Louis Conradt
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Bill Conradt, an American local
assistant district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represe ...
in the
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, officially designated Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States, ...
, killed himself on Sunday, November 5, 2006, when Texas police served him with
search Searching may refer to: Music * "Searchin', Searchin", a 1957 song originally performed by The Coasters * Searching (China Black song), "Searching" (China Black song), a 1991 song by China Black * Searchin' (CeCe Peniston song), "Searchin" (C ...
and
arrest warrant An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate on behalf of the state which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual or the search and seizure of an individual's property. Canada Arrest warrants are issued by a jud ...
s stemming from a ''
Dateline NBC ''Dateline NBC'' (also known simply as ''Dateline'') is a weekly American television news magazine reality legal show that is broadcast on NBC. It was previously the network's flagship general interest news magazine, but now focuses mainly on ...
''
Perverted-Justice Perverted Justice Foundation, Inc., more commonly known as Perverted-Justice (also known as PeeJ), was an American organization based in California and Oregon which investigated, identified, and publicized the conduct of adults who have used ch ...
online sting of men soliciting sex with children. Perverted-Justice (PJ) and ''Dateline'' conducted their sting, attracting men to a bait house in
Murphy, Texas Murphy is a suburban city in Collin County, Texas, Collin County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States Census, 2020 census reported the population as 21,013 compared to 3,099 in 2000. Murphy is located northeast of Dallas and has a history ...
. Conradt was one of the men who solicited the PJ volunteer masquerading as a minor, but did not travel to Murphy. Instead, a group of police, ''Dateline'', and PJ personnel executed inaccurate arrest and search warrants at Conradt's home in
Terrell, Texas Terrell is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Kaufman County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 17,465. Terrell is located about east of Dallas. History Terrell developed as a railroad town, beginning in 1873 with the con ...
. After
SWAT A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...
breached the house, Conradt shot himself. The suicide was another point of contention over ''
To Catch a Predator ''To Catch a Predator'' is an American reality television series in the television news magazine program ''Dateline NBC'' featuring confrontations of host Chris Hansen, partly filmed with a hidden camera, with adult men arriving at a Sting oper ...
'' three-party relationship between law enforcement, civilian volunteers, and the
news media The news media or news industry are forms of mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public. These include News agency, news agencies, newspapers, news magazines, News broadcasting, news channels etc. History Some of the fir ...
. Police were criticized for improperly executing their duties in the service of ratings, and NBC was criticized for leading police operations at the expense of safety and justice. Ultimately, there continue to be unresolved conflicting claims from both the people involved in the sting, and the investigative journalists who have researched and reported on it. A wrongful death lawsuit brought by Conradt's sister was settled out of court, and none of the other men arrested in the sting were prosecuted.


Background


''To Catch a Predator''

''
To Catch a Predator ''To Catch a Predator'' is an American reality television series in the television news magazine program ''Dateline NBC'' featuring confrontations of host Chris Hansen, partly filmed with a hidden camera, with adult men arriving at a Sting oper ...
'' is a series that recurred on the TV
news magazine A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio, or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories in greater depth than newspapers or new ...
''
Dateline NBC ''Dateline NBC'' (also known simply as ''Dateline'') is a weekly American television news magazine reality legal show that is broadcast on NBC. It was previously the network's flagship general interest news magazine, but now focuses mainly on ...
''. Hosted by
Chris Hansen Christopher Edward Hansen (born September 13, 1959) is an American television presenter, journalist, and YouTube personality. During his tenure as a correspondent for ''Dateline NBC'', he hosted the program's segment ''To Catch a Predator'' (20 ...
, it premiered in late2004, and was immediately an unambiguous ratings success. For upwards of per episode, the production hired the vigilante group
Perverted-Justice Perverted Justice Foundation, Inc., more commonly known as Perverted-Justice (also known as PeeJ), was an American organization based in California and Oregon which investigated, identified, and publicized the conduct of adults who have used ch ...
to assist in the "exposure ndarrest of men ostensibly interested in having sex with children." Perverted-Justice entered
chat room The term chat room, or chatroom (and sometimes group chat; abbreviated as GC), is primarily used to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchronous conferencing. The term can thus mean any technology, ranging from ...
s and posed as children to attract such men to a
sting operation In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person attempting to commit a crime. A typical sting will have an undercover law enforcement officer, detective, or co-operative member of the public play a rol ...
. By early 2007, the segment had been praised by the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
, and ''Dateline'' own records counted 238 apprehensions and 36 guilty verdicts ().
David M. Granger David M. Granger is an American journalist. He was editor-in-chief of ''Esquire'' Magazine from June 1997 until March 2016. Granger is a literary agent and media consultant working with Aevitas Creative Management. Education Granger has a Master ...
, the
editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...
of ''Esquire'', told the ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...
'' that the suspects seen on ''To Catch a Predator'' were being denied
due process Due process of law is application by the state of all legal rules and principles pertaining to a case so all legal rights that are owed to a person are respected. Due process balances the power of law of the land and protects the individual p ...
by conviction in the
court of public opinion Trying cases in the court of public opinion refers to using the Media (communication), media to influence public support for one side or the other in a court case. This can result in persons outside the justice system (i.e. people other than the ...
before they might see the inside of a courtroom to face their accusers. By early2006, the segment had been repeatedly criticized for ethical and journalistic concerns, and a ''Dateline'' producer told ''Radar'' magazine that, "one of these guys is going to go home and shoot himself in the head." Producer
Allan Maraynes Allan Lawrence Maraynes is an American documentary filmmaker, investigative journalist, television producer, and writer. He is best known for his award-winning work on CBS's 60 Minutes, ABC's 20/20, and Dateline NBC. Education Maraynes gradua ...
countered, saying that those involved "believe we're doing the socially responsible thing... and the journalistically responsible thing."


Conradt

Louis William Conradt Jr. was born on January 30, 1950, in
Kaufman County, Texas Kaufman County is a county in the northeastern area of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 145,310. Its county seat is Kaufman. Both the county, established in 1848, and the city were named for David S. Kaufman ...
, to Montie Estelle King and Louis William Conradt. Conradt Jr. graduated from
Terrell High School Terrell High School is a public high school located in the city of Terrell, Texas, USA and newly classified as a 5A school by the UIL. It is a part of the Terrell Independent School District located in northwest Kaufman County. In 2022–23, ...
in 1968, where he was the assistant editor of the yearbook and president of his senior class. He received his
undergraduate degree An undergraduate degree (also called first degree or simply degree) is a colloquial term for an academic degree earned by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. In the United States, it is usually offered at an institution of higher ed ...
from the
University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...
, and his
Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...
from
Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...
. His friends described him as a predictable, reserved man. By 2006, he was still unmarried, and living in the
Terrell, Texas Terrell is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Kaufman County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 17,465. Terrell is located about east of Dallas. History Terrell developed as a railroad town, beginning in 1873 with the con ...
, home at 201 Davidson Drive in which he had grown up. Conradt was the
district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
(DA) of Kaufman County from 1980 to 2002, at which time he made an unsuccessful campaign for election to a district judgeship as a
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...
. Afterwards, he worked in private practice, and by 2006 he was working as the chief felony assistant district attorney (ADA) for
Rockwall County, Texas Rockwall County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 107,819, and was estimated to be 137,044 in 2024. Its county seat is Rockwall. The county and city are named for a wall-like subterranean rock f ...
. Conradt's coworkers and courtroom opponents described him as a good prosecutor with a "near photographic memory for the law".


Sting

In July 2006,
Perverted-Justice Perverted Justice Foundation, Inc., more commonly known as Perverted-Justice (also known as PeeJ), was an American organization based in California and Oregon which investigated, identified, and publicized the conduct of adults who have used ch ...
(PJ) approached the
Murphy, Texas Murphy is a suburban city in Collin County, Texas, Collin County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States Census, 2020 census reported the population as 21,013 compared to 3,099 in 2000. Murphy is located northeast of Dallas and has a history ...
, police department (PD) about working together. A July 24 joint sting netted the suspect's
Ford Expedition The Ford Expedition is a full-size SUV produced by Ford since the 1997 model year. The successor to the Ford Bronco, the Expedition shifted its form factor from an off-road oriented vehicle to a truck-based station wagon. Initially competing ...
as the police chief's new official vehicle. When PJ suggested a larger operation with ''
To Catch a Predator ''To Catch a Predator'' is an American reality television series in the television news magazine program ''Dateline NBC'' featuring confrontations of host Chris Hansen, partly filmed with a hidden camera, with adult men arriving at a Sting oper ...
'', Chief Billy Myrick eagerly seized the opportunity. The Collin County, Texas district attorney, John Roach, refused to participate; he wrote an explanatory letter to the Murphy Police to "serve as a wake-up call to Chief Myrick, giving the chief an out." Local residents protested the planned operation to attract predators to their neighborhood. In the first days of November 2006, a ''
Dateline NBC ''Dateline NBC'' (also known simply as ''Dateline'') is a weekly American television news magazine reality legal show that is broadcast on NBC. It was previously the network's flagship general interest news magazine, but now focuses mainly on ...
''/Perverted-Justice sting was orchestrated in Murphy without informing the mayor or
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
. With decorations added for the just-passed
Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...
holiday, a house in a wealthier neighborhood was outfitted with multiple live audio–video feeds. The headquarters for Murphy PD was about away, and NBC took over a room there to install high-tech equipment for remote live monitoring of the house's streams; Murphy officers referred to the room as "
NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ; , CDAAN), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and pr ...
" and "the War Room". On November 3, operatives posed as children online to attract men to the house, and an indeterminate number were arrested after entering. Jimmy Patterson was an off-duty
police detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads the ...
from
Rowlett, Texas Rowlett (, traditionally ) is a city in Dallas and Rockwall Counties in Texas, United States, and an eastern suburb of Dallas. It is a growing, upscale community with nearly $1.5 billion in development in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, loc ...
, hired by NBC to protect the civilians involved, earning an hourly rate of ; he later detailed many mistakes made by the small-town Murphy police, including hyper-aggressive
crossfire A crossfire (also known as interlocking fire) is a military term for the siting of weapons (often automatic weapons such as assault rifles or sub-machine guns) so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I. ...
situations when arresting suspects. Chief Myrick thought the operation was extremely successful, hoping the ''Dateline'' exposure would bring national attention to Murphy, and repeatedly joking about seizing the nice cars of arrested suspects. For weeks before the sting, a PJ volunteer posing as a 13-year-old boy had been chatting online with "inxs00": a man who claimed to be a college student and had sent a sexually explicit photo. On November 4, an NBC voice actor made telephone contact with the pseudonymous man, who ultimately provided personal information that identified him as Conradt. ''Dateline'' and Perverted-Justice both later published allegations that Conradt began deleting content from his
MySpace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...
account that night; ''Esquire'' later said this was untrue. Detective Patterson was acquainted with Conradt, but could not conclusively confirm his voice from ''Dateline'' tapes, "wasn't at all sure that the necessary precautions would be taken", and was told by the show's lead producer that he could not inform his police chief about the Conradt situation. When Conradt stopped communicating with the PJ and NBC personnel, and it became apparent he was not traveling to the Murphy house, ''Dateline'' decided for the first time to take the investigation to the suspect's house. It was 12:30a.m. on November 5 when Hansen asked police for the favor of securing
arrest An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be question ...
and
search warrant A search warrant is a court order that a magistrate or judge issues to authorize Police, law enforcement officers to conduct a Search and seizure, search of a person, location, or vehicle for evidence of a crime and to Confiscation, confiscate an ...
s for Conradt, saying that "if he won't come to us, we'll go to him." The intent was to ambush Conradt in Terrell to fulfill the ''To Catch a Predator'' formula. Chief Myrick agreed, and rushed both warrants, foregoing any interagency coordination with the Texas Rangers, Collin County DA, or a grand jury inquiry. The arrest warrant was ready by 11:00a.m.


Suicide

Chris Hansen Christopher Edward Hansen (born September 13, 1959) is an American television presenter, journalist, and YouTube personality. During his tenure as a correspondent for ''Dateline NBC'', he hosted the program's segment ''To Catch a Predator'' (20 ...
and his ''Dateline''
television crew Television crew positions are derived from those of film crew, but with several differences. Pre-production : Work before shooting begins is called the pre-production stage. The crew in this stage include the casting director, costume de ...
arrived at Conradt's Terrell neighborhood at 8:30a.m. on November 5, hoping to ambush Conradt,
trespass Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person (see below), trespass to chattels, and trespass to land. Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery ...
ing on his property. Half as many Murphy and Terrell police arrived hours later. Conradt did not answer officers knocking on the door to his courtyard, and confirmation of the
search warrant A search warrant is a court order that a magistrate or judge issues to authorize Police, law enforcement officers to conduct a Search and seizure, search of a person, location, or vehicle for evidence of a crime and to Confiscation, confiscate an ...
was received at 2:20p.m.—though it had "the wrong city, county, and date." At the suggestion of a PJ volunteer, a Terrell police sergeant tried calling Conradt, but the ADA did not answer, and the police did not leave a message. At 2:40, the Terrell police chief called in
SWAT A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...
. The seven-man SWAT team, led by Ken McKeown, slowly arrived after 3:00p.m. They breached Conradt's home by forcing open a sliding-glass back door, entering through the
den Den may refer to: * Den (room), a small room in a house * Maternity den, a lair where an animal gives birth Media and entertainment * ''Den'' (album), 2012, by Kreidler * Den (''Battle Angel Alita''), a character in the ''Battle Angel Alita'' ...
, finding Conradt's computer and a workbook titled ''Investigation and Prosecution of Child Sexual Abuse'' (from a recent district attorneys' conference). The team split up, and the half that first saw Conradt at the end of a hallway variously described his last words as some variation of "I am not gonna hurt anybody." He then shot himself in the temple with a Browning .380 pistol, and died within 60 minutes. NBC personnel photographed and videotaped Conradt's body and gun, and they obtained an audiotape of his last words. One of the officers on the scene mugged for a ''Dateline'' camera and opined, "That'll make good TV." Conradt was
airlifted An airlift is the organized delivery of supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material long distan ...
by
CareFlite CareFlite is a nonprofit ambulance service based in Grand Prairie, Texas, which operates throughout North and Central Texas. CareFlite's original namesake service is helicopter air ambulance, though today it also performs fixed-wing and ground tr ...
to
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
'
Parkland Memorial Hospital Parkland Memorial Hospital is a public hospital located in Dallas, Texas. It is the main hospital of the Parkland Health & Hospital System and serves as Dallas County's public hospital. It is located within the Southwestern Medical Distri ...
, where he was pronounced dead.


Aftermath

Immediately after the shooting, Detective Patterson was leaving the bait house in Murphy when local police pulled him over. At gunpoint, they forced him from his truck and handcuffed him. The ''Dateline'' contractor had been mistaken for a suspect in the sting who owned the same-colored make and model of truck. ''Dateline'' stated that police took three encrypted computers from Conradt's house, and by February 2007, were coordinating with their manufacturer to unlock the files within. ''Dateline'' later aired an episode that said
child pornography Child pornography (also abbreviated as CP, also called child porn or kiddie porn, and child sexual abuse material, known by the acronym CSAM (underscoring that children can not be deemed willing participants under law)), is Eroticism, erotic ma ...
had been found on Conradt's laptop. ''Esquire'' reported that Conradt's
Sony VAIO is a Japanese personal computer manufacturer headquartered in Azumino, Nagano Prefecture. It is owned by Nojima Corporation. Vaio began as a brand of Sony, introduced in 1996, until it offloaded it into an independent company in 2014, with Ja ...
laptop was seized, and
forensic analysis Forensic science combines principles of law and science to investigate criminal activity. Through crime scene investigations and laboratory analysis, forensic scientists are able to link suspects to evidence. An example is determining the time and ...
proved it was the computer from which Conradt chatted with the PJ volunteer, but it had no illegal material or content that indicated
sexual predation A sexual predator is a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically "predatory" or abusive manner. Analogous to how a predator hunts down its prey, so the sexual predator is thought to "hunt" ...
. Murphy's
city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
, Craig Sherwood, approved the sting operation, but had not informed the mayor or city council. In mid-June 2007, after furious residents complained about the sting and its dangers—speeding suspects, overzealous arrests with guns drawn, and drugs brought by the suspects—the council voted to fire Sherwood by buying out his contract for . Twenty-three other men were caught in the sting; two were from Murphy. The Collin County district attorney's office found problems with all of the arrests. Firstly,
Perverted-Justice Perverted Justice Foundation, Inc., more commonly known as Perverted-Justice (also known as PeeJ), was an American organization based in California and Oregon which investigated, identified, and publicized the conduct of adults who have used ch ...
did not provide the comprehensive chat logs of their interactions with suspects. Secondly, by the next July, NBC had not provided its video records for use in prosecution. Third, Texas law largely requires that arrestees have an outstanding warrant, but the DA found that the Murphy police were only—at best—acting as agents of ''Dateline'': "merely a player in the show and had no real law-enforcement position. Other people are doing the work, and the police are just there like potted plants, to make the scenery." For an additional 16 of the cases, because neither the suspects nor PJ chatters were in Collin County, the DA had no jurisdictional authority. On June 1, 2007, DA Roach announced that he would not pursue indictments against suspects from the Murphy bait house. In July 2007, sister Patricia Conradt filed a wrongful death lawsuit against
NBC Universal NBCUniversal Media, LLC (abbreviated as NBCU and doing business as NBCUniversal or Comcast NBCUniversal since 2013) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate that is a subsidiary of Comcast and headquartered at 30 ...
for million (equivalent to $million in ) in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case citations, S.D.N.Y.) is a federal trial court whose geographic jurisdiction encompasses eight counties of the State of New York. Two of these are in New York Ci ...
. NBC called the lawsuit meritless, and filed for dismissal, but Judge
Denny Chin Denny Chin (Chinese: 陳卓光; born April 13, 1954) is a senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, based in New York City. He was a United States District Judge of the United States Distri ...
ruled against the broadcaster on the merits of
intentional infliction of emotional distress Intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED; sometimes called the tort of outrage) is a common law tort that allows individuals to recover for severe emotional distress caused by another individual who intentionally or recklessly inflicted ...
and civil rights violations. NBC said they were going to fight the suit, but on June 24, 2008, the suit was "amicably resolved" for an undisclosed amount.


Analysis


By those involved


Directly

Two weeks after Conradt's death,
Chris Hansen Christopher Edward Hansen (born September 13, 1959) is an American television presenter, journalist, and YouTube personality. During his tenure as a correspondent for ''Dateline NBC'', he hosted the program's segment ''To Catch a Predator'' (20 ...
told a reporter that he felt no responsibility and "I sleep well at night." When he and
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...
David Corvo were asked whether Conradt's death would spur changes in how ''To Catch a Predator'' was made, they said it would not, because there was no evidence Conradt knew ''Dateline'' was even there; however, the NBC crew had arrived at Conradt's house before police, and were themselves reported to police by local residents for suspicious activity. In mid-2007, Hansen said he had no regrets about how the Murphy/Terrell operation was handled. In 2022, Hansen again defended himself, saying that the police were in charge of all aspects: they sought warrants on their own initiative, and they were the driving force behind confronting Conradt at his house. NBC's own footage shows ''Dateline'' and police personnel working together such that the TV crew was even supplying Conradt's phone number and video
surveillance Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as ...
. In 2007, Murphy's Chief Myrick stated that it had been a strictly police-led operation with no undue influence from NBC or PJ, and he disputed any ''Dateline'' involvement at Conradt's house. Myrick told ''20/20'' that he was proud of the sting.


Indirectly

Galen Ray Sumrow was a former police officer, the Rockwall County DA, and Conradt's boss. He reviewed the evidence and called the whole case botched: the defective search warrant would have precluded any evidence from Conradt's home, and a raid was dangerous and unnecessary when Conradt would have been in the DA's office on Monday. He blames
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
and the ''Dateline'' travel schedule for the rush that led to Conradt's suicide. A Murphy police sergeant said the expedition was to prevent Conradt from contacting another minor, not NBC's impending departure. District judge Mark Rusch signed the
search warrant A search warrant is a court order that a magistrate or judge issues to authorize Police, law enforcement officers to conduct a Search and seizure, search of a person, location, or vehicle for evidence of a crime and to Confiscation, confiscate an ...
, and local municipal judge Cathy Haden signed the
arrest warrant An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate on behalf of the state which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual or the search and seizure of an individual's property. Canada Arrest warrants are issued by a jud ...
. Neither judge had been informed about ''Dateline'' involvement, and both later testified that they would not have signed off had they known. Rusch blamed the Murphy police for how the situation ended. Terrell, Texas is in Kaufman County, whose
district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
called the Terrell Police "the most incompetent bunch of buffoons you've ever seen". He opined that Terrell's chief of police, Todd Miller, called SWAT because success in front of the nationally-broadcast ''Dateline'' cameras was the department's last chance at proving "they really weren't a bunch of lummoxes." A friend of Conradt and over-30-year veteran attorney in Kaufman County called the SWAT decision "the stupidest and most unnecessary thing that I have ever heard of in law enforcement." In 2007, DA Roach explained to ''20/20'' Brian Ross that most of the operation was entirely "for show with no real law-enforcement purpose"; that NBC and PJ muddied the legal waters regarding transcript-evidence and ''Miranda'' rights; and that the push for drama endangered both suspects and officers with unnecessarily aggressive take-downs.


By the news media

After Conradt's suicide, an article in the ''
Columbia Journalism Review The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' (''CJR'') is a biannual magazine for professional journalists that has been published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. Its original purpose was "to assess the performance ...
'' extensively investigated ''To Catch a Predator'' and the transparent
Chinese wall A Chinese wall or ethical wall is an information barrier protocol within an organization designed to prevent exchange of information or communication that could lead to conflicts of interest. For example, a Chinese wall may be established to sep ...
between itself, Perverted-Justice, and law-enforcement. It called into question whether ''Dateline'' is reporting the news or creating it—both in Terrell and across all of its episodes. A July 2007 article in ''Esquire'' reported on the operation, subheaded with "NBC's ''To Catch a Predator'' arrived in Murphy, Texas, to conduct a sting operation. The only honest thing that followed was the gunshot." Hansen denied much of the magazine's report, saying that ''To Catch a Predator'' wielded no influence over the police investigation, they did not
trespass Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person (see below), trespass to chattels, and trespass to land. Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery ...
Conradt's property, and that Perverted-Justice was not on-site in Terrell; only the last of these did the show's host concede, after conferring with his producer. In September 2007, ''20/20'' reported on the Conradt case to illustrate the fraught possibilities when news media and police work too closely together: Murphy police received some of their instruction from ''Dateline'' personnel, dramatic footage superseded police procedure, and both NBC employees and Perverted-Justice volunteers were "deeply involved in the operation."


See also

*


References


Further reading

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Conradt, Bill 2006 in Texas 2006 suicides Collin County, Texas internet vigilantism Kaufman County, Texas suicides by firearm in Texas television controversies in the United States