneider said Garrett, 53, was killed with his own single-shot rifle. The caliber was not released.
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okay, i dont want to clap at this but i am glad that the teen was not violated!!
okay, i dont want to clap at this but i am glad that the teen was not violated!!
I understand. I was wondering how many others the teen has saved from being violated. We'll never know.
It's like, should the teen be punished? or given an award?
mysteriew
12-29-2005, 10:44 AM
It sounds like the teen may have rejected this perv's advances. But that is a lot of anger, for something where he could have just said no. I wonder if he had been victimized in the past- either by this perv or someone else.
BillyGoatGruff
12-29-2005, 12:41 PM
It sounds like the teen may have rejected this perv's advances. But that is a lot of anger, for something where he could have just said no. I wonder if he had been victimized in the past- either by this perv or someone else.Well, he might have rejected his most RECENT advance. I suspect this guy had been molesting this kid for some time. Victims are often unwilling to admit to a pattern of long-term abuse, since the molester will claim others will see it as "consent". Also, child molesters are incredibly good at picking out kids that have been molested before. It's as if they radiate some kind of wounded/damaged aura only these pervs can see.
dr dona
12-29-2005, 12:45 PM
why arrest him? A good defense attorney will get this teen "off" in a heartbeat. He said No- pervert wouldn't leave him alone- he grabs gun and shoots to protect himself. Any attorney worth his degree can raise this argument. And, most jurors will be totally repulsed by Mr Child Molestor!!!!
Jeana (DP)
12-29-2005, 12:50 PM
why arrest him? A good defense attorney will get this teen "off" in a heartbeat. He said No- pervert wouldn't leave him alone- he grabs gun and shoots to protect himself. Any attorney worth his degree can raise this argument. And, most jurors will be totally repulsed by Mr Child Molestor!!!!
Well, I'd like to be able to agree with you, but this kid will do time. There are too many cases where the shooting was even more justified than this and there was jail time.
Details
12-29-2005, 03:02 PM
A lot of molesters aren't good at hearing "no" - I think self defense should work, and I think the teen deserves a reward for protecting the next kid from this obviously unrepentant predator.
aussiegran
12-29-2005, 04:12 PM
Well, he might have rejected his most RECENT advance. I suspect this guy had been molesting this kid for some time. Victims are often unwilling to admit to a pattern of long-term abuse, since the molester will claim others will see it as "consent". Also, child molesters are incredibly good at picking out kids that have been molested before. It's as if they radiate some kind of wounded/damaged aura only these pervs can see.My thoughts too.how often do you hear of an child or adult that has been assaulted by more than one person.I think this boy has already suffered at the perverts hands and just wanted it to stop.:(
bakerprune64
12-29-2005, 06:44 PM
My thoughts too.how often do you hear of an child or adult that has been assaulted by more than one person.I think this boy has already suffered at the perverts hands and just wanted it to stop.:(
How horrible....wtf was a 16 year old doing at this guys house to begin with? Where were his parents??
KatherineQ
12-29-2005, 07:19 PM
The age of consent in Washington is 16, as I understand it. So really, what the man did doesn't seem to be illegal - you can attempt to initiate sex with a sixteen year old there apparently if you want to. Then, if you get rejected you have to stop.
You can't just kill someone for attempting to initiate sex, that's murder.
I don't think this story is on the up and up, anyway. The details in the story don't seem right to me. Why was this young man there at 6 a.m. in the morning, and it's interesting he killed the older man after a witness discovered them.
I don't want to be seen as someone who is defending a sex offender - in this case, what he was doing was legal, it appears, and he got murdered.
BillyGoatGruff
12-29-2005, 07:53 PM
The age of consent in Washington is 16, as I understand it. So really, what the man did doesn't seem to be illegal - you can attempt to initiate sex with a sixteen year old there apparently if you want to. Then, if you get rejected you have to stop.
You can't just kill someone for attempting to initiate sex, that's murder.
I don't think this story is on the up and up, anyway. The details in the story don't seem right to me. Why was this young man there at 6 a.m. in the morning, and it's interesting he killed the older man after a witness discovered them.
I don't want to be seen as someone who is defending a sex offender - in this case, what he was doing was legal, it appears, and he got murdered.
Bear in mind that most states have TWO sets of "age of consent" laws. One for heteros, the other for homosexuals. The ones for homosexuals are usually higher.
Plus I think this kid's history with this perv went back to when he was considerably younger than 16.
So for what was this boy doing at his house at 6 am? Pedophiles are notorious for preying on children (especially boys) who have, shall we say, self-involved, less than vigilant, and/or over-taxed parents or guardians.
KatherineQ
12-29-2005, 07:57 PM
Bear in mind that most states have TWO sets of "age of consent" laws. One for heteros, the other for homosexuals. The ones for homosexuals are usually higher.
Plus I think this kid's history with this perv went back to when he was considerably younger than 16.
So for what was this boy doing at his house at 6 am? Pedophiles are notorious for preying on children (especially boys) who have, shall we say, self-involved, less than vigilant, and/or over-taxed parents or guardians.
Washington state doesn't appear to have different laws for heterosexual versus homsexual sex. In the eyes of the law, this was one adult initiating sex with another, and then the older man was murdered. I know a lot of people here feel sympathy for the 16 year old, but this one kind of ruffles my feathers. Just because a gay guy comes on to you, you can't murder him for it. In some states that's punished more heavily as a hate crime than other murders.
age of consent by state:
http://www.coolnurse.com/consent.htm
Amraann
12-29-2005, 08:34 PM
Firs off this was a known sex offender and secondly I don't care what the law says ....
The law is wrong if it states that a 16 year old is an adult.
Maybe if we are talking two 16 YO's but not someone over the age of 20 and a 16 YO.
I understand what your saying Katherine.. Legally speaking... But I am saying that law is wrong. Because I could careless what the law says if some 50 year old hit on my 16 YO daughter??
He would need some serious help by the time I finnished.
The problem is society for too long permitted sick things like 13 YO's to get married to old men. Or the notion that children were merely possessions.
The laws have not come close to catching up the with predominent views of todays society.
KatherineQ
12-29-2005, 08:51 PM
Amraan - I understand what you are saying, but I keep thinking of my own son.
If a 50 year old man came on to him, I believe firmly in my heart he would rebuff the man, and walk out, and leave, and that would be that, and hopefully he would tell us. But maybe he'd be too embarrassed to admit it and would instead never return to that man's house. I would be mortified if my son got a gun and killed a man who initiated an interest in sex and then backed off when he was rejected. I don't want a boy like that - who would kill someone over a misunderstood homosexual advance. I wouldn't ever trust a boy like that ever ever again, and would fear he would kill other people over embarrassing misunderstandings. I'm not the least bit sad this boy is charged with second degree murder, and a jury can give this a really close look and decide what is right.
My 16 year old can drive, and is often out in the world by himself. If a man comes on to him, and my son rebuffs the advance, and the man takes no for an answer, I think murder is out of the question as a response.
Linda7NJ
12-29-2005, 09:16 PM
Give that kid a medal!
KatherineQ
12-29-2005, 09:21 PM
Give that kid a medal!
Linda - after he's given a medal, do you want him in your home with your kids?
Really, think about this. If you say yes I want him in my family, I don't understand that. I don't want him in my neighborhood, or my community.
I think he belongs under very close supervision, maybe in Juvy, or perhaps in prison.
here's a question: if a woman is being approached by a man who says he is going to rape her, or he is starting to assault her, and she shoots him, would she be arrested?
everyone knows that a very large percantage of rapists end up murdering their victim.
does anyone know, legally, what would happen in such a case?
because, it should work the same if we are talking about 2 men. however, it IS his word against his... if there were no witnesses, which i'm assuming there wasn't. which is why they had to arrest him, i guess- just to be on the safe side.
(sorry- PERCENTAGE... i can spell, just didn't proofread!)
mysteriew
12-30-2005, 12:12 AM
This is one of the few cases in which I am interested in the defense statements. Did the guy try to initiate sex then back off? Or did he try to press the issue? Or has it been an ongoing relationship where the boy had been abused over a period of time, and finally had enough? Or had the teen been abused by someone else, and so was brought to rage over previous problems? Or is it a case of a homophobic teen, just shocked at being approached by a man?
All of the information is not out yet, the issues aren't real clear. So I will be interested in the defense point of view.
Teen likely to be tried as an adult
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/329982528957510
mysteriew
12-30-2005, 08:24 AM
Teen likely to be tried as an adult
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/329982528957510
Dang, that is just what I was hoping would not happen!
This was a kid, one who likely was still trying to work out his his own sexuality, and this guy threw a jolt to it. He reacted as a kid! He should be put through the juvy system, not the adult system!
Tranaice
12-30-2005, 08:35 AM
Amraan - I understand what you are saying, but I keep thinking of my own son.
If a 50 year old man came on to him, I believe firmly in my heart he would rebuff the man, and walk out, and leave, and that would be that, and hopefully he would tell us. But maybe he'd be too embarrassed to admit it and would instead never return to that man's house. I would be mortified if my son got a gun and killed a man who initiated an interest in sex and then backed off when he was rejected. I don't want a boy like that - who would kill someone over a misunderstood homosexual advance. I wouldn't ever trust a boy like that ever ever again, and would fear he would kill other people over embarrassing misunderstandings. I'm not the least bit sad this boy is charged with second degree murder, and a jury can give this a really close look and decide what is right.
My 16 year old can drive, and is often out in the world by himself. If a man comes on to him, and my son rebuffs the advance, and the man takes no for an answer, I think murder is out of the question as a response.
This guy is a known sex offender. How do we know he accepted no as an answer??? Obviously something made this kid snap. I know if a man came up and tried to assault/rape me, he'd be shot right where he wouldn't be able to use it again and if it killed him, so be it!! Doesn't mean I'd kill someone who tried to "initiate" sex with me and accepted a no. We don't know what this kid has been through. I'm sure he needs some serious help, but jail??? Uh uh....
Jeana (DP)
12-30-2005, 09:48 AM
Well, let's not forget that he's not even had a trial yet. A whole big history of all sorts of things may come out. Even if convicted, we don't know what the sentence will be. If this kid has been though so much in his short life that he's willing to take lives in order to prevent something more from happening, he needs help. Maybe, just maybe, they can find that help for him. Prison isn't always San Quentin. There ARE facilities where young people can receive counselling and skills training. Hang in there and let's find out what happens.
BillyGoatGruff
12-30-2005, 02:50 PM
This guy is a known sex offender. How do we know he accepted no as an answer??? Obviously something made this kid snap. I know if a man came up and tried to assault/rape me, he'd be shot right where he wouldn't be able to use it again and if it killed him, so be it!! Doesn't mean I'd kill someone who tried to "initiate" sex with me and accepted a no. We don't know what this kid has been through. I'm sure he needs some serious help, but jail??? Uh uh....
The boy's juvenile history reads like most troubled boys who end up falling prey to fixated pedophiles (which the sex offender clearly was). Too bad the dead guy's probie/p.o. didn't both to do a serch of his hoem for kiddy porn, or he'd be alive in prison right now, not dead at the hands of a teenaged boy.
Jeana (DP)
12-30-2005, 02:57 PM
The boy's juvenile history reads like most troubled boys who end up falling prey to fixated pedophiles (which the sex offender clearly was). Too bad the dead guy's probie/p.o. didn't both to do a serch of his hoem for kiddy porn, or he'd be alive in prison right now, not dead at the hands of a teenaged boy.
Maybe other victims will come forward.
mysteriew
01-06-2006, 11:14 AM
A teenager who had been arrested in the shooting and wounding of a good Samaritan was inexplicably released from detention and is now charged with a killing another man, Yakima County officials say.
Bail was set Wednesday at $800,000 on Joshua Collett, 16, charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the shooting death of James Garrett, 53, on Dec. 27 and with the robbery of a taco truck on Nov. 11.
Police said Collett had at least one sexual encounter with Garrett in the days before the shooting but had not established a motive.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_Murder_Charged.html
captain exposition
01-06-2006, 12:33 PM
maybe the victim was known for dropping money on teen boys and young men who he was trying to woo or sleep with. it sounds like the teen might have a drug problem, i'm not sure what else would cause a 16-year old to rob a taco stand. i also wonder if he was staying with the victim after being released from jail. it would explain why he was there so early in the morning. was he living with parents or a guardian before the arrest or was he homeless? he could have participated willingly in sexual activity over a course of a few days or weeks in order to extort money, food, shelter, or drugs from the victim. he could have killed him after being discovered, it could have been a robbery gone wrong, or the kid could be sociopathic or extremely high on drugs at the time.
i totally understand why posters have disdain for the victim, but from the consent laws posted it does not seem as though he broke any laws in this case. and even if he did, vigilante justice, no matter how emotionally appealing, is not the right way to handle crime. i also think it's important that we, as a community of websleuths :D, try to avoid knee jerk reactions and strive to make judgements based on facts. often things are exactly as they seem, but sometimes there is more going on then what is initially released.
just my :twocents:
mysteriew
01-06-2006, 12:42 PM
CapitanExposition, I understand appreciate your point of view. While most of us here do not approve of or promote vigilantism, the problems with sex offenders has kinda rubbed us raw. And the way they are being handled in the courts doesn't help. You are right, it was a knee jerk reaction. And with the factors included in this particular kids background, well he seemed pretty troubled.
But, while I may in reality actually disapprove of vigilantism, I can't say I am real sorry the guy was killed. JMO.
Jeana (DP)
01-06-2006, 01:05 PM
Perhaps in addition to some sort of chemical abuse problem, he's got a problem accepting his sexuality. I've heard of cases where guys feel ashamed of their actions and just want to do away with the person they were intimate with. Its a shame, but society still isn't where it should be with regards to acceptance.
captain exposition
01-06-2006, 02:03 PM
Hi mysteriew! Personally, I have a very low level of sympathy for the victim in this case. I do believe however, that if he was breaking the law he should have faced consequences within the system, and if the law or the system itself is flawed it is our responsibility as citizens to lobby for the necessary changes. So many people in this web community feel so strongly about the safety of children, I think that if we were able to direct that passion politically real change could be effected. Sorry to derail, I guess I'm just a big believer in working within the system.
Anyway, the victim was a total POS. Level II offender, child molester. I think this is his sex offender profile if anyone is interested:
http://ml.waspc.org/offender.aspx?pid=280899&name=Garrett,%20James%20Richard&address=4xx%20S%2018th%20AV&city=Yakima%20&zip=98902
Details
01-07-2006, 10:45 PM
Sometimes, both can be in the wrong. Sounds like the teenager was very troubled, and had a criminal history - as did the sex offender.
BillyGoatGruff
01-08-2006, 01:11 AM
Perhaps in addition to some sort of chemical abuse problem, he's got a problem accepting his sexuality. I've heard of cases where guys feel ashamed of their actions and just want to do away with the person they were intimate with. Its a shame, but society still isn't where it should be with regards to acceptance.
I suspect that guys like that were sexual abuse victims first, possibly gay later. If your natural orientation is gay, but you associate it with rape/molestation/exploitation, then the negative mental connotations have to be fairly significant.
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