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UID:Indybay-18457433
SEQUENCE:18477446
CREATED:20071101T025000Z
DESCRIPTION:What: Press Conference-SWOP-USA (Sex Workers Outreach \nProject-USA/NORCAL) 
 protests entrapment and costly prosecution of \nmale escort in Fremont, 
 CA\nWhen: Thursday 12 Noon, Nov 1st\nWhere: Fremont Municipal Court, 29439 
 Paseo Padre Parkway Fremont California.\nContacts: Carol Leigh 
 415-751-1659; Veronica Monet  888-903-0050, \nRobyn Few 
 SWOP-USA-877-776-2004\nWebsite: http://www.swop-usa.org; 
 http://www.swop-usa.org/drupal/node/30\n\n\nFor Immediate Release 
 10-31-2007\nPress Conference from Sex Workers' Outreach Project:\nBudget 
 Crisis City Prosecutes Million Dollar "Male Escort" Case:\nFremont Conducts 
 Inter-County Bedroom Sting\n\nIn the midst of a budget crisis which has 
 caused clogging and early \nclosure of Fremont courts, the District 
 Attorney has chosen to \nprosecute an expensive case against a San 
 Francisco male escort.\n\nStarchild was charged with prostitution as a 
 result of entrapment in \nthe course of a sting operation conducted by the 
 Fremont Police \nDepartment on December 5th, 2005.  The trial is being 
 heard in \nFremont Municipal Court 2nd floor, Dept. 602, 29439 Paseo Padre 
 \nParkway, Fremont, California.\n\n"This would be hilarious if it wasn't 
 such a serious situation of \nentrapment," says Carol Leigh from BAYSWAN, 
 Bay Area Sex Worker \nAdvocacy Network. "These two female vice cops lure 
 Starchild, a very, \nvery handsome male escort, to Fremont of all places 
 and offer to pay \nhim money for sex."\n\n"The city is already in deep 
 financial trouble.  They are forced to \nclose the court early because of 
 these financial pressures," explains \nRobyn Few, founder of SWOP-USA. 
 "This money should be spent enforcing \ncrimes of violence, robberies and 
 burglaries to protect Fremont \nresidents, not wasted in a long range 
 internet entrapment of a male \nescort that has nothing whatsoever to do 
 with Fremont."\n\n"Starchild, like most San Franciscans, would have little 
 cause or \ndesire to go to Fremont.  I don't meant to put down Fremont, 
 \nespecially in light of the city's financial woes, but Fremont?" says 
 \nLeigh.\n\nAlthough no one can determine the potential cost of this case, 
 \nestimates range from nearly a half million to a million dollars 
 \nincluding expenses for the decoy operation, court expenses and follow 
 \nup.\n\nSan Francisco activists are outraged at this blatant inter-country 
 \nsting, which by the D.A.'s own allegation, involved private \nactivities 
 by consenting adults, in another county.\n\nStarchild is a well-known 
 activist, a San Francisco hero to many. An \nactive Libertarian, Starchild 
 ran for Supervisor in 2006 with his \noccupation listed as "escort."  He is 
 well known for the support he \nhas offered others who are unfairly 
 prosecuted for victimless \noffenses.\n\n"Not only is the entrapment 
 absurd, but this sting operation sent \nlocal police fishing across county 
 lines to lure consenting adults \nbehind closed doors," says Veronica Monet 
 of SWOP-USA.\n\nThe issue of the right to privacy for consensual adult 
 behaviors has \nbeen established in a Supreme Court ruling, Lawrence V. 
 Texas, in \n2003. This was the second court case to reference this landmark 
 \nruling.  The infamous D.C. Madame, Jean Palfrey, whose little black 
 \nbook rocked the federal government with sex scandals and at least one 
 \nresignation, was the first to attempt a dismissal of the prostitution 
 \ncharges leveled against her based upon the Supreme Court decision. 
 \nSince the prostitution she is accused of allegedly occurred between 
 \nconsenting adults and behind closed doors, Palfrey asserted that the 
 \ngovernment had no right to prosecute her.\n\nStarchild's attorney, Erica 
 Franklin, requested dismissal in the \nMatter of the State of California vs 
 Starchild, Doc No. 216068 at the \nFremont Municipal Court on this basis, 
 however this motion was denied \nby Judge Keith Fudenna.\n\n  "The DA has 
 discretion in regard to which cases to spend the \ntaxpayers' money on.  
 Meanwhile, the meter is running on the bill to \ntaxpayers who as most 
 polls have revealed, do not want to waste time \nand money prosecuting 
 victimless "crimes" such as prostitution," says \nRobyn Few.\n\nThe case 
 will be heard daily, but only between 1 and 4:30 due to \nFremont's budget 
 constraints.\n\n-- \nCarol Leigh\nBay Area Sex Workers Advocacy Network\n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/31/18457433.php
SUMMARY:Million Dollar "Male Escort" Case Fremont
LOCATION:Fremont Municipal Court, 29439 Paseo Padre Parkway Fremont California.
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/31/18457433.php
DTSTART:20071101T190000Z
DTEND:20071101T200000Z
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