I respectfully disagree that the information was scarce. For me there was a lot of information early on that revealed who this man was. The defense memo gave even more that really solidified it.
I think there was a ton of info to indicate he was a predator and had bad intentions.
1. His actions as a 31 year old male in befriending a 14 year old child online. Just that, period, was a major problem for me. And discussing things outside gaming and gaining her trust so quickly? Massive red flag.
2. His exceedingly cold, manipulative and demanding conversations with her in which he coerced her to produce a recording of herself being raped and send it to him...as the ONLY certain means of rescuing her and ensuring she would not be returned to her rapist. These conversations were exceedingly inappropriate, intentionally misleading and predatory and indicated a desperation to get a recording of a child being raped.
He exhibited such a callous disregard for the suffering of the begging, pleading child, in his efforts to get access to child *advertiser censored*, that it broke my heart into pieces.
3. His failure to thoroughly explore with her multiple other options for being rescued and his downplaying of options she suggested, twice running away- "hope for the best". The defense would've outlined this as they presented their best evidence in their memorandum.
4. The risk factor of her being and revealing online that she was a child sex abuse victim and her extreme, suicidal desperation. That made her a target for online and other predators. They eat that up. It's like a bullseye.
5. HE NEVER CALLED 911. A 31 year old man faced with a suicidal, severely sexually abused minor child. Absolute and total, inexcusable b.s. Few well intentioned and cognitively typical adults would fail to do that IMO.
6. He never told her to instead email the recording directly to LE/FBI.
7. He claimed that he could not safely rescue her (without facing legal problems), without the video, indicating it would be evidence that would be strong enough to protect him. But inexplicably, once he got that strong evidence, he didn't immediately turn it over to LE. If it was good enough for him to feel safe in "rescuing" her it was good enough to take directly to LE without delay.
8. He drove hundreds of miles to pick up a minor child and transport her out of state. What well-intentioned 31 year old, intellectually typical adult male does this?
9. When he got her, he didn't immediately take her to the police or sheriff. He drove her hundreds of miles, away.
10. Her only means of communication were smashed and disposed of.
11. He hid her in his home.
12. He lied to LE about her whereabouts when they questioned him.
13. They waited almost two weeks to send evidence to the FBI. Any concerned, non-predatory and cognitively typical adult would've sent that evidence immediately. Not two weeks later. Having a job is no excuse.
14. He graduated from college and had a job and showed no evidence of cognitive/neurological impairment or intellectual disability or serious mental illness in his communications with this vulnerable, minor child. He was sharp, canny and calculating in his communications, IMO.
This is a lot of information for us to consider in forming opinions and judging character, I feel. A lot.
I think the red flags were massive and waving fast and directly in our faces.
But ultimately and upon reflection I don't think people had poor judgment. I think it's simply that our brains just couldn't accept any more victimization of this child! And when many others are having a similar opinion, combined with not being able to cope with more horror, it's easy to disregard some facts and basics about human behavior.
I had moments of doubts about his intentions as well. It's too damn much to comprehend! It's almost Kafkaesque.
