Friday, February 11, 2005

Brian Bates, Video Vigilante

Seems the guy lives in Oklahoma City and goes out and videos prosititutes and their customers and then performs a Citizens Arrest, or so it seems from Brian Bates' web site. Surely he's doing a fine service for the community!

Then again, the Smoking Gun has it that Brian Bates has recently been charged with pandering and aiding in prostitution. Seems he couldn't just catch the prostitutes in the act of soliciting clients, he gave them directions on how to do it!

From the Smoking Gun Report:

According to the below Oklahoma City Police Department report, Brian Bates, 34, orchestrated the public encounters so he could peddle the resulting videotape to media outlets (some of Bates's surveillance tapes are offered for sale on his web site). In his dealings with prostitutes, Bates was choosy, investigators contend. For example, if a john was a "regular," Bates asked prostitutes to give "specific signals" so he would know not to bother rolling tape. Investigators also noted that, like any good auteur, Bates "gave direction to the prostitutes on how to complete the act with a high probability of success," as well as tips on how to spot an undercover cop. Bates was hit with a felony pandering charge and a misdemeanor count of aiding in prostitution. The pandering rap, which is usually reserved for pimps, carries a minimum two-year jail term, and a maximum of 20 years in the stir.

There's also a nice story on him at www.cnn.com.

The only question I have is which Right Wing Christian Cleric this guy reports to.