Judge: Suicide Victim's Family Can Sue NBC

$105M Suit Alleges Sex Sting By NBC's "To Catch A Predator" Drove Man To Kill Himself

(AP)  A $105 million lawsuit brought by a woman who claims a sex sting by "Dateline NBC: To Catch A Predator" drove her brother to kill himself can go to trial, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

In a scathing ruling, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin said a jury might conclude the network "crossed the line from responsible journalism to irresponsible and reckless intrusion into law enforcement."

Louis William Conradt Jr., a suburban Dallas prosecutor, fatally shot himself after he was accused of engaging in a sexually explicit online chat with an adult posing as a 13-year-old boy, according to a lawsuit filed by his sister.

In the lawsuit, Patricia Conradt said NBC "steamrolled" police to arrest her brother after telling police he failed to show up at a sting operation 35 miles away.

NBC was working with the activist group Perverted Justice on the sting, in which officers impersonating underage girls establish online chats with men and try to lure them to a house, where they are met by TV cameras and police.

Chin said the lawsuit contained sufficient facts to make it plausible that the suicide was foreseeable, that police had a duty to protect Conradt from killing himself, and that the officers and NBC acted with deliberate indifference.

Amanda Leith, a lawyer for NBC Universal, had no comment on the ruling. The company previously called the lawsuit "completely without merit." A spokeswoman for the company did not immediately return a telephone message.

Bruce Baron, a lawyer for Patricia Conradt, said: "This decision shows no one is above the law, no matter how powerful."

Chin tossed out many of Patricia Conradt's claims but said her principal claims could proceed to trial.

In his ruling, Chin said the network "placed itself squarely in the middle of a police operation, pushing the police to engage in tactics that were unnecessary and unwise, solely to generate more dramatic footage for a television show."

Chin wrote that a reasonable jury could find there was no legitimate law enforcement need for a heavily armed SWAT team to extract a 56-year-old prosecutor from his home when he was not accused of any actual violence and was not believed to have a gun.

He said a jury might conclude it was done solely to sensationalize and enhance the entertainment value of the arrest.

"A reasonable jury could find that by doing so, NBC created a substantial risk of suicide or other harm, and that it engaged in conduct so outrageous and extreme that no civilized society should tolerate it," Chin said.

Before issuing his ruling, Chin said he reviewed a copy of the Feb. 20, 2007 episode. In her lawsuit, Patricia Conradt claims a police officer at the scene of the shooting told a "Dateline" producer: "That'll make good TV."

[peacedreamer-2009]

Amen. Maybe news reporters will finally figure out that reporting the news and creating the news are two different things. Especially since none of the "to catch a predator" stings have resulted in a conviction and many states view such stings as entrapment.

[hedonist3]

Hogwash. Perhaps there was a modicum of overkill. At most, a symbolic slap on the wrist might be warranted here. The bottom line is that there is one less perv in the world, preying on children. "That''ll make good TV." Yes; it absolutely did.

[magoo2u1]

They don''t seem to mind when a SWAT team and an APC from the national guard mow down a man''s home for growing tomato plants. Yep, tomato plants that a cop thought were pot plants. You don''t get your house repaired when they do that either, buddy. Your on your own for the damage. The prosecutor wouldn''t shed a tear for us if we were innocent.

[howdytwo]

peacedreamer:
Have you a child that has been assaulted by a sexual predator? I don''t think so. These perverts must be stopped. No one is responsible for the man''s suicide but himself. He chose his own actions - not only to pursue a child (this wouldn''t have been his only victim) for his own sexual satisfaction, but to take his own life.

[keithle1]

You sure his life was worth $105 million, girl. More like $105.

[dylanxxv]

So a perv who was interested in little children killed himself...BIG FREAKING DEAL...He did the world a favor...

[standlee5]

I agree with the judge. The show is weird and is blatant entrapment. The women are adults and paid to entice the men into meeting them. They''re not catching predators. These men aren''t predators. These aren''t murderers and rapists.

[truthfinder1]

I thought that this was a wonderful program and was looking forward to watch. Sorry to hear that this woman lost her brother, but she seemed to forget that it was her brother''s choice.
I hope her motivation is from the love of her brother and not from the pure greed encouraged by the sleezy lawyers.
If he was alive and able to speak though, I am not sure if he would concur with her judgement.

[ringading3]

All preverts that prey on kids should be put under the jail. Can I volunteer for the jury?

[photosbyshan]

I agree with the judge. The show is weird and is blatant entrapment. The women are adults and paid to entice the men into meeting them. They''''re not catching predators. These men aren''''t predators. These aren''''t murderers and rapists.


Posted by standlee5 at 12:18 AM : Feb 27, 2008

The women may be adults, but the point is that the men who are agreeing to meet them believe that they are underage boys/girls, that does make them predators. They are sick individuals that need to be stopped, I feel bad for the sister, but the only reason her brother killed himself is because he was embarrased that his secret life as a pervert was finally revealed to the rest of the world.

[dylanxxv]

I agree with the judge. The show is weird and is blatant entrapment. The women are adults and paid to entice the men into meeting them. They''''re not catching predators. These men aren''''t predators. These aren''''t murderers and rapists.

Posted by standlee5 at 12:18 AM : Feb 27, 2008


Unless you are yourself a candidate to star on to catch a predator, how can you make excuses for these sick maggots?

[nothappyatall]

In 1285, 180 Munich Jews were burned for having allegedly bled a Christian boy to death. In 1475, nearly all the Jews in Trent, Italy, were tortured and killed after rumors circulated that a boy had been sacrificed. Even as late as 1801, 128 Jews had their throats slit by Orthodox priests after being accused to drinking blood.

Host Nailing

A particularly odd form of persecution resulted from the decision of Christian leaders to accept the doctrine of transubstantiation: in other words, that the host wafer in holy communion miraculously changes into the actual body of Jesus. For some reason, superstitious Christians started believing that Jews would take the communion wafer and ritually nail it up in a grisly re-enactment of the crucifixion. The result was hundreds of massacres all across Europe. It seems like Christians would seize upon any excuse to kill off a few Jews.

[nothappyatall]

In 1298, 628 Jews were killed in Nuremberg after host-nailing rumors spread. That same year, Bavarian knight Rindfleisch exterminated 146 Jewish communities in just six months. In 1337, the entire Jewish population of Deggendorf, Bavaria, was burned after stories of host-nailing became popular. In 1370, nearly all Belgian Jews were killed after someone in Brussels reported seeing a Jew break a communion wafer. Even as late as 1761, Jews were executed in Nancy, France, based upon similar allegations. I could go on and on with similar reports, but I am honestly sickened by having to spend so much time on these examples of how Christianity relates to violence.

[hissteps4u]

These perverts get what they deserve. He engaged in Lewd and indecent conversation with someone he knew was 13 years old or believed was that age.

They have trapped Lawyers, Judges, Policemen, all manner of folks and they each deserve what they get.

To Bad he killed himself and to Bad he was a pervert Thankfully perhaps some child in his home town is nOW SAFE from him!!!!

[apprxam]

Stand...Entrapped or not, taking his life by his own hand for his own deed is just as far as I am concerned. This gentleman-public servant wasn''t concerned with the mental well being of is victims, so then why should the justice system carethat he trapped himself.

[rudy654-2009]

I think it''s great that NBC will be sued. First of all, if law enforcement is handling this kind of situation, then they need to do it without the media. Making it about entertainment for ratings is plain disgusting. Finally, this individual didn''t show up to the place of entrapment, so Dateline NBC decided that they wanted to get him anyway. As it stands, he should have been allowed the opportunity to not show up. Mere chat on the internet where anybody can be anonymous should not be a part of the target. I find this entrapment to be reprehensible, anyway because it was created for entertainment value.

[cbsblogger]

I agree with some others that there is a temptation to oversensationalize on the part of the media and law enforcement in these types of stings.

Entrapment can become a slippery slope that does not serve justice. Earlier this year a fireman from Columbus Ohio was entrapped by a female officer sunbathing topless in the park, and was arrested when she (the cop) asked him to expose himself.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/11/12/robin13.html

[twitalert]

Hey Dummies,
Please read the clip from the article above
if you notice it said "FAILED TO SHOW UP" it is entrapment and they need to sue NBC. NBC caused this man to take his life

"In the lawsuit, Patricia Conradt said NBC "steamrolled" police to arrest her brother after telling police he failed to show up at a sting operation 35 miles away."


Remember folks, "Innocent until proven guilty."
One day you may find yourself there as well.

[twitalert]

Hey Dummies,
Please read the clip from the article above
if you notice it said "FAILED TO SHOW UP" it is entrapment and they need to sue NBC. NBC caused this man to take his life

"In the lawsuit, Patricia Conradt said NBC "steamrolled" police to arrest her brother after telling police he failed to show up at a sting operation 35 miles away."

[twitalert]

Hey Dummies,
Please read the clip from the article above
if you notice it said "FAILED TO SHOW UP" it is entrapment and they need to sue NBC. NBC caused this man to take his life

"In the lawsuit, Patricia Conradt said NBC "steamrolled" police to arrest her brother after telling police he failed to show up at a sting operation 35 miles away."

[torinin2]

This sick, twisted, sorry excuse for a human being KNEW that he was attempting to engage in some sort of sexual encounter with a MINOR child.

Whether he followed through with the actual physical meeting with this supposed MINOR individual or not is irrelevant. This PREDATOR was a prosecutor of the law and therefore knew EXACTLY what the legal ramifications were for his actions.

I would chalk this up as justice serving itself. This woman, like the rest of the world, was fooled by the ''wolf in sheeps clothing'' as well. Brother or not, he was a waste of Oxygen.

[dylanxxv]

Hey Dummies,
Please read the clip from the article above
if you notice it said "FAILED TO SHOW UP" it is entrapment and they need to sue NBC. NBC caused this man to take his life

"In the lawsuit, Patricia Conradt said NBC "steamrolled" police to arrest her brother after telling police he failed to show up at a sting operation 35 miles away."

Posted by TwitAlert at 02:55 AM : Feb 27, 2008


Conversing with someone YOU believe to be underage for sexual purposes IS A CRIME you twit...Please alert yourself to the laws of this nation before you show how foolish you are...Furthermore...The sicko was a prosecutor who KNEW what he was doing and he alone decided to take the cowards way out...

[Val Ginas]

In Texas, it is a crime for what he originally did. Which precedes, his suicide. His position, embarrassment and lack of spine, is what made him commit suicide. NBC had nothing to do with him pulling the trigger. Just another, gutless, ignorant, moronic, spineless, person, who did the exact opposite of what he was supposed to stand for, and fight for in his elected position to provide protection for his area. At least he did it right... He didn''t try to shoot, injure, kill others at a school/mall, before turning the gun on himself. He made an educated decision to shoot himself first. His family should just face the fact, he lived his life a L I E. The World is better off now.

[Val Ginas]

He broke the very law he was elected to protect and serve. NBC didn''t give him a gun and say, pull the trigger. His gutless, moronic, idiotic, catch-me-if-can, perversion was his on undoing. The entire state/people should sue him and his family for him not doing his job to the utmost level, for what he was put into office to do.

[blackyowe]

This all borders on illegal entrapment. In a situation like this with incredible, public humiliation it is conceivable an innocent man would even take his own life if he felt he would be put on display in this way. It''s tragic and probably NBC did over play their hand. There are allot better ways of doing all this. Reality TV is not part of the justice system, thank God. Let the courts try the suspect not public opinion or a network. It''s Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, this is not ancient Rome. Perhaps NBC needs to fall on its own sword.

[blackyowe]

This all borders on illegal entrapment. In a situation like this with incredible, public humiliation it is conceivable an innocent man would even take his own life if he felt he would be put on display in this way. It''s tragic and probably NBC did over play their hand. There are allot better ways of doing all this. Reality TV is not part of the justice system, thank God. Let the courts try the suspect not public opinion or a network. It''s Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, this is not ancient Rome. Perhaps NBC needs to fall on its own sword.

[twitalert]

In his ruling, Chin said the network "placed itself squarely in the middle of a police operation, pushing the police to engage in tactics that were unnecessary and unwise, solely to generate more dramatic footage for a television show."

Chin wrote that a reasonable jury could find there was no legitimate law enforcement need for a heavily armed SWAT team to extract a 56-year-old prosecutor from his home when he was not accused of any actual violence and was not believed to have a gun.

[twitalert]

Thank You BlackYowe, I agree with your comment

[rudy654-2009]

Maybe Dateline NBC should try some toe tapping in the men''s bathrooms of airports and see how many "conservative Christian" congressmen they can feature on their broadcast.

[twitalert]

Here is what I feel is the problem we face in this here and in this country as a whole. We live in a police state. There''s no doubt about it. When we walk out of our home, get in our car and go down the street, they can set up random roadblocks; make us get out of our car; bring up a dog to sniff us and our car''s contents. Do you think John Wayne would have put up with that?

John''s riding his horse down a trail. They drop a log in front of him and say, "John, get down off that horse, let this dog sniff you, we''re going to take blood out of your arm and make you pee in this bucket."

I believe John Wayne would have said, "I''m afraid not, Pilgrim. This is where I draw my line in the sand." I think The Duke would be with me
Additionally, the crime and police brutality rate keeps rising every day. Just listen to a police scanner for one evening, any day of the week, and you will see what I am talking about. Did my father''s generation hit the beaches of Normandy and Iwo Jima so their children would have to endure this kind of garbage from the media?

[ramos937]

There are many men & women fighting this "condition" successfully. Why would any network or police force make it harder for them to continue this fight. I have not drunk liquor, even beer, in years. But as AA will tell you, it is a day to day battle. If any one, who knew or suspected my condition, was to tempt me by offering me liquor, I would probably hit him/her over the head with something.

[twitalert]

BTW "Megan''s Law" is Unconstitutional it needs to be thrown out. Please read "U.S.Constitution"

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by TwitAlert at 04:09 AM

I agree with you. I am not defending people who are trying to hook up with minors. No, if they try and do that they should be caught and prosecuted. I don''t like this business of the media promoting entrapment, whereby they feature a woman or whomever on the internet trying to lure someone in, and when that person doesn''t show, they go after him anyway with guns a blazin for media effect. If such a person is to be accused then do it in court where he can defend himself. Not in the media. No, that is an abuse of airwaves. If law enforcement has a job to do, then do it. But no, the media shouldn''t be there helping create the entrapment. Like I said, why don''t they go to the men''s bathroom at the airport and see how many people they can catch toe tapping? Ridiculous.

[rudy654-2009]

I could just see Chris Hansen sitting in a stall toe tapping, and then when somebody responds the cameras all pull in and feature the toe tapper in the other stall, who then gets up after confessing to Hansen, walks out and is made to get down on the floor by the police and all of it caught on camera.

[brianbwb-2009]

Perhaps NBC should have simply publicized the evidence against the man, then showed his picture on their show, maybe some live footage of him in court on one of his cases, and some stills.

Then, if he was so ashamed that he would commit suicide, he would have then acted without doubt of his own volition, at least NBC wouldn''t have the smell of using the police to hound a man, before the man is given due process, to his home, with the threat of violence that a SWAT team certainly implies.

[brianbwb-2009]

Also, given the recent events of staunch anti gay "bullhorns" being busted indulging in the very activities they decry, and pseudo religious zealots caught in every sin mentioned in the bible, one cannot help but wonder if Mr. Hansen doesn''t have some similar prepubescent skeletons in his own closet.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by brianbwb at 04:34 AM

Definitely. I have come to find that they biggest hypocrites are usually they ones shouting the loudest. There is something odd, very odd, about a journalist who wants to be known setting entrapment in this way.

[rowdytexan2]

The man was a pervert preying on children and needed to be stopped.

But when this is sensationalized and presented as entertainment for the masses, so they can sit in their tv chairs with clicker in hand and snicker over it, it becomes as sick as the predator himself.

[grammawhamma]

If you are a good person you couldn''t get entrapped. Think about it.

[carlylaine]

This is absolute entrapment...This is how low we''ve sunk as a society. You ''f''ing liberals or conservatives-whether you are Dem or Repub who think this is the way our society should be are disgusting and OH SO WRONG. To think that entrapment is good is repugnant.

NBC is amiss to attempt to subjugate inner workings of a human mind. How dare any of you think this is a good thing for society. I would be condemned to death for my thoughts. The salacious SLATHERING viewers are the cause of this man''s death not to mention NBC greed.

Thomas Jefferson:
I have sworn on the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

[jjarden]

Considering that the TV program is deliberately designed as titilating and salacious television, and it is aired for the sole purpose of ratings and for making an obscene profit, I think the Lawsuit has Merit.

[fettkonserv]

It''s not entrapment. Louis William Conradt Jr. Republican Pedophile can no longer hurt anyone. Good riddance to the sleazebag.

[stupidrules3]

Rudy654,
A lot of the time I disagree with you but not this time.
"I have come to find that the biggest hypocrites are usually the ones shouting the loudest." You are right on the mark with that statement. I''m looking forward to their toe tapping show.

[justfacts2]

I think as long as these pedophilic sickos get off the street and away from our kids, any means necessary is okay by me.

[nhi1997]

you are kidding me. how want to have *** with a minor and than kill himself. now the family want to sue, what if it was really a child he wanted to meet up with.

[keithle1]

"HI! I''M JUST GETTING MY PANTIES OUT OF THE DRYER.
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME. THERE''S ICE TEA IN THE FRIDGE & POP TARTS IF YOU WANT ONE. NEXT TO THE BOX OF S E X TOYS. DID YOU GO TO THE HANNAH MONTANA CONCERT? SHE IS, LIKE, SOOOO AWESOME! TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF. I''M ALMOST READY. YOU DON''T KNOW HOW I HATE BEING THE ONLY 13-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN IN MY SCHOOL. CHRIS? MR. HANSEN? WHERE ARE YOU? HELP! MOMMY!"

[julianne2you]

Self righteousness always brings about unjust justice. Truely this is "Perverted Justice".

[marymcq]

The only thing I see wrong with this story was the statement that the officer on the scene said "That''ll make good T.V." That was uncalled for. I think this show is great, it says to these pediophiles that prey on the young, innocent, and powerless, "If you try to mess around with children, will put it on T.V. so everyone see''s you for who you are, then we are going to arrest you." This man was a prosecutor also, how many people have this man put away for doing the very same thing, if anyone felt he was abouve the law it was him, and no one else. There is absolutely no reason for a man of his age, to be talking to a 13 year old CHILD. I feel bad for his family, it''s not their fault, but I hope they don''t get a penny. Our children are being victimized too much. Victimizing children is the worst. I''m sorry he is dead, I would really like to see him in prison, and lose his job.

[marymcq]

To peacedreamer, your statemnet was "None of the "To catch a predator" stings have resulted in a conviction" I watch that show all the time, at the end, it show''s the court results, I have seen many, many people go to prison, if they have already been to court and were found guilty, they have prison time, the prison sentences were alway higher than 5 years, all of them, unless their trials are pending, or they are bail jumpers. You should really check it out, they do great work.

[marymcq]

To standlee5, you said "I agree with the judge. The show is weird and is blatant entrapment. The women are adults and paid to entice the men into meeting them. They''''re not catching predators. These men aren''''t predators. These aren''''t murderers and rapists." I can''t believe how blind you are, these gross disgusting men,didn''t know they were talking to adults, they thought they were talking to children. Even though you made this idiotic remark, I hope if you have children, that they NEVER be a victim of a pedophile. These children are forever scarred. They are as bad as murders and rapist. It is not entrapment, thank God it was Chris Hansen who was there and not a 13 year old boy.