Dear Abby Squeals on Alleged Pedophile

By now, you've probably heard something of this story. If not, I've pasted the AP story below.

Do you think it's okay for someone giving advice (a sort of "counselor") to rat on someone like this? I'm sure people who write to advice columnists assume a certain degree of confidentiality is present (see the third paragraph in the story below). Certainly, this guy wasn't planning on "Dear Abby" turning him in. In fact, he was asking for help.

I'm not saying it's okay for this guy to lust after girls. But was it okay for an advisor to turn him in? What would you do?



BC-Dear Abby Arrest,0619
By JAMES A. CARLSON
Associated Press Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- She lost sleep, agonizing over the letter for days. In the end, "Dear Abby" columnist Jeanne Phillips decided she had to call police.

Phillips contacted authorities after receiving a letter from a man who had sought her advice on how to handle his fantasies about having sex with underage girls.

Phillips, the daughter of the column's founder, Pauline Phillips, said she was torn over what to do, since the column's
credibility is based on the anonymity of those seeking her advice.

But her concern over the safety of potential victims led her to
speak up.

"He talked about one little girl in particular and he mentioned her younger sister in passing," Phillips told The Associated Press early Thursday in a telephone interview from Los Angeles.

"There was no guarantee that if I tried to have him talk to a psychotherapist that he would actually do it," she said. "The
only way I could be absolutely certain that the little girls would be safe was to try to have an intervention."

Her call to Milwaukee police led to the arrest Monday of Paul Weiser, 28. He was released on $10,000 bond Wednesday after being charged with three counts of possessing child pornography. A judge
ordered Weiser to avoid computers and contact with anyone under 18.

Police said they recovered 40 pornographic photographs of children from his computer equipment.

"He acknowledges he needs help and denies ever acting upon any
desires," prosecutor Paul Tiffin said.

Phillips, who shares her mother's pen name Abigail Van Buren, said the subjects of the fantasies included two young daughters of
the man's girlfriend.

"This was not an easy decision, but I had to make sure the children were safe," she said. "There may be people who criticize
me for doing what I did, but I can live with this."

The man's letter, she said, was "very unusual."

"I've received a couple of letters where I heard from young girls who felt that they were at risk but didn't know what to do,"
she said. In those cases, she said she contacted the organization Childhelp USA to help the letter writers, including notifying
authorities if necessary.

Tiffin said police would not have arrested Weiser without Phillips' help.

According to a criminal complaint, Weiser said he has been sexually attracted to young girls since the age of 16, and has sought help from four separate doctors, who told him he did not have a problem.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the three counts against him.

"My heart goes out to him and I pray to God that he connects with a doctor who can help, because he seems to be a person who
wants to be helped," she told the AP.

"I lost sleep, didn't sleep for days, because I really believe this man wrote to me genuinely seeking help," Phillips told the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in its Wednesday editions.

A family member who answered the door at Weiser's home said the family had no comment.

Pauline Phillips created the "Dear Abby" column in 1956. Her daughter has contributed to the syndicated column since the early
1980s and took over most of the duties in the early 1990s. The column appears in more than 1,200 newspapers around the globe,
according to Universal Press Syndicate.

The elder Phillips' twin sister, Eppie Lederer, is t

 

Definatly. This wasnt some sort of confession or conference with a licensed Therapist where doctor/patient confidentiality comes into play. He worte a letter to Dear Abby, I think she did the right thing in turning him in.

 

I agree, it's just a shame that the media attention given it may deter any more from confessing to someone who did the right thing in turning them in.
Execution is the only cure for sex crimes I say.

 

Ick. It was potentially *bad* either way: either she breaks anonymity or some girls were liable for trouble. The latter of the two is far more serious, and as a result, she did the right thing. I'm sure it wasn't easy, but it was right.

I also think that if he really put down his real name that shows that he really is asking for help, because it meant he could be traced.

~*~Bria

 

We'll, let's not convict the guy before he's even had a trial! He claims he never touched a girl. Maybe he's telling the truth. Isn't he innocent until proven guilty?

And yeah, I think he was asking for help.

 

Yeah, true...

 

But he can be convicted for having child pornography.

 

Yes, but someone said something about execution being the only cure for sex criminals!

 

The guy appears to be genuine in wanting help, so I hope he can actually get it.

But he must be judged for the child pornography that was found.

 

He obviously knows it was wrong, and he wanted help. If he wrote into Dear Abbey telling her the stuff he did with his real name, and he told the police he hasn't actually acted out on his urges, then i don't think he was lying. Maybe all he needs is phsychological help.

 

Yes, having child pornography in itself is a crime.

I hope that he is telling the truth that he never acted on his urges and that he gets the help that he needs.

~*~Bria

 

Yeah, but was it right for the columnist to turn him in? That's what I think is in question here. Even the columnist questioned whether she should do it.

 

Actually, believe it or not, when it comes to sex offenses against minors, she is legally OBLIGATED to turn him in. I know it sounds weird, but even Doctor/Patient and Lawyer/Client confidentiality oaths are void when it comes to information of sex offenses against children. She could actually be criminally charged if she DIDN'T turn him in, if it is proven she had knowledge of him doing it. Sounds strange, but that's the actual law.

 

Well, I'll be a monkey's rotating butt. I didn't know that Cap'n Windex. Kind of ends that ethical converstaion, doesn't it?

 

Most certainly she did the right thing!

First of all, this guy ain't gonna get the death penalty for having child porno, no matter what people say sex offenders deserve. Second of all, SINCE he had illegal child porn, it's obvious he wans't trying THAT hard to stave off his desires, and therefore who knows? Maybe he's never touched a child, but what;s to say he won't tomorrow, or the day after?

I think it's good that he was found out, maybe now someone can give him professional help.

I think Abby has every right to tell the law. If someone wrote a letter to her saying he wanted to murder you, and could she tlel them how to do it, would YOU want Abby to keep it a secret just cause of confidentiality? Um...no. This is a little different, but not much.

 

I suppose it's the right thing to do. After all, it's worse than the drug/alcohol, domestic, etc. problems that she usually gets letters about.

"My advice is to free us or let us die."

 

Let's assume for a moment, he hadn't found collected any porn. What would that have meant for D.A.?
And would he still be given help?

 

I'm not going to assume he didn't have it because he did. (If he didn't, the police couldn't force him into counselling, but at least his girlfriend would know what he was thinking.) I think she did the right thing, legally and ethically. He had not acted on it yet, but the fact that he had someone in mind was worrisome to say the least. He needs help, and she's right in saying that just suggesting he see a therapist (which he really ought to know to do anyway) isn't guaranteeing that he'll do it.

 

He should be locked up for possesion of child pornography.

He should only be released under psychiatric observation.

 

Some sleazebag lawyer is gonna have a field day with this case. I just hope the guy is sincere in wanting help, cause he'll be on the streets in no time...


She did the right thing... and I am sure it was not easy for her to decide to do it. Sometimes we have to take the more difficult path life offers us. I for one applaud her for doing it/

 

Windex -- it's already been established that police have no proof he did anything to anyone. Only the possession of child porn is confirmed.

So, is she "legally obligated" now?


The columnist was on at least two morning news shows last Friday and you could tell it was a hard decision for her. She was asked the same question: "Do you think your readers will be able to trust you now?" She thought they would, but I have my reservations. After all, if someone was doing something that might be illegal, I doubt they'll be asking her for advice!

 

I guess priests are the only ones who still have confidentiality agreements

This guy was pretty dumb to give his real name, though.