XPost: alt.law-enforcement, alt.disney.disneyworld   
   From: nobody@cypherpunks.to   
      
   >Charged Disney Worker Allowed Back to Work   
   >      
   >  Giovanni Rosso    
   >Master Spas and Leisure    
   >Bavarian Inn    
   >Granite    
   >All Island Mason Supply    
   >La Pergola di Taormina    
   >    
   >    
   >     
   >       
   >By Associated Press   
   >   
   >August 6, 2004, 5:17 PM EDT   
   >   
   >ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Walt Disney World employee acquitted of charges he   
   >fondled a 13-year-old girl while dressed as Tigger can return to work,   
   >company officials said Friday.    
   >   
   >Michael Chartrand had been on unpaid administrative leave since his   
   >arrest. A jury found him not guilty of lewd and lascivious molestation   
   >earlier this week.    
   >   
   >"I couldn't be happier for him," his lawyer, Jeff Kaufman, told The   
   >Associated Press.    
   >   
   >Chartrand, who has worked at Disney for less than a year, was reinstated   
   >after meeting with Disney entertainment officials Friday, said Donna-Lynne   
   >Dalton, an official of the union that represents the park's costumed workers.    
   >   
   >Chartrand, 36, was accused of fondling the girl while posing for a photo   
   >with her and her mother. Wednesday's acquittal followed a three-day trial   
   >in which Chartrand's defense attorney donned a Tigger costume in an effort   
   >to show jurors how difficult it is to maneuver and see in the outfit.    
   >   
   >Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak confirmed that Chartrand had been   
   >reinstated, but declined further comment. It was unclear if he would   
   >portray Tigger again.    
   >Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press    
      
   GREAT NEWS!  But why should this buggerer pay for his banister?  Either the   
   STATE should pay because they brought false charges OR Disneyworld should   
   pay for setting him up for a great fall.   
      
   The State always wants to win.  If the defendant is guilty, he pays a fine   
   and court costs (and maybe is incarcerated too).  If the defendant is   
   innocent, as in this case, the State pays nothing.  But the defendant loses   
   whether guilty or innocent.  If he's innocent, he pays for his attorney,   
   loses his reputation, and sometimes his job.  In this case Disney would   
   have fired him but there is too much publicity to fire him; they'd like to,   
   I think because in Disney's view, where there's smoke, there's fire and why   
   take a chance when there are hundreds to act dopey all day long in a monkey   
   suit.   
      
   The reform needed is the State has to lose big time when the defendant is   
   acquited or found not guilty.  It has to cost them for lost wages, mental   
   anguish, lost reputation, attorney's fees (with no limits!).  Then the   
   State will think twice before they let loose on this totally innocent man.   
      
   Now, what about the accuser?  I didn't see her name plastered all over the   
   internet.  And since the defendant was found innocent, how about filing   
   charges against HER?  She obviously made a false police report and as a   
   result the State brought false charges against this innocent man.  She   
   needs to appologize and make restitution, both civil and criminal.  Hit her   
   hard.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)