Craigslist Prostitution Charges Blocked

(CBS/AP)  A federal judge on Friday blocked South Carolina's attorney general from making any move to prosecute Craigslist executives for ads that lead to prostitution arrests while the company pursues its lawsuit against the state.

The order signed by U.S. District Judge Weston Houck requires Attorney General Henry McMaster "to refrain from initiating or pursuing any prosecution against Craigslist or its officers" in connection with content posted on the site.

McMaster and Craigslist agreed to the judge's order.

Earlier this week, CEO Jim Buckmaster filed a federal lawsuit against the prosecutor after McMaster threatened to go after the Internet advertising company for allegedly aiding and abetting prostitution if the site leads to a prostitution case in South Carolina.

In his filing, Buckmaster claimed McMaster's threat violates the constitutional rights of company executives.

On May 5, the attorney general called on Buckmaster to remove ads related to prostitution and pornography from its South Carolina sites, giving the San Francisco-based company 10 days to comply or face possible charges.

Craigslist subsequently pledged to eliminate its "erotic services" category and screen submissions to a new "adult services" section before posting them.

When the deadline expired May 15, McMaster said he still intended to charge Craigslist executives with aiding and abetting prostitution if an ad on the Web site leads to a prostitution case in South Carolina.

McMaster has said his office has continued to investigate the ads in the new "adult services" section, but no charges have been brought. After demanding an apology from McMaster for targeting his company, Buckmaster sued the prosecutor.

But McMaster insists he has gone after Craigslist at the behest of local law officers who say it's the No. 1 marketplace for adverting sex services.

"It is the vehicle of choice for prostitution in this country, and they had been notified emphatically that those were prostitution ads," McMaster told The AP on Thursday.

On Friday, McMaster spokesman Mark Plowden called Houck's order standard for such cases.

"This is a very routine legal procedure that allows the parties time to prepare for a hearing," he said.

No hearing dates have been set. A spokeswoman for Craigslist did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

On Thursday, McMaster told The Associated Press he has never handled a single such case in more than six years as the state's top prosecutor.

"I don't think this office has handled any prostitution prosecutions ever," said McMaster, who was first elected in 2002. "Now this is something different. This is against the biggest want ads Web site in the world."

On Wednesday, seven people were indicted for allegedly running a prostitution ring on Craigslist, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced.

Room Service Entertainment, headquartered in Queens, N.Y. and advertised in the "Erotic Services" section of the popular online classified site, was an illicit prostitution operation that used codes to arrange transactions, Cuomo's office said.

[hagar39]

Our AG in South Carolina is running for governor. Trying to prosecute Craigslist is a publicity stunt to get free press. We have newspaper, and magazines etc. in Columbia and all over South Carolina that advertise call girls, prostitutes , sex clubs etc.
He has never paid any attention to them.
he just wants his few minutes of fame. Nothing else. And he's an idiot.

[armyoftwelve]

Only the religious view says prostitution should be treated as a crime
Posted by jmcgilvray at 12:05 PM : May 23, 2009

No actually, American LAW says that prostitution is a crime.
So much for critical thinking on your part.

[armyoftwelve]

Sex is none of the government's business.
Posted by jmcgilvray at 6:57 AM : May 23, 2009

Really? Then why do we punich sex offenders????
We have one thing over saudi arabia.....here women can drive.

[gregory70-2009]

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA should protect the Craigslist site from prosecution due to things published by others on their site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act

the posters comments about going after the owners of the cork board for the messages stamped to it is a fitting analogy.

Think of it another way.

If your sitting at home and someone writes graffiti on your home that contains a swear word.. Later that same day the cops see that graffiti on your house and charge you providing a wall for the graffiti artists to write on.

Where does it stop?

You need to go after the people who commit crimes.

[martel_v]

Posted by armyoftwelve:
Oh, by the way--even the countries that aren't free (like saudi arabia) still aren't immune to expolitation, especially of women. There are other forms of debasement besides prostitution.
_______________________________________________

Obviously true. Prostitution is certainly one of them...and religion is another.

[philabias]

Just another example of an out of control Government, Trying to make us all be what they want instead of our natural divercity. And Obama is doing the same thing on a national scale. America is heading down hill in a free fall slide to socialism. Amazingly its starting to look alot like CHINA. way to go OBAMANATION!

[armyoftwelve]

Prostitution and exploitation are not one and the same thing
Posted by aka_KJB at 6:41 PM : May 22, 2009

A truly stupid point of view. I suppose you really believe that everyone in the sex industry
gets to be a millionaire and really enjoys it. Doofus. Even in countries like Holland (or the Phillipines in the 1980's) where prostitution is somewhat legal there are still tremendous problems with sex slavery (i.e.: exploitation) and disease.

Go to the US State Departments website and lookup "human trafficking" you should have no problem learning how pervasive and destructive prostitution is.

Now I'll make another "sweeping generalization:" all you selfish perverts posting on this site would rather rail against religion than confront your own failings. Moral failings within ANY religious institution (especially the Catholic Church) are dwarfed far by the systematic problems that pervade nearly EVERY free society on this planet! The problem is that too many people (like of all you selfish perverts) equate freedom with "doing whatever I want" and not considering the externalities---LIKE THE ABUSE THAT OCCURS IN THE SEX TRADE and affiliated trades!!!!

Oh, by the way--even the countries that aren't free (like saudi arabia) still aren't immune to expolitation, especially of women. There are other forms of debasement besides prostitution.

[Slrman-21001573651763300012869]

Why is anyone surprised? The first thing any repressive organization does is try to control your sex life. If they can convince you that they can tell you when and how you may have sex, controlling everything else is easy.

That's why religions and governments do this.

[krisd999-2009]

You have the phone numbers of all prostitutes nicely ordered and don't go arest them. Instead you file charges against the "cork bulletin board". What's next? Charges against bathroom doors and the tavern owners? The DA is such a moron!

[neo267-2009]

Incompetent DAs - who can't enforce the law even when they have the phone number of the criminals - just looking for publicity.