Boy Who Fled Country With Teacher May Get Visa to Return to U.S.

[no name 1]

Don't forget the Mary Kay Letourneau story, she was 34 and he was 13. They are married now.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...=image&cd=1

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kay_Letourneau

Also - In 2000, Fualaau's family sued the Highline School District and the city of Des Moines, Washington for emotional suffering, lost wages, and the costs of rearing his two children, claiming the school had failed to protect him from Letourneau.[1] The jury ruled against them and no damages were awarded.

Sexual crime is not a joke to the victims.

I can't see you saying the same thing about him was he a legal resident. You can't switch compassion off just because he happens to be illegal, or can you? Hmm, maybe you can. The teacher was in a position of authority and was twice his age. You don't think there is at least manipulation coming into play here?

It is also pretty ridiculous to make a comparison between border agents and this case. Either you accept that laws need to be enforced when a serious crime is committed, regardless of status, or you don't.

Who said it was a joke? Stop putting words in people's mouths.

US laws are here to protect LEGAL RESIDENTS/USCs, not illegals.

Edited November 12, 2007 by devilette

[Kevin and 10]

Sexual crime is not a joke to the victims.

I can't see you saying the same thing about him was he a legal resident. You can't switch compassion off just because he happens to be illegal, or can you? Hmm, maybe you can. The teacher was in a position of authority and was twice his age. You don't think there is at least manipulation coming into play here?

It is also pretty ridiculous to make a comparison between border agents and this case. Either you accept that laws need to be enforced when a serious crime is committed, regardless of status, or you don't.

So the laws against jumping the border and running drugs is not serious?

I was pointing out that there is no difference between a crime against a citizen or someone who is here illegally. The law does not make exceptions. If there were exceptions, the two agents wouldn't be in prison.

[Peikko 1,575]

Crime is crime, regardless of who the victim is, unless you want to create a class of 12 million people who can be abused (bearing in mind maybe 20% are children as in this case) without recourse.

I think it's absurd to imagine that illegal aliens are going to clamour sex abuse just to get citizenship. The police demand proof that a crime has taken place ya know.

If the sex crime can be prosecuted regardless, I am not sure why they would grant this victim legal status. As I said, maybe someone who really knows will step in.

Edited November 12, 2007 by Purple_Hibiscus

[MaRob 0]

Re the crime thing, it's possible that if the victim of a serious crime is an illegal alien then criminal action cannot be taken. They have to make the person a citizen to enact the law. My guess is that not doing so would leave any illegal alien vulnerable to serious crime leaving US citizens free to commit serious crimes willy nilly. However, I am no expert so someone who knows about these things might clear this up.

I would think the US citizen would be held accountable to his/her actions regardless of who the victim is/was. The law says sex with a minor is illegal, not sex with a minor USC is illegal. The illegal doesn't need to become a USC for a crime to have been committed. The teacher knew the law and deserves to be prosecuted.

[Ban Hammer 13,442]

Its horrible what happened to the boy re: sexual abuse, but how exactly does that grant him and his family LPR?

Anyone else see a plethora of sexual abuse claims in the future?

get in school, file a claim against the teacher, instant visa.

[MaRob 0]

Its horrible what happened to the boy re: sexual abuse, but how exactly does that grant him and his family LPR?

Anyone else see a plethora of sexual abuse claims in the future?

get in school, file a claim against the teacher, instant visa.

no wonder no one wants to be a teacher anymore. They are going to have to start teaching classes in pairs, and they don't have any control over the class.

[Dan J 277]

Its horrible what happened to the boy re: sexual abuse, but how exactly does that grant him and his family LPR?

Anyone else see a plethora of sexual abuse claims in the future?

get in school, file a claim against the teacher, instant visa.

Only if you can actually prove that sexual abuse actually happened. I don't see too many USC's going to jail for 10-20 years just to get someone a visa here. Not to mention, being forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life.

[Peikko 1,575]

Dev, you said in your post that to see this as a sex crime is a joke. What we know is that the child is under age for sexual relations. All the women who have had sex with children under age and have been caught were prosecuted, quite properly so. That these children might also have genuine feelings for these women is really not relevant in the eyes of the law as I understand it.

[Kevin and 10]

Sarcasm on -Maybe I should hit my wife so she can get her visa to the US, instead of filing all the paperwork and paying all the fees. I won't get prosecuted, because the US doesn't have juristiction in VN.-Sarcasm off

[no name 1]

Its horrible what happened to the boy re: sexual abuse, but how exactly does that grant him and his family LPR?

Anyone else see a plethora of sexual abuse claims in the future?

get in school, file a claim against the teacher, instant visa.

Only if you can actually prove that sexual abuse actually happened. I don't see too many USC's going to jail for 10-20 years just to get someone a visa here. Not to mention, being forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life.

and lose your license. Altho http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Lafave seems to be doing fine. No jail time! And Mary Kay Letourneau made 6 figures for giving the wedding rights to TV.

[dawnnhatem 0]

I am not trying to be sarcastic here either...just wondering why returning to the US is nessessary to get justice for him. Can she not be punished in Mexico for sexual abuse - maybe kidnapping too? Is it legal there or something? Does he not have family there to look out for his interests? I am all for stopping a kid from being abused if he is, but I really don't get the visa part. Seems to me that if a Mexican citizen is in Mexico getting victimized by anyone, local officials should get all over it. Also seems to me that their relationship is probably evidenced enough without the boy's presense at this point so issuing a U visa would be unnessessary anyway. Just my thoughts.

[no name 1]

Dev, you said in your post that to see this as a sex crime is a joke. What we know is that the child is under age for sexual relations. All the women who have had sex with children under age and have been caught were prosecuted, quite properly so. That these children might also have genuine feelings for these women is really not relevant in the eyes of the law as I understand it.

No I did not. Do not twist my words.

[Fandango 1,439]

Its horrible what happened to the boy re: sexual abuse, but how exactly does that grant him and his family LPR?

Anyone else see a plethora of sexual abuse claims in the future?

get in school, file a claim against the teacher, instant visa.

Only if you can actually prove that sexual abuse actually happened. I don't see too many USC's going to jail for 10-20 years just to get someone a visa here. Not to mention, being forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life.

Really?

Cabrera said a conviction would not be necessary for the boy to qualify for the visa.

"It doesn't matter what the outcome of the case is as long as they cooperate," she said.

I would assume sexual assult is a hard crime to prove...it basically comes down many times to one word against another....not like most sexual abusers would assault someone in front of an audience.

[Dan J 277]

I am not trying to be sarcastic here either...just wondering why returning to the US is nessessary to get justice for him. Can she not be punished in Mexico for sexual abuse - maybe kidnapping too? Is it legal there or something? Does he not have family there to look out for his interests? I am all for stopping a kid from being abused if he is, but I really don't get the visa part. Seems to me that if a Mexican citizen is in Mexico getting victimized by anyone, local officials should get all over it. Also seems to me that their relationship is probably evidenced enough without the boy's presense at this point so issuing a U visa would be unnessessary anyway. Just my thoughts.

The crime happened in the US, under US law. Mexican law has no jurisidication. If she broke Mexican law, she could be tried there as well.

[JODO 2]

Its horrible what happened to the boy re: sexual abuse, but how exactly does that grant him and his family LPR?

Anyone else see a plethora of sexual abuse claims in the future?

get in school, file a claim against the teacher, instant visa.

Yep and teachers have enough students telling lies about them already.