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"Dateline" Judged by Jury

Posted Feb 26th 2008 4:13PM by TMZ Staff

A New York judge has refused to throw out a $100 million lawsuit brought by the family of a man who committed suicide after police, accompanied by a camera crew from "Dateline NBC: To Catch a Predator," showed up at his house to arrest him.

The lawsuit, brought by the sister of former Kaufman County, Tex. Districy Attorney Louis "Bill" Contradt Jr., alleges that NBC and police acted with deliberate indifference to Contradt and that cops had a duty to protect him. She says, "Apparently unable to face the humiliation of the public spectacle that faced him, Conradt took his own life."

Cops say Conradt solicited sex from a decoy online posing as a 13-year-old boy as part of a sting operation conducted jointly by "Dateline NBC" and the internet watch dog group Perverted Justice.

Amanda Leith, a lawyer for NBC Universal, had no comment on the ruling. The company previously called the lawsuit "completely without merit."

Bruce Baron, the lawyer for Patricia Contradt, tells TMZ, "This decision sends a strong message to law enforcement officials throughout our country, that you may not subcontract your uniform, badge, and the oath you take."

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16. Plain and simple it is entrapment !! You go judge !!

Posted at 4:33PM on Feb 26th 2008 by NYone

17. This show makes actually makes me fell a little sorry for the perps. Actually, I think I'm just torn. I can't decide which I dislike more: the disgusting child molesters or the smug NBS "journalist" Chris Hanson.

Posted at 4:27PM on Feb 26th 2008 by LisaLisa

18. I would have killed Chris Hanson and all the other guys first.

Posted at 4:33PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Stick

19. It's kind of hard to feel sorry for a guy who was soliciting sex from what he thought was an underage child. I feel sorry for his family, but I think their anger is misdirected.

Posted at 4:31PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Jade

20. This is what is wrong with the justice system. The police arrest the "bad guys" and the court allows frivolous lawsuits to go on. The pervert did what he should have done before contacting minors for sex. The family must be as perverted in their reasoning as he was in his actions.

Posted at 8:07AM on Feb 27th 2008 by CARYLB

21. I've got kids and family and I constantly worry about their safety. However, I really am not favor of to Catch A Predator. They should have really studied the effect of this to the people ,the families of the "predators", especially their childen and wives. What if a son/daughter took her own life because of what he saw on National Television about his parent? What if a fanatic stalked and hurt the family of the "predators"? In our society, for sure, the families, especially the better halves, families even children are ostracized by their community, neighbors and even parishes. Deny not because this is the reality.

Posted at 10:11AM on Mar 4th 2008 by Remy

22. Those people posing as 13 yr-olds can be pretty sexy.

Posted at 4:30PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Cartman

23. I can't feel sorry for this guy. He brought it on himself. Soliciting young boys online is a disgrace and I applaud Dateline for bringing this issue to the forefront. I hate to say it but we don't need sleezbags like this in the world. I do feel bad for the family though.

Posted at 4:32PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Karen

24. I think the guy did us a favor in killing himself..he didn't waste the tax payers money and did what he should do, the frickin creep was in a big position to be doing this and was this the first time I wonder he liked little boys? I think his sister is money hungry and she should be prosectued for this stupid lawsuit cause it is noboy's fault but his own to kill yourself..it was his choice to end his life plain and simple..life is hard and when you make hard choices as he did by being a perv, you get what you make out of life!

Posted at 4:33PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Emily

25. Sittin' here enjoying a glass of sweet tea....watchin' her fold the laundry...

Posted at 4:32PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Chuck Norris, Texas Ranger

26. The more of these creeps that can be exposed publicly and humiliated, the better. I don't care what methods are employed, they should be taken off the streets permanently. And if they off themselves in the processs, that's just fine...I do not want my tax dollars going to support these perverts in prison or anywhere else. They do not deserve to live.

Posted at 4:32PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Cynic

27. They should be glad their sick son committed suicide. At least he won't molest anyone now (or if he already has then, anymore) They are just embarrassed and ashamed his was a piece of garbage. Either that or they are garbage and think it's normal just like him. Bottom line: THEY DON"T DESERVE A PENNY!

Posted at 4:33PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Pink to the Lee

28. I have no sympathy for the guy. As an adult who was molested as a child I have nothing but disdain for these criminals. For those of you like #16 LisaLisa, you have no idea what being molested does to a child. As far as Chris Hansen, I applaud him and all organizations who target these creeps. The guy chose to go after a 13 year old..he chose to commit a crime and humiliate his family. He chose to kill himself. For that his family should be rewarded monetarily? I think not! At least one more pedophile is off the streets!

Posted at 4:47PM on Feb 26th 2008 by completely disgusted

29. Ding dong, the bitch is dead.....

Posted at 4:35PM on Feb 26th 2008 by Only Me

30. SORRY ABOUT THE SUICIDE ,BUT WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS HE MAY HAVE MOLESTED THEY ARE SCARRED FOR LIFE.....HE CHOSE TO GO ON LINE AND PROWL FOR YOUNG BOYS THAT IS HIS CHOICE..ALL THESE PERVS ARE DISGUSTING AND I LOVE THE DATELINE SHOW..THROW THE LAWSUIT OUT INBASILE JUDGE

Posted at 4:38PM on Feb 26th 2008 by nuff_said

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