Judge grants child custody to rapist father.

Is the mother attempting to appeal this ruling? One would think that she could get an injunction on the custody transfer until the appeal was adjudicated.

Yes, she has filed an appeal.

John Keith Tucker, and Melonie Hamm Knutson will be in court to determine if he gets custody of the second child, a little girl in Carthage, Miss. on August 23.

And, Puzzled, appropriately named. If a man meets a girl and wants to have sex with her immediately, he should confirm her age, even if it means asking her parents. Good Grief, couldn't your husband control his urges long enough to find out. I have no sympathy for your husband, it is all too often I hear stories like yours. There is and never will be a good enough reason to have sex with children. In other words your husband claimed he was ignorant and you honestly believe that will excuse his actions. Please, I understand your wanting to excuse the actions of the man you have married, but to most moral americans will agree that he is guilty of the crime. If he used the excuse once, he just might want to use it again when he is 50 and wants sex and no other woman is there to accommodate him except a 15 year old child. He won't get away with it next time either, unless you want to move to McCurtain County, Ok

The courts there have given custody of a small child to an admitted rapist, he is claiming that she seduced him with alcohol. I'm not surprised at this excuse either, none the less a child in the custody of any man who has proven bad judgement on several occasions, should be a well thought out decision on the part of the courts. He may very well be back in court claiming the same thing if and when he rapes the little girl that he wants custody of.

Judy, I appreciate your input, this guy Tucker sounds like a bum to me. According to your knowledge, he lives with his momma, his aunt is financing his court battle, he has sex with young girls of which is a member of his own family, and he receives money from the girl he raped. With my limited knowledge of the laws in OK, if this man is the fittest of parents, and he is chosen by the court as the fittest of parents, just please tell me how we define a stable home in this state?

I urge the women of this state to take a long look at the laws in place for protecting children, in the State of Oklahoma, and seek to change things immediately. We can do it and we will, just give us a little time. We can start with this case and the case of Misty Van Zandt, flood the political arena with letters and complaints, we can vote for the politicians that put the children first. Lets vote for the childrens rights in the polls tomorrow in OK.

Puzzled wrote:

I just married a man (a wonderful man and amazing father) who went to jail for child molestation. When he was 22, he met a young girl of 15 who presented herself to him at a party and told him she was 18. He believed her. They drank that night, had sex and you got it...she became pregnant. She told him she was 15 when she told him she was pregnant. He was scared and offered to marry her. The courts found out and put him in jail. They married when he got out and guess what...soon after she delivered their baby girl, she slept with another man, divorced him and he fought for custody of his daughter. He is now a convicted child molester and he has to live with that for the rest of his life. He has had custody of his daughter who is now 14 and tries to overcome people like you who judge every "child molester" that the court chooses to label that way. Shame on all of you for judging men like my husband. When it comes to the court system, you just never know the truth. Never.

Puzzled~! The difference in your husband's story and the one of Melonie Knutson and Keith Tucker is your husband was willing to jump on a stranger. John Keith Tucker knew Melonie. She grew up in the home with him and his mother. She is his second cousin. Please read the first newspaper report of this specific incident, and the followup investigative report on Bubbaworld.com before you start jumping to conclusions. There is also a letter from Melonie's maternal grandmother on a related Bubbaworld.net story.

In reference to comments from Anna, Dallas. Yes, I did send the Governor all papers from the Judge's office and told him of the DA's decision not to prosecute Mr. Tucker. I asked, no begged him to investigate the reasons for this. He sent a letter to Melonie in Miss. and told her to get in touch with the Child Welfare Dept. and he would contact the State head of the Dept. to launch an investigation. She called them and they have never heard anything from the Governor's office. Didn't have a clue as to why he would have called them in the first place, they said.
I also sent all papers to the Senators and Rep. for this District. I only heard from Rep. Dan Boren's office from Washington DC. He said he never gets involved in local governmental decisions. So much for that. Guess they could care less about what is happening in their state.
I do want to say that I really do appreciate all of you who are concerned and I do believe you do have Ms. Sanders nervous as to whether she will be reelected or not. She now has three opponents in the race for DA.

Three opponents? Are they all Democrat or is one of them a Republican or Independent that will not appear on the ballot until November?

anna gochovich-dallas wrote:

i say blast the governors office with the type of situations like this. Heck HES THE ONE WHO APPOINTED sanders should he not be informed of the stupid much less assinine and just plain wrong thing that she is doing. oklahoma independent media site has a list with links to all the papers
and www.mistyvanzandt.com has links to all the government offices for ok.(some apply- some do not) take alittle time out and show this judge and anyone just like her that A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES, BEGINS WITH JUST ONE STEP. that 1 step is us. help melonie and others in her situation have the courage to stand up against the establishment, and let them all know that America was built on freedoms and securities. not on backwater judges with dirty hands!!!!!
hope they can sleep well!

Anna, Governor Keating (R) appointed Ms Sanders to finish an uncompleted term of the DA Hamilton (?) who resigned after filing to be re elected, and no one filed to run against him. That means he would have automatically served another 4 years. Governor Keating was term limited out and replaced by now Governor Brad Henry (D) in November 2002. I am not sure if he will be re elected this November or not. The Democratic party did not put up anyone to run against him and I have not been following Democratic Politics through the primary season.

JGlo, I am not surprised that Congressman Boren replied the way he did to you. He was elected to serve on federal issues. He is young and this is his first term in Washington. He has drawn an opponent for the November election, though. Did you try Senator Coburn? You said "senators" and I thought you meant Oklahoma State Senators.

.

I think things like that are just crazy. I have a son who has a baby, the mother of the child abused her first one, and the dhs is keeping the child but she gets more rights than my son does. He has been in trouble before but for burgulary, not anything on a child. She is happy, her family has both children and she sees them all the time. none of my sons family gets to see the baby. I think the courts are just stupid. Thanks.

sue wrote:

I think things like that are just crazy. I have a son who has a baby, the mother of the child abused her first one, and the dhs is keeping the child but she gets more rights than my son does. He has been in trouble before but for burgulary, not anything on a child. She is happy, her family has both children and she sees them all the time. none of my sons family gets to see the baby. I think the courts are just stupid. Thanks.

Thank you for your comments, Sue. I also support father's rights to form a relationship with their children if they have never been mean to the kids. Too often mothers are just mean about preventing the kids from knowing their dad.

msbobbie wrote:

Three opponents? Are they all Democrat or is one of them a Republican or Independent that will not appear on the ballot until November?

All three are Democrats, Bobby.

I had only heard of two. Three is even better. More chance Sanders will be forced into a runoff. I would expect everyone who intends to vote for her will do so in the primary. Less likely anyone who voted for either of the three will vote for her in a runoff.

In runoff elections, only those who voted in the primary can vote.

msbobbie--"Hey, Darren! Have you read this whole thread, or did you just jump to the top of page 2?
Here is the story that started the whole discussion:
http://www.newsok.com/xml/rss/1868461/" ;

I read the whole thing, and the story from the Oklahoman, and other press coverage of this.

"I am a fan of Bubbaworlds."

That's unfortunate.

"He brings many things to light we may never hear about."

I have never seen a single thing he's "brought to light that we never hear about" that there was any particular REASON to hear about it. He's sex and scandal obsessed and exploitive and reactionary and bombastic beyond all reason. Let's stick to real newspapers, the Oklahoman's bad enough.

"He investigates thuroughly before he puts anything in writing and signs his name to it."

Perhaps, that's not the point. Most of it is opinion, and however thoroughly he investigates it he still gets some things wrong. Mostly he makes a massive deal out of some things that aren't as newsworthy as he wants them to be.

"I have participated in "right wing" forums with him and know him to be a strict by the law person."

Forums. Who ever learned anything there? This is just for throwing around opinion to kill time.

"My heart breaks for this young mother."

Mine too. It's a hell of an unfortunate circumstance.

"There is no bond stronger than that of a mother with her first born son."

Excuse me, but as a father saying "no" is overstating it badly. The bond I have with my children, son AND daughter, isn't any less than it would be if I were a woman.

"There are a lot of members of the male gender sitting in prison for having sexual relationships with 14 year old girls."

I'm aware of that. There are also people who, unfortunately, have done it and aren't in jail.

"There are 16-18 year old males who will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of their lives for the same thing."

Which I consider a bit excessive, but that's beside the point.

"Why are there laws for some and not for others?"

Nobody said that at all. How many times does this have to be explained? What POSSIBLE value is there to dragging this to court when nothing's going to be accomplished? Do you think we should just forget the trial and throw the guy in jail for 10 or 20 years because we don't like him?

"Why did this Tucker character get rewarded with custody of a child, and on top of it child support payments from this baby's mother who earns 1/4 of what Tucker does."

He wasn't rewarded. This wasn't a reward. This was what's best for the child, which you have TOTALLY forgotten, focusing ONLY on what this is about for the mom and dad, and misinterpreting a good deal of that.

"Because she lives in a trailer? I live in a trailer."

So have I, that had nothing whatsoever to do with this, of course. That's like saying, because she has a red handbag, that she didn't get custody because she has a red handbag.

"Some are quite nice."

We don't know if hers is or not. Obviously there is SOMETHING that's causing the authorities to seriously question placing the child there.

"I checked ODCR and Tucker lists his address as a post office box."

So?

"And in case you did skip page one....I live in LeFlore County."

I didn't skip page one.

"I do not know why the tag under my name says various places around the country."

Would it make you feel better to tell you I never read those?

Sharon--"I believe this happens much to often."
What, that hysterical mobs try cases in the court of public opinion? You're right.
"The Judge, should be taken off the bench"
Because you don't like the ruling he gave in one case that you've not read. Do you propose you have the power to do this with ALL judges?
"as other Judges in the State, who are of the idea that women just exist, and that children should do as they are told."
And you have a quote from the judge saying this, I suppose?
"He has no concern for the child, who should of been his first concern."
On the contrary, it appears that the child IS his first concern, as opposed to what most people HERE want it to be, which is revenge. This didn't go to court solely because it would be very difficult and damaging for the children involved.
"and Judges, should be held to a higher standard, with sentencing to be uniform throughtout the state to keep Judges, believeing they are God, doing what ever they want."
A horrible, dumb idea. Every case is different, and to say that "we automatically have this sentence for this crime" is a rotten way to get justice. "4 years for drunk driving" OK, what if it's first offense? What if it's 5th offense? What if there are kids in the car? Every case has differences, and you have judges to make the decisions based on the facts of the case. They don't think they're God, they're just doing their job.
"Judges whould face fines or jail themselves for their unjust orders."
Why would ANYONE be a judge, then? Do you really want to have a justice system with no judges? What then? This idea is so unAmerican it's sickening.
If a judge commits misconduct or abuses their authority they face consequences, that is ALREADY the case and always has been. You guys want to string up a judge for making an unpopular decision.
"Where is the Child Welfare people in all of this"
Again, it's really bizarre that you'd think they had nothing to do with it. Chances are there was significant testimony made in this process, and I've heard these sort of cases, and it's usually "well, either way it's not good, here's the lessor of two evils." Chances are that's what this is.
"they have been taking peoples children away for several years now, some unjustly,"
Based upon what? You read in the paper in 17 seconds what happened in the case and feel more qualified to judge it than workers who spend months on a case?
"putting them in foster care or to be adopted out without the concern of the children at heart."
Horsecrap. Listen, that's the end of it. You just don't know what the hell you're talking about. That job SUCKS. It's horribly depressing, you deal with very few nice people there, and the people you're dealing with who aren't very nice resent your being there and most of them pretty much hate your guts. Meanwhile, you see kids in unbelievably depressing situations day after day after day, and the BEST cases, the ones you point to where you do the absolute most good STILL end up with kids crying and screaming, adults threatening you, families torn apart, and kids in foster care. The cases where you go in, meet with a family, and talk them into turning over a new leaf and they turn into the Cleavers don't happen, there isn't anywhere CLOSE to enough money in the system for that sort of family to get seen, only the worst ones get attention.
There is ONLY one reason people put up with all that crap for the rotten pay...because they care about the kids. A person in that job who didn't care about kids is a masochist.
"Many children taken when they should not of been."
and there are absolutely an equal number of people who believe just as strongly that far too many kids are kept in abusive conditions instead of taken out. Nobody's going to make everyone happy.

anna gochovich-dallas wrote:

the web site for judical review investigations. is www.judicialwatch.org it allows you to ask ?? and tell your tale. have written several myself maybe it is time everyone did.. have a good day
anna

Judicial watch is a far right political group, not an independent watchdog for good courts. They're not about getting the best judges, they're about getting the most conservative judges, about gutting civil rights and the constitution. Judicial Watch is crap.

As I read through the comments about the little girl who was raped by her father and then granting him custondy. I see a comment by a Calom from Texas. I took offense to that comment you made, it is not typical in Oklahoma of what happened to that little girl. Cause you know what? that kind of stuff happens everywhere, not just in Oklahoma. Yeah it was wrong what happened to her and I feel terrible, it also makes me mad that they gave her back to him. The Judge made a stupid and I mean stupid decision and yes I think his job should be taken from him. But don't take it out on Oklahoma, because of what a Judge did. It was his decision, not ours. So before you start talking bad about Oklahoma. Remember it happens everywhere, not just here.

And for the record, I'm from Oklahoma. Lived here my whole life.

Good point, SW. I really do get sick of that sort of comment. There've been some outstanding judges and attorneys from Oklahoma.

I can remember one case out of Payne County that you should be aware of Darren. Gregory Lynn Bryant, was found guilty of raping a 13 year old girl and your Judge, Jefferson Sellers, suspended the sentence. You can read about it in this "Travesty of Justice" article. You did state that you are from Payne County, is that right Darren?

http://todayinok.com/2006/04/30/a-travesty-of...

You can also find that article mentioned in the new addition to the "McCurtain County" editorial by Bubbaworld.com , of which you are the topic Darren. Yes, Darren, I said, "you".

Darren, I have one question, were it your daughter, that has been raped by John Tucker, would you be here in this thread arguing with us women, or would you be agreeing with us?

__________
Darren Defends A Child Rapist

Well, Kinda, Sorta' and Blasts Bubbaworld

A Bubbaworld Editorial

Date: 7/18/06
Last Update: 7/19/06

It seems that someone posting to a Topix forum under the name of Darren thinks justice was served when an admitted child rapist in McCurtain County, Oklahoma beat the system after raping a child for years and impregnating her twice.

Then Darren really gets his knickers in a knot and spews the following gem:

Bubbaworld? Are you kidding? THIS is supposed to be someone we take seriously in discussion of justice and court cases? This is the sort of dope Oklahomans have to spend their lives convincing people they're NOT like. That he's got a link to an obscenely stupid website spreading lies about smoking, that he's absolutely beyond obsessed with sex, and that he plays up this "good ole boy" act while spinning it into "if you're a good ole boy, you have to believe this far right political agenda, too!" which THIS good ole boy rejects.

Good gosh, he/she/it really told us off, huh?

Well, Darren, maybe 40 year old men raping 14 year old girls is acceptable behavior to you there in Payne County, but that does not mean that the rest of us have to tolerate it or judges and districts attorney's that condone it. Our voice will be heard in both the public square and at the ballot box.

I can understand your tolerance for child rapists, after all wasn't it in Payne County where convicted child rapist Gregory Lynn Bryant, was handed a 'walk' by District Judge Jefferson Sellers? This in an outlandish 'Travesty of Justice' which in spite of the jury's recommendation of a 30 year prison sentence, Sellers handed Bryant a sweetheart deal of a suspended sentence? Sure it is. I guess that explains a lot of both your viewpoint and your spew. Conditioning will do that to a person.

As a poster on the Topix forum pointed out, rapists belong in jail and children belong in a healthy home. The home of an admitted child rapist is NOT a healthy home. Especially when that child rapist is immune from prosecution for his crimes.

It really is that simple...

Darren you can defend a child rapist, a foolish judge and a negligent district attorney all you want. That is your right. Just don't expect civilized people to go along with you. Sometimes the truth hurts, and sure enough we do publish the painful truth on Bubbaworld. That is what we've been doing for almost ten years now and it is what we will continue to do in the future.

Why do we do it? Simply because someone has to shine the bright light onto people such as John Keith Tucker, Judge Michael DeBerry, District Attorney Virginia Sanders and folks like you. Those that wish to hide their heads in the sand like an ostrich and pretend that life is good, as long as no one rocks the boat. We rock the boat. We kick over the rocks and shine the bright light to see what scurries from underneath the rocks and today it was you Darren, today it was you...

http://www.bubbaworld.com/mccurtain4.html

Thank you Darren, I'm glad someone agrees with me cause we do have some outstanding judges and attorneys here. We just got stuck with a really stupid one.

Okay why is everyone raggin on Darren? He's not the one who raped the little girl. He's just voicing his opinion. Whatever happened to freedom of speech? Everyone has the right to say what they think, what they believe in, and what they don't believe in.

I can only speak for myself, sw oklahoma. I have not told Darren he could not speak. His first post sounded to me like he did not read the whole thread, or the article, or the investigative report, and I merely disagreed with him. imo Darren has not read the original article thuroughly nor have you. Melonie was not raped by her father, she was forced to grow up in a home with her fathers cousin, who was nearly 40 when she was 14 and it was her father's cousin who raped her.

You need to think like a 14year old girl with no place to go here and not an adult male. She had 2 children by this man (?) before she was 16 and could get away. She was not "given back" to anyone. The (cough) man (?) now 45 who had used her filed for custody of the oldest child, a 5 year old boy. She never said anything about rape until he began trying to take her son away from her.

Darren. I cannot exit this post to check for sure, but I believe Judge DeBerry said in his decision "...because she lives in a trailer". That is what it has to do with it. I think I smell 'civil rights' here.