[Vision2020] Idaho senator wants Rep. Mark Patterson to resign

Wed Dec 11 17:11:08 PST 2013

I’m with Janesta on this one. He claims he didn’t rape her, but he also wants folks to cut him some slack because, “I was a young kid.”  He was a man 21 years old, who the justice system treated just as they dealt with most sexual assaults at that time.  Plead guilty for intent to commit and leave town...Problem solved.  

Sueh

From: Scott Dredge 
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 4:04 PM
To: Tom Hansen 
Cc: viz 
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Idaho senator wants Rep. Mark Patterson to resign

<Tom asks 'To what crime is rape considered to be a "lesser charge"?'>
It would be a lesser charge to pre-meditated murder, but that's going in the opposite direction from the case at hand here.

<Why would a person plead guilty to a felony, unless he was guilty of that felony?>
Because pleading guilty to lesser charge of 'assault with intent to commit rape' and being offered a withheld judgement would result in a much less severe punishment than rolling the dice on a jury trial and coming up with snake eyes.  Same thing applies with the prosecution's case which is why they offered him up a sweetheart deal.  And maybe the victim didn't want to relive the traumatic event on the witness stand.  I'm pretty certain that rape shield was not in effect 40 years ago so the defense probably would have had free reign to humiliate her on cross examination and would have probably presented things to the jury that it was 'consensual role playing' and 'look here at exhibit A - this was the skimpy outfit she was wearing'.  From the brief write up in the article, it seems to me he raped the woman, yet he didn't plead guilty to it.

I hope this clears things up...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CC: janesta at gmail.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
From: thansen at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Idaho senator wants Rep. Mark Patterson to resign
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 14:56:29 -0800
To: scooterd408 at hotmail.com

So, enlighten us, Mr. Dredge, please . . .

To what crime is rape considered to be a "lesser charge"?  Why would a person plead guilty to a felony, unless he was guilty of that felony?

"In May 1974, a then-21-year-old Patterson was charged with rape in Tampa.  A 46-year-old woman told police Patterson forced her to have sex twice and threatened to have his Doberman pinscher attack her if she refused, according to police reports."

Hmmm.

Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"There's room at the top they are telling you still 
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
If you want to be like the folks on the hill."

- John Lennon

On Dec 11, 2013, at 2:40 PM, Scott Dredge <scooterd408 at hotmail.com> wrote:

  Maybe Sunil can weigh in on this one.  My understanding is that pleading guilty to a lesser charge and along with a withheld judgement means that you can check 'no' on a job application question that asks if you've ever been convicted of a felony.  Obviously thats a no-no for a concealed weapons permit.  I think the guy should just stay put and let others force him out if they have the power to do so.  I liked the way Larry Craig handled his situation by announcing that his 'plan to step down' but then finishing his term.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 13:41:56 -0700
  From: janesta at gmail.com
  To: thansen at moscow.com
  CC: vision2020 at moscow.com
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Idaho senator wants Rep. Mark Patterson to resign

  Wow!

  The judge told him to leave town! Oh yes, go someplace else and cause trouble. 

  Way "back in the day" ... being the late 60's and early 70's. Judge Felton would frequently tell men who committed a crime in Latah County, to leave town, join the service, or, go to the pen,.. one incident I recall in particular, was a group of recent high school graduates who imported a bunch of Thai Stick, a potent form of marijuana.. anyway, he gave them a choice of joining the service, or going to Boise State Pen for something like 5 years. One took the service, and left with an honorable discharge.  The other, went to the pen, and came back to Moscow and was a successful businessman until he passed away. 

  Anyway, Patterson lied on his concealed gun permit. By lying, he was trying to hide it. By trying to hide it, to me, is the appearance of guilt. Appearance nothing, he PLEAD guilty!  A rape for the woman NEVER goes away. I can tell you first person. It does NOT. 

  He needs to buck up, quit making excuses, be a man, and resign.

  Janesta

  On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 12:09 PM, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:

    Question, Mr. Falen . . .

    What time constraint do you assign to the conviction of a felony, like rape, at which time we should forgive our elected officials, forget that the crime ever hapoened, and allow the convicted felon to carry a concealed weapon? 

    Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

    "Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
    http://www.MoscowCares.com

    Tom Hansen
    Moscow, Idaho

    "There's room at the top they are telling you still 
    But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
    If you want to be like the folks on the hill."

    - John Lennon

    On Dec 11, 2013, at 10:43 AM, lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com> wrote:

      I am all for being tough on rapists, but this was 40 years ago when he was young. Cut the guy some slack.
      Roger

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        -----Original Message-----
        From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
        To: "Moscow Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
        Date: 12/11/13 10:04
        Subject: [Vision2020] Idaho senator wants Rep. Mark Patterson to resign

        Courtesy of today's (December 11, 2013) Spokesman Review.

        ---------------------------------
        Idaho senator wants Rep. Mark Patterson to resign
        BOISE - A state senator Tuesday called for Republican leaders from Boise to seek the resignation of Rep. Mark Patterson after his failure to disclose his guilty plea in a 1974 rape case led to revocation of his concealed weapons permit.

        Sen. Fred Martin, R-Boise and one of District 15's precinct committee members, said he expects officials from the southwest Boise district will assemble next Tuesday to discuss Patterson's future in the Legislature, less than a month before the 2014 session begins.

        However, another official in District 15, which Patterson represents, said the situation is "fluid" and no meeting has been finalized.

        Patterson has been the focus of attention since the Idaho Statesman in November reported he failed to disclose the 39-year-old guilty plea in a Florida rape case when he applied for a permit to carry a concealed weapon, first in 2007 and again in 2012. Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney revoked Patterson's permit in late October. Raney has said Patterson's record makes him ineligible for a concealed weapons permit in Idaho.

        In an interview Tuesday, Martin said he remains hopeful Patterson will resign voluntarily. If he doesn't, however, Martin said a resolution has been drafted that demands the first-term Republican lawmaker quit.

        "This behavior is not acceptable," Martin said. "I feel confident that Legislative District 15's precinct committee people will do what is right for Idaho, the Republican Party and especially voters of District 15. I also hope that Rep. Patterson does what's right for himself and his family."

        In addition to not disclosing the plea on his concealed weapons permit application, Martin said Patterson's reaction to the situation has been aggressive.

        Consequently, Martin said, he was asked to organize security for Tuesday's tentative meeting because some District 15 officials had safety concerns.

        Patterson couldn't be reached Tuesday. Wade Woodard, Patterson's lawyer, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

        Dan Luker, District 15's secretary, said its executive committee has met and agreed that the entire 15-person precinct committee should gather to discuss Patterson's future.

        Still, Luker said no such meeting has been finalized.

        "We'd have to have an agenda and a location, and I can say, as of this moment, not all of those pieces are in place to allow such a notice to go out," Luker said Tuesday afternoon. "That may change in the future, but as of this moment, that's the case. I don't know if we'll have a quorum, or whether the meeting will happen or not."

        In May 1974, a then-21-year-old Patterson was charged with rape in Tampa. A 46-year-old woman told police Patterson forced her to have sex twice and threatened to have his Doberman pinscher attack her if she refused, according to police reports.

        Patterson served time in jail before agreeing that July to plead guilty to the lesser charge of assault with intent to commit rape, receiving a withheld judgment and five years probation.

        Patterson was ordered to leave Florida. Two years later, he was released from probation, records show.

        Now, however, he says he was innocent but pleaded guilty 39 years ago on the advice of his attorney, expecting the crime would eventually be expunged from his record.

        "I was a young kid," Patterson has told the Statesman. "I was charged with a crime I didn't do. My attorney told me to take the deal."

        Though Patterson lost his concealed weapons permit, he can continue to carry a concealed weapon because of 1990 law that exempts elected officials from having to obtain a permit. Idaho is the only state that exempts elected officials from the permit law.

        ---------------------------------

        Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

        "Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
        http://www.MoscowCares.com

        Tom Hansen
        Moscow, Idaho

        "There's room at the top they are telling you still  
        But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
        If you want to be like the folks on the hill." 

        - John Lennon

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