Cops and Courts: July 24, 2008 - Santa Cruz Sentinel

[Santa Cruz Native]

Just to clear things up since I was the subject of some confusion.

To ano: I was the "citizen fire reporter" as you called me. I can assure you that I have never posted using SC Native. Even if I were to post using another name, my ISP location would always be Santa Cruz. I won't bother to comment on your actions and response to SC Native with an ISP location of Mount Herman.

To Knock it off and Local gurl: Thank you for pointing out ona's mistake.

To Hmmm: Thank you for the apology and admiting to a mistake. Being a anonymous poster and still stepping up with an apology tell's me something about what kind of person you are. You have my respect. But please, cut out the hero crap.

To SC Native: Just for the record, I have to say that saying you hope someone gets raped is totally out of line. You can disagree with someone without stooping to the level that you did. I seriously doubt you would have said such a thing if you were registered and folks knew who you were.

[Butthead]

Robert Jackson wrote:

Steinberg, funny he doesn't look Jewish.

You were expecting Sammy Davis Junior?

[Just Wondering]

rita wrote:

so now "very touchy feely" is a crime? Guess my great aunt better grab her tooth brush and get ready for lock up! This sort of thing wasted a month of investigatin time when they could have been dealing with solving some real crime. the man has already lost business, he should't even have a fine.

Rita, why do you think so ill of young women? I posted on the previous thread on this subject (in a effort to defend these girls against an animosity I still do not understand), and you were in there with the mud- slinging posters. You posted something like, "They weren't raped, were they?".

Why so much anger?

Are you really a woman posting?

The misogyny in that thread made me deeply sad.

And I feel no vindication with this follow-up story, btw. The entire situation is ugly.

An adult male should never take a minor female, alone, into a room with a door that shuts. A parent should not allow a minor to accompany a male who wants to do so. Physicians make sure they have an assistant or parent in the room when they examine their minor patients. People in the beauty industry should take the same precautions. For the protection of all parties.

[hmmm]

Just Wondering wrote:

<quoted text>
An adult male should never take a minor female, alone, into a room with a door that shuts.

Hmmm ... pretty broad statement (no pun intended).

[Foster]

Sorry to steer the subject over to stabbing for a minute, but does anyone know what the "business in the 500 block" of Seabright was where the argument began?

[Bizzy]

I say we dress up Tran as Peter Louis Finegan's landlord.....killing two idiot birds with one Dumb Finegan.

Oops...I take that back. I don't want Peter Louis Finegan angry....You wouldn't like him when he's angry....

[Just Wondering]

hmmm wrote:

<quoted text>
Hmmm ... pretty broad statement (no pun intended).

Not over-broad at all. Realistic. Most professionals hold to it. Stop being snarky when I am being serious about this.

To spell it out for you: it nips temptation in the bud and avoids misunderstandings.

I passed the age of consent eons ago, but whenever I get an examination or a spa treatment that involves touching in areas that could be considered intimate, the practitioner will announce something like, "I am going to touch you here now, okay?" Even women practitioners will do that. It's a way of acknowledging that the patient or client has a say in what happens to her body. It's a way for the practitioner to reaffirm that he or she and the client or patient are on the same page.

And in the case of a minor, who cannot legally give consent to intimate touching, if a man's hand "accidentally" brushes a place it shouldn't, he would be much better off if a parent or other adult were there to confirm that, yes, it appeared to be nothing but an accident. The minor is less likely to feel threatened, as well, and so is less likely to interpret the touching as a threat.

Of course, no one can speak to the inner workings of any person's mind, but that's what juries and judges are for.

[Buck]

They spent a month on the case and now a misdemeanor charge. Way to get those pervs off the streets and out of the nail salons. I feel so much safer.

[SC Native]

Santa Cruz Native wrote:

Just to clear things up since I was the subject of some confusion.
To ano: I was the "citizen fire reporter" as you called me. I can assure you that I have never posted using SC Native. Even if I were to post using another name, my ISP location would always be Santa Cruz. I won't bother to comment on your actions and response to SC Native with an ISP location of Mount Herman.

To Knock it off and Local gurl: Thank you for pointing out ona's mistake.
To Hmmm: Thank you for the apology and admiting to a mistake. Being a anonymous poster and still stepping up with an apology tell's me something about what kind of person you are. You have my respect. But please, cut out the hero crap.
To SC Native: Just for the record, I have to say that saying you hope someone gets raped is totally out of line. You can disagree with someone without stooping to the level that you did. I seriously doubt you would have said such a thing if you were registered and folks knew who you were.

I feel thoroughly chastised. No I'm not "registered" like you are "Santa Cruz Native", because I don't have the time or inclination to do so. But, let us all bow down to you for being so "out there" and "open"! Regarding my early "wish", probably a bit too far (and I did revise later), but based on Rita's decision to attack the victims and worrying so much about the future of the predator's business, I don't think she cared too much.

[Just Wondering]

rita wrote:

so now "very touchy feely" is a crime? Guess my great aunt better grab her tooth brush and get ready for lock up! This sort of thing wasted a month of investigatin time when they could have been dealing with solving some real crime. the man has already lost business, he should't even have a fine.

Mea culpa -- I just checked and I attributed a quote to you that was from "Another Customer". Sorry. But you did post that there is a difference between girls of "9 and 15", and that the alleged crime, if it happened at all, was something that should be ignored. I find that as shocking, coming from a woman, as the first quote.

And I, too, have experienced groping on public transportation (as a minor and as an adult). I was not traumatized (though I was disgusted). I would have been very frightened, as a teenager, if someone I knew and trusted had violated that trust in the isolated setting of a private room, in the context of a treatment or an examination. There is a different level of violation there.

[Informed]

anyone can look in the county database and see Mr Tran was charged with a 288 (c) which is a child molest of a 15 year old if suspect is more than 10 years older. This is a "wobbler" which means it can either be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. When arrested on a wobbler, there is no discretion by the cops and the person will be booked on a felony pending review by the DA. the same thing happens in domestic violence, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon cases. The fact the DA decided to charge the less serious offense, is no reflection the behavior did not happen or was exagerated by the teen. Apparently the DA thinks the boob grab of a 15 year old falls in misdemeanor land. For the sarcasm of someone feeling safer now, you should. Especially if your kids or wife were going to that salon.

Buck wrote:

They spent a month on the case and now a misdemeanor charge. Way to get those pervs off the streets and out of the nail salons. I feel so much safer.

[Santa Cruz Native]

Informed wrote:

anyone can look in the county database and see Mr Tran was charged with a 288 (c) which is a child molest of a 15 year old if suspect is more than 10 years older. This is a "wobbler" which means it can either be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. When arrested on a wobbler, there is no discretion by the cops and the person will be booked on a felony pending review by the DA. the same thing happens in domestic violence, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon cases. The fact the DA decided to charge the less serious offense, is no reflection the behavior did not happen or was exagerated by the teen. Apparently the DA thinks the boob grab of a 15 year old falls in misdemeanor land. For the sarcasm of someone feeling safer now, you should. Especially if your kids or wife were going to that salon. <quoted text>

What database are you refering to? Is this online and open to the public?

[Santa Cruz Local]

Informed wrote:

anyone can look in the county database and see Mr Tran was charged with a 288 (c) which is a child molest of a 15 year old if suspect is more than 10 years older. This is a "wobbler" which means it can either be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. When arrested on a wobbler, there is no discretion by the cops and the person will be booked on a felony pending review by the DA. the same thing happens in domestic violence, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon cases. The fact the DA decided to charge the less serious offense, is no reflection the behavior did not happen or was exagerated by the teen. Apparently the DA thinks the boob grab of a 15 year old falls in misdemeanor land. For the sarcasm of someone feeling safer now, you should. Especially if your kids or wife were going to that salon. <quoted text>

Did they open the criminal database again?? I know the civil database is available online, but they closed the criminal database a few years back. Too bad, it was very useful.

[sam]

roast that sewer rat for 187

[Cruz]

I am so glad all of you stay in doors and just read all this stuff. Please stay where your at you'll be much safer don't go out just have safeway.com bring you your needs and if you have kids don't let them out of your site there are to many touchy, feely people out there in the real world. Sorry I would like to write more but I need some fresh air from outside.

[Zoning Limits]

Did he say 'nips'?

[Just Wondering]

Informed wrote:

anyone can look in the county database and see Mr Tran was charged with a 288 (c) which is a child molest of a 15 year old if suspect is more than 10 years older. This is a "wobbler" which means it can either be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. When arrested on a wobbler, there is no discretion by the cops and the person will be booked on a felony pending review by the DA. the same thing happens in domestic violence, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon cases. The fact the DA decided to charge the less serious offense, is no reflection the behavior did not happen or was exagerated by the teen. Apparently the DA thinks the boob grab of a 15 year old falls in misdemeanor land. For the sarcasm of someone feeling safer now, you should. Especially if your kids or wife were going to that salon. <quoted text>

Thank you for, finally, some sane and helpful information.

Now why can't the Sentinel run a short version of that explanation in the story, instead of leaving those involved open to so many insinuations and inferences? Lazy reporting, per usual.

[Just Wondering]

Cruz wrote:

I am so glad all of you stay in doors and just read all this stuff. Please stay where your at you'll be much safer don't go out just have safeway.com bring you your needs and if you have kids don't let them out of your site there are to many touchy, feely people out there in the real world. Sorry I would like to write more but I need some fresh air from outside.

All I can say is...wow. You have issues.

[Uauauauau]

The family forced the DA to file. You are misinformed because there is new evidence that They exaggerated what happen and made it up about being alone in the salon. Witnesses are currently coming forward debunking aspect that don't add up for the accuser.

SC Native wrote:

<quoted text>
No the point is that you're ready to just let this kind of sexual assault go on. That it's no big deal. It happens all the time. And for the most part they probably deserve it. Right? Well, if he is found guilty, should he go to jail for 10 years because of it? No. Should he have to face public condemnation (at least by those of us who think fondling a young girls breasts against her will is wrong)? Yes. And, he should have to register as a sex offender. We all have choices. You can still patronize his businesses. I will tell my wife and all of my relatives and friends not to. And, just to cover all bases, IF it turns out the girls made it up (which is looking extremely unlikely)- then he should sue their families for everything he can.

[SC Native]

Uauauauau wrote:

The family forced the DA to file. You are misinformed because there is new evidence that They exaggerated what happen and made it up about being alone in the salon. Witnesses are currently coming forward debunking aspect that don't add up for the accuser. <quoted text>

What?!! What family? The Soprano's? Give me a break! Hey, my point in this whole thing is it's crap to attack the alleged victims of a sexual assualt. If they're lying, there are methods (criminal and civil) of retribution. But to say the girls' families are forcing the DA to prosecute is a blatent lie. You are obviously a member of the Tran Family. Face it, Henry's probably been grabbing teens T&A for years and getting away with it because they've been too afraid or embarassed to come forward. Time to pay up Tranny!