Thursday, October 10, 2013

A Death That Should Not Be

Remember a song from the '70s by Ray Stephens called "The Streak"? It was a humorous, musical tribute to a fad that had become popular mostly on college campuses but occasionally showed up in other places.

I suppose there were some sort of charges brought against those young men who chose to discard their clothing and dash across football fields or through farmers' markets--at least the ones they could catch. It would have had something to do with public nuisance or public indecency and would have involved a fine and possibly a few days in jail. The boys involved would undoubtedly have faced more grief once they got home than they did at the police station.

Had we been told then that in a few decades, young men who engaged in such behavior would have been charged with a criminal act, a sexual crime, and would have been forced to be listed as a sexual criminal on something called a sex offense registry, we would have laughed in disbelief.

This is what happened to a young man, only 15, really still a child, named Christian Adamek. Christian lived in Huntsville, Alabama, and was apparently a popular and well-loved boy with many, many friends in his high school. Scarcely two weeks ago, the last week in September, during a Sparkman High School football game, Christian streaked across the field.

Christian faced immediate and serious consequences. He would be subject to school disciplinary action, something that would be expected. It may have included expulsion. However, school authorities decided that this was not sufficient.

Principal Michael Cambell said, "There's the legal complications. Public lewdness and court consequences outside of school with the legal system, as well as the school consequences that the school system has set up."

Indecent exposure in Alabama, as it is in many, probably most, of our states, is linked to the state's sex offender laws, meaning that had he been convicted of that offense, he would be required to be on the sex offender registry.

One week later, on October 2, Christian hanged himself. He died two days later. His mother, his brother and sister, his boy scout troop, and his many friends, teachers, and neighbors all mourn his death.

I did not know him, but I am choked with fury and grief and despair at his death. My heart actually hurts.

If his high school administrators had any choice, as it appears they did, in turning this over to legal authorities, then damn them. And most of all damn a system that equates a silly, stupid, schoolboy stunt with an actual sexual crime. Damn a system that grows stronger and stronger by touting claims that it is all about protecting children when what it does is destroy children.

How many more children will be destroyed, sacrificed on the alter of the sex offender registry, before we decide we have had enough?

God keep you in His care, Christian, and may He give comfort to your family and friends. Rest in peace, Christian, rest in peace.

http://www.cotwa.info/2013/10/the-death-of-christian-adamek-and-zero.html

http://blog.simplejustice.us/2013/10/06/what-law-will-be-named-after-christian-adamek/

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/10/christian_adamek_remembered_as.html

http://www.inquisitr.com/988073/christian-adamek-15-year-old-kills-himself-after-facing-expulsion-sex-offender-registry-for-streaking/

11 comments:

  1. This is so sad. This could be any of our kids. The STREAK was so popular and I bet many of the ones who were ready to label him did the same damn thing. I am sick of these laws and what they are doing to children, youth young adults, and families. This child was NOT a danger to anyone he did something stupid. Do we not all do something stupid. Hell half the registry or more are those who did something stupid and non-violent. My heart goes out to the family of this young boy. It is a disgrace. Things need to change before ALL our children do the same thing.

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    1. You are soooo right God Bless you and Especially this boy's family.

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  2. Possibly you remember: http://on-suicides-deaths.blogspot.com/2009/02/mi-brian-dickerson-plea-deal-thwarted.html

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    1. I do indeed. Another tragedy; another life ended too soon.

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  3. I saw a comment stating that "he MIGHT have been placed on the sex offender registry" but that he had not been. The FACT of the matter is that the crime is linked to the registry, and had he been convicted of that crime he most certainly WOULD HAVE been placed on the registry. It is not up to the judge, the legislature has decreed that that particular "crime" was a registerable offense and would have triggered registration. Had he not taken his own life, this whole thing would have transpired silently with no one who did not know him personally even knowing it was going to happen.
    It is very sad. It is also sad that my son, convicted of another minor crime at age 18, amounting to indecent exposure here in Maine, has tried to suicide twice. They wonder why? They have never had to go through the junk these people have. They don't know.

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  4. So at what point does one get off the registration? If an offender committed his crime 15 years ago and was labeled a mod. risk offender and has never offended again when ~ does the label drop to low after so many years? If not why would he/she stay at the same level for the rest of his life? Makes no sense.!

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  5. Anonymous, the issues you raise strike at the heart of why I am here and why I do what I do. For your first question, in some states, one doesn't. Not ever. Nor does the label "drop to low," as you descriptively phrase it. In some states there are different lengths for different risks as assigned to one of three levels. The years often are something like 15/25/life.

    But that is just some states. In some, all levels are life. I like to use the example of Frank Rodriquez, Jr. in Texas. He was a high school senior and his girlfriend Nikki a freshmen when he was reported to the police. The outcome was a conviction of sexual assault of a child and lifetime on the registry. A few years later Frank and Nikki got married and have been for almost twenty years. They have four daughters. Frank cannot coach their soccer teams due to his registry status. He is still on the Texas public registry with a charge and conviction for sexually molesting a child.

    Frank's risk of harming anyone is the same as yours and mine. He has over twenty years of living a law-abiding life, supporting his family, and staying compliant with his registration requirements--requirements that will not change until something drastic happens.

    So, no---it makes no sense.

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    1. And I should have said UNLESS something drastic happens rather than until. I can't believe my own blog won't let me edit a comment; LOL.

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    2. What a tragedy. May God bless them throug this difficult time. My son is incarcerated and would like to petition the court to be released from registering thru the Romeo and Juliet Deregistration law for which he qualifies. One big problem, he was recently incarcerated after serving 9 years of his 10 year probation on technicalities. He is desperate!!!!!! Please let me know what you think.

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    3. I'm sorry, but I have no legal training at all. I have no idea what he will encounter in his quest. The laws differ widely from state to state. An attorney would be able to help you. I wish him the best of luck.

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  6. I myself fall under the Romeo and Juliet Deregistration, have been for 23 years now. I was 17 & my girlfriend was 14. We were in high School together. And i'm sorry to tell you, but that doesn't mean a thing. I have been trying to get off the reg every since I completed my probation and I have been told by lawyers,DAs and judges that its useless even trying. The system is broke and nobody cares because they nor their families have to deal with this nightmare.

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