in 2014, former Miami-Dade Police Sgt. James Edwards resigned after being arrested for molesting two teen boys (aged 15 and 16). The Miami New Times, today, posted a bizarre story about Edwards now suing the County for his accumulated sick and vacation pay.
What’s bizarre about the story is not necessarily that Edwards is suing for his earned pay, but the other facts revealed in this story.
The incident involved two siblings. “The older boy said Edwards had masturbated in front of him and then performed oral sex. The younger brother said Edwards groped him, masturbated in front of him, and then suggested the teen “suck my dick.””
In connection with the sexual assault, Edwards gave the younger teen alcohol, they smoked some weed, and took molly. “During the investigation, police also found multiple videos Edwards had recorded at his home of sexual encounters with young men. One, a 19-year-old, told officers the sex was consensual but said he did not know it was being recorded. (Police filed a third case charging Edwards with 12 counts of child pornography, but the charges were ultimately dropped.)”
Now here’s the bizarre part… Edwards was sentenced to just one year in jail and ten years of probation. He DID NOT have to register as a sex offender!
It’s incredible that Miami-Dade will now be jailing *any* sex offender for being homeless – A circumstance that’s beyond their control and will endure for life. But if one of their own gets caught drugging, molesting and secretly videotaping the encounter, he’s suitable to live anywhere.
When I had to complete my therapy I met a few guys that received plea deals to child abuse and would not have to register. There crimes were from child molestation to rape.. just goes to show there’s no real justice system. If you have money to pay big lawyers you can walk free.
Rh, I agree that “justice” is a commodity to be bought and sold to the highest bidder. Before I went “up the road,” I shared a cell with a guy in his 30s that had been having a months long sexual relationship with his 14 year old babysitter. After ponying up $50,000 to his lawyer, he was offered to plead to child abuse. Time served in County, no prison time, no probation, and no sex offender registry. America is not the land of the free, it’s the land of the rich and hell on earth for the poor.
I am curious what crime he plead to that warranted prison time but not the registry? Also, this is a perfect argument that the registry IS punishment and they know it. If they did not know it they would not seek to keep the cops off of it.
Edwards was convicted on two counts of child abuse and six drug charges, including providing a controlled substance to a minor.
Child Abuse is not a registerable offense oddly enough.
Cops, for the most part, believe they are above the law.
And this goes to show that they ARE treated differently than the rest of us. This ruling shows that very clearly.
The big blue line is drawn again.
I thought there was a Florida Statute that anyone who even had adjudication withheld was on it. To actually spend time in prison and not be on it. Really. It’s the State Attorney’s office who called the shots on this one. I have adjudication of guilt witheld for having sex with my wife one month before her 18th birthday. No time in jail, no probation but I’m on it for life. Maybe I need to sue someone for back pay, etc.
He plead to an offense that did not require registration.
Because they gave the bastard the OPTION to do so. This is clearly selective because if any of us had been given that option we would have taken it.
This stinks and shows the hypocrisy of the Florida state government and ultimately illustrates how the registry and being on the registry is PUNISHMENT.
Another example of our system failure. Our laws do not apply to everyone. Praying every day that the laws change for the SO, the registry is abolished, and once a SO is released they are not continued to be prosecuted. They should all get to live as this officer did, free!
COOOOOL IDEA FOR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT?
File a class action lawsuit for all of the persons on the registry that are on it for any similar offenses the DEPUTY DID- to be removed from THE S.O.R,citing if the deputy did not have to go on the registry then THEY should not HAVE TO either/lol
END GAME? this would expose what happen-open up a can of worms!
I was kind of amazed to read this statement on the face book page for Senator Book; In reference to a post that she has on her page. No disrespect meant over the topic that it was posted about, just the way the wording at the end. We need to stand unified against this kind of public bullying .While I don’t have any problems at all with this post, except the referral to the public attacks and public bullying being unacceptable. It is I guess acceptable when it comes to sex offender? I am not referring to sexual predators, but to those that are deemed on federal standards as Tier 1 or Tier 2. These are persons who are not deemed a HIGH risk. And actually no public attacks or bullying should be acceptable.
Exactly, why is he not made to register?
Why is anyone surprised??? the blue wall has always taken care of their own and i am sure if they hadn’t the officer would have taken his own life as past officers did when facing the chance they would be on the registry. Where’s senator books outrage at this decision?
I know you all always said we should not wish the SO registry on anyone. But, why hasn’t an issue been made of this, esp to the supporters of HB 1301? I guess that’s on my mind since I just spent my morning emailing all the representatives on that list.