By Tori Richards
August 3, 2007
SANTA CLARITA, CA (Crime Library) — A Los Angeles County judge has shut down the pedophile hunting activities of internet guru Jack McClellan by banning him from photographing, emailing, phoning or going within 10 yards of any minor children in California.
The ruling came down Friday morning in one of Los Angeles County's northernmost cities where self professed pedophile McClellan had been hunting for girls to include on his now-defunct how-to web site "Seattle-Tacoma-Everett Girl Love." McClellan, 45, lived with his parents in the Seattle area until recently moving to Los Angeles.
Attorneys Richard Patterson and Anthony Zinnanti sought the restraining order as concerned parents when they heard media reports that McClellan was in the area.
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| Richard Patterson |
"He is a clear and present danger to our children," Patterson said in an interview. "He was very excited about local little girls and described the locations where pedophiles could find them. He rated our bowling alley as a pleasant surprise."
McClellan has never been arrested in either Washington or California and law enforcement in both states have admitted that his activities of watching little girls and posting their photos on the internet is not illegal. That is, until now, when Superior Court Judge Melvin Sandvig made his order.
"The judge is not prohibiting McClellan's speech, he's prohibiting his activities," Patterson said.
In coming to his conclusion, Sandvig said he balanced McClellan's rights with community safety. Then Sandvig ticked off a list of 25 activities prohibited by McClellan and said: "But the court's restraining order is not going to be restricted to the city of Santa Clarita. It's broad. And it's in the areas that it covers, which is pretty much everywhere."
However, Duke Law School professor and constitutional legal expert Erwin Chemerinsky is not convinced.
"That's ridiculous, this is just silly," Chemerinsky said when told of the ruling. "You can't do that. He hasn't done anything wrong yet. All he has done is speak. You may find his speech repugnant and distasteful, but it's not illegal."
Until McClellan breaks the law, he can't be punished by being restrained and forced out of the state of California.
Next Page
Pedophile Jack McClellan Seeks Advice on New Web Site
Jack McClellan's "Girl Love" Web Site Shut Down by Hosting Service
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