IMO, Dateline and their affiliates is offering child sex on the internet, and they are every bit as guilty as this person that did not show up!

There's something deeply creepy about people who watch police stings for "entertainment." This is just another kind of pornography and I find it sickening.

These police forces need to stop depending on TV shows to do their work for them. Shame on NBC.

There are no possible excuses for those that harm children. Dateline's Catch a Predator series is an excellent and necessary series. Pedophiles must be exposed to the widest possible audience because they DO NOT STOP being predators. The repeat rate for these sick people is horrible. ABC News should focus on developing shows to help society and not to try to gain news share on the tails of a highly successful series. Shame on you ABC.

Mr. Roach and all those in the chain of allowing over 20 child predators must be investigated by our FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT for dropping the all the charges against all those sickos. Something is wrong here. There has to be some level of public corruption there for dropping of charges. Is there a possibility that someone has either been paid off or someone in the prosecutors office is somehow related to one or more of those caught in the sting?

One has to remember that Perverted Justice has aided in hundreds of successful prosecutions where they were nearly all found or pleaded guilty. There methods are not flawed as they have been successful both in state and federal trials. All defense strategies have been answered in every successful case. Parents and citizens must get involved and not allow a renegade prosecutor in Texas and everywhere to DROP ALL CHARGES for those caught trying to have sexual relations with minor children of any age.

Although the "to catch a predator" series makes for great gotcha TV, there are some serious legal issues as far as the statements made by the offenders, leading questions from Hanson etc. The fact remains that these pervs are out there, stalking kids. I would welcome PJ in my town, but without the cameras and the talking head. This is the purview of the police and courts, and to ensure viable prosecutions should remain so.I think ABC news is upset because they did not launch this program first. ABC and NBC love the tabloid stuff too much not to have hurt egos. The Murray Texas Deputy District Attorney would have done himself in regardless. His secret was out he was a law enforcement official who was also a pedophile, camera or no camera he was done for.

While I have no sympathy for these people and it is probably good that they are caught, there is just something unseemly about the whole "To Catch A Predator" thing, including the arrest of some folks who appear to be mentally ill. And the cops should never want anyone to see them make an arrest with all that damn yelling and the guns drawn and the "force".

The only person that should be held responsible for anything in this whole mess is the man who was a pedophile and ultimately took his own life.

Good riddance to Conradt, people are more upset at knowing child predators are in their midst or someone that they put their trust in, such as Conradt as a district attorney. Other jurisdictions have had no promblem getting convictions, and yet the district attorney in Murpy would like to stick his head in the sand.......

This show is despicable. They should wait til someone breaks the law before they arrest him. Coming to a house where one has been invited is not a crime.

Conradt

Please update your story and tell the truth that Mr. Conradt ALSO had much child pornography on his PC. He chose to commit suicide apparently solely because of GUILT. Please stop trying to make it appear as though he was an innocent victim by error.

The DA threw out the other cases? Why!?!?! The argument of compromised evidence??? Come on, there was no issue with the other counties prosecuting. Are we really supposed to feel sorry that a child molester/predator shot himself? Are we supposed to pity the man who abused our daughters, our sisters, our friends? I tip my hats to Chris Hansen for trying to expose a predetor for the person he was. The predetor shot himself. Dateline did not!

I, for one, am glad. One less man children have to live in fear from. One less man to poorly influence our children in the sickest fashion imaginable. John Roach, please tell the American public, the American mothers, the American daughters, why you would voluntarily release sexual predetors?!?!?!?! Is there something you are not telling us...

It's a shame Conradt committed suicide, however, it does not appear he was innocent. I have three children and have more sympathy for possible victims.

I don't care how they catch the scum bags showing up to have sex with kids. The district attorney deciding not to prosecute is outrageous. The program shows that they were clearly there for sex with a child.

This is what happens when you turn over law enforcement to mass media. This BS needs to stop.

It's only "troubling" to ABC because the show is on NBC.

It is beginning to look like crime pays for voyeur hustlers more than it does the criminals! What would the hyenas of television do with out the deviants of our nation? Create some? I feel pretty certain that those of the networks that think it is o.k. to exploit the criminals and the crimes haven't found their children's pictures on any computer hard-drives confiscated while they are drumming up ratings!

Wonder how many cops would have gotten caught if they weren't in on the deal and had already been forewarn. The largest group of sexual predators on the prowl out there are your everyday traffic cops. This "sting" operation was a joke from the very beginning, and everyone knew it. It was nothing more than a horse and pony show. ;-)

What's the problem? He killed himself because Dateline had cameras or because they went to arrest him on a Sunday? Since when do people suspected of felonies get a break? Of course the police should go arrest him (at any time & as soon as possible). Just becuase he is a DA doesn't matter, he was guilty as charged and chose to take his own life. He has no one to blame but himself.

Sounds just like cops -- they should issue brains with the guns and badges and maybe just a touch of empathy for people!

NBC better settle fast,Bruce Baron is relentless and will not leave one stone unturned.I have had cases with him and he is tough as nails.

In 2006 I wrote a lengthy criticism of To Catch A Predator on my blog. It focused on many issues--but the most critical involved:

a) the failure to indicate what proportion of those engaging the decoy online actually went to his/her "home' for a rendezvous. The show implies that online interaction inevitably leads to meeting, but this is most unlikely, because both sub-teens and adults have to be willing to take that step and in most cases do not.

b)The show reinforces the image of pedophiles as out of control and therefore jail is the only solution. In reality pedophiles can calculate risk in the same way others can and many do not act on their desires, except through porn and online, because of the risks of detection. Finally, therapy can help reduce recidivism in 90% of the cases as Psychiatrist Fred Berlin has shown. His intereview was on the Predator website, at least at one time, but never part of the broadcast. His perspective, as a clinician and, more importantly, a researcher, would weaken the policy implications of the show.

I'm a sociologist at Queens College in NY and hve taught a course on human sexuality for twenty years.

Yeah. Smear NBC before their new season starts. That'll work.

I've been a lawyer for nearly a quarter century, and I handle a lot of litigation involving the sufficiency of evidence and procedural propriety of how it is collected. The big gap in your report is WHY that prosecutor believes the evidence in those 23 cases is tainted (precisely how?). I'd also like to hear the particulars as to why he believes a "jurisdictional problems" exist (sounds like evasive blur-speak to me). Look, the feds (where I work) routinely use private parties (snitches, etc.) as "bait" who ensnare criminals with the fed's nets. I don't see the problem here, and I don't know if I care if a pedophile shoots himself to avoid apprehension and exposure. I call that the best kind of population control (evil-self-elimination). Crimes against children are heinous in and of themselves, and I encourage the Datelines of the world to expose more, not less of it. ABC should investigate here, because all such methods should be freely examined and debugged; but I don't see any hard evidence of wrongdoing on Dateline's part. Please provide more details.

What sort of moron watches something like "Tocatchapredator" anyway?

It's not the first time I've heard of issues with the shows format and tactics. I don't honestly know what to think. I mean they are questionable but at the same time they still do catch heinous individuals and bring to light their behavior that likely wouldn't shown otherwise.

If its within the law and they apparently ask law enforcement for assistance and permission then it is not completely their fault if stings go bad.

I wouldnt blame NBC if the show now went off the air. I'd miss it, but I'd understand.

NBC's DateLine series is a fabulous public service that is directly responsible for bring hundreds of child molesters to justice, and perhaps saving hundreds more children from these animals. What's ABC's contribution to this cause, other than trying to throw rocks at the competition?

I feel bad for this man's family...as I do with all the men caught on this show. However, there needs to be something done about the sexual predators in the world. Dateline has done an amazing job of bringing this horrible subject to light. Everytime something bad happens...someone wants to throw a lawsuit in the mix. Dateline didn't pull the trigger. That man made a decision to end his life, hurt his family and to be a sexual predator! Has anybody thought about the children he may have hurt over the years? I think it's sad when anyone dies...but I don't think anyone should be sued because a coward takes his own life!

A PEDOPHILE IS A PEDOPHILE, IS A PEDOPHILE!!!!!!! THANK G-D DATELINE IS HELPING TO EXPOSE THIS DISGUSTING FACT OF OUR SOCIETY!! I HAVE 6 CHILDREN. I WORRY EVERYDAY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. WHETHER THEY ARE USING A RESTROOM, ON THEIR SCHOOL BUS, INVOLVED IN AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, OR AT A FRIENDS HOUSE, WITH THE PARENTS EVEN THERE SUPERVISING. ONE NEVER KNOWS ANYMORE. WE TRY TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN ABOUT SPEAKING TO STRANGERS, USING THE INTERNET, AND IMPROPER TOUCHING. YET, WE DON'T WANT TO INSTILL IN OUR CHILDREN SUCH A STRONG SENSE OF FEAR, THAT THEY WALK AROUND AFRAID OF EVERYTHING AND EVERY PERSON THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH. SOCIETY HAS BECOME A SCARY PLACE TO BE, AND TO RAISE CHILDREN. WHAT IS A PARENT TO DO, OTHER THAN THE ABOVE MENTIONED COMMENTS? THANK YOU DATELINE, CHRIS HANSEN, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CATCHING THESE SICK INDIVIDUALS.

NBC should not be in the business of police. They are a news reporting organization, not a news maker.

Anything, and I mean ANYTHING that any of us can do to stop these animals from preying on children is okay in my book. If that includes luring them the same way that they lure their victims then so be it. There ought to be an entirely seperate justice system for the monsters that perpetrate crimes against children. Right on Dateline!

To Catch A Predator is a worthwhile program to deter pedophiles from interacting with children. I think the show obviously shows shadenfreude but exposes the predators amongst us. I think it is an obvious deterrent and for that reason some people will not go to chat rooms to meet vulnerable children.
I think it is terrible that someone decided that taking his own life was a better alternative than to deal with his problem in the open but that is a decision the man made at the time. Perhaps he was depressed at the time and didn't see a way to confront the media.
It is a terrible outcome. Perhaps the media did provoke the man's death by pushing the victim to suicide. Perhaps the man was innocent until proven guilty. Whatever the reason, a man died and it is now being discussed because the cost incurred seems less worthy than the expected outcome.

"The repeat rate for these sick people is horrible."

Are you KIDDING me? The recidivism rate for sex offenders is ridiculously low. Much lower than any other crime.

Please, get your facts straight.

If I had to choose between having as neighbors those Perverted Justice chaps or a pedophile, I'd choose the pedophile, and I have kids at home.

Shame on Chris Hansen, the police and NBC. Mr Hansens and his crew don't care about pedophiles, all they care about is publicity.

Let the cops do their job.

Does ABC news support the rights of pedofiles now? We should feel sorry for men who engaged in chat with what they thought were underaged girls? It's okay for an adult to go and try to meet a young girl or boy for sex? These people are FREELY attempting to have sex with kids. One loser took the easy way out. ABC news you make me sick.

Granted the police may have done a sloppy job, however the means justifys the end.
Shine the light on all PREDATORS, and lock their but's up for LIFE. Nothings more important than protecting our youths innocent minds, and bodies.
I have no pity for the predators, regardless of how they are captured.

Iamhappy that nbc is doing the to catch a predator. Maybe cops can start doing their jobs andprotect our children. They sure as hell Didnt protect me

SHAME ON ALL OF YOU -- ABC and the district attorney in Texas especially...these perverts need to be stopped. Good for NBC -- in trying to weed out some of these scumbags. I don't understand what the problem was here...all the other states/cities were run the same and all suspects were prosecuted no problem. They need to get a new DA! These men were clearly there to have sex with children -- they deserve to be punished and as far as I'm concerned the one that killed himself did all of us and the world a favor..perhaps a child or children are safe who otherwise could have ended up abused or dead because of him. Keep up the good work Chris Hansen and NBC !!! Keep wedding out these despicable animals.

I don't think Dateline did anything wrong... the people on the show were speaking to someone they thought was under age... this took time to setup.. weeks not hours. What happened in Murphy was tragic.. but the DA and the Murphy police department could have said stop. Other DA offices in Texas are going to go after the people let go in Murphy.

u guys are unbeleivable. Shame on 20/20 Protect The Children. It slowed people down I'm sure. The cinverstions are disgusting. W hat if is was your children.

KUDOS to 20/20 for doing this story about Dateline. I found "To Catch a Predator" to be disturbing to watch. They did NOT need to go that far with those people. And now, with charges dropped!!!! their lives are ruined. It was just for ratings!!!

Go Dateline NBC!!! Go Chris Hansen!!!

There are no possible excuses for those that harm children. Dateline's Catch a Predator series is an excellent and necessary series to expose Pedophiles. Pedophiles must be exposed to the widest possible audience because they DO NOT STOP being predators. These sick people rape children with horrible sexual acts. ABC News "20/20" should focus on developing shows to help society and not to try to gain news share on the tails of a highly successful series. Shame on you ABC.

Please update your story and tell the truth that Mr. Conradt ALSO had much child pornography on his PC. He chose to commit suicide apparently solely because of GUILT. Please stop trying to make it appear as though he was an innocent victim by error.
The only person that should be held responsible for anything in this whole mess is the man who was a pedophile and ultimately took his own life.

Nice story ABC. Now do one about how O.J. was the victim of racism and tell us all about his search for the "real killer".

Isn't it strange that the focus of the story is on NBC (ABC's competitor) and not on the 20 indivivials who knowingly chatted with minors and showed up to their house, clearly not to help with homework assigments. As a mother I am outraged that these 20 individuals got off the hook. That's the real story-too bad 20/20 lost its focus on this.

The Prosecutor and 20/20 are just upset that MSNBC has a extemely successful show. I was disappointed in this news story because it diverted the attention away from the predators who were out seeking sex with young children. The Chief of Police had every right to protect his community and the community should be thankful for that! ABC you're just upset because your ratings have dropped and MSNBC has a show that is beneficial to communities and entertaining. Come up with better shows and then you will not have to spend your time finding fault in MSNBC!!

Why do we always PROTECT the criminals in this country?!?!?!?

This is so funny. Is NBC's show a setup/trap? Yes, but who cares. Child predators are scumb. The DA letting them go free is even a lower form of scumb. Online predators deserve every public form of shame they get. ABC trying to make a "scandal" out of this is laughable. The two police officers who were "bullied" by NBC have no integrity. What kind of cops are you?!?!?

Here is the thing about this story. These people are guilty because they have shown up to have sex with a minor. If their face is on Television, what better protection for children. Now of course you are the liberal media so these are victims to you. But let us know what you think when your kids are contacted by one of these slime balls

20/20 you guys are so jealous!!! Just because a rival station has received rave reviews and accolades for doing amazing work, you have to try and find a problem. For whatever reason they are doing it, they are revealing 100s of child predators and teaching children and adults the valuable lesson that predators come in all shapes and sizes. If someone kills themselve after an arrest, hey that one less disgusting pervert that the world doesnt have to worry about!! Maybe they will all follow suit. This is the last time I will watch any 20/20 shows. The child rape defenders. You will change your mind when it happens to you or someone you love.

At least Dateline NBC is doing something about these criminals. Brian Ross, what are you doing about the problem?!

Yes, perhaps mistakes were made, but at least some people are trying to bring these criminals to justice. Stop blaming the people who are trying and start putting forth your own efforts!!!!

You are just benefiting from their publicity -- not very good journalism IMHO.

Shame on ABC for criticizing another show that is giving them competition. I watched the first show and the follow
up show. Regardless of how you feel about the news media, kudos to Dateline for taking on such despicable crimes. Dateline shows have resulted in more than 120 convictions. The man who killed himself was trying to have contact with an underage teen, did 20/20 feel this is okay? What is 20/20 doing to help rid our communities of pedaphiles and child molesters. You could have used this air time for a more productive story instead of criticizing a competitor who has a successful show. It is not important who watches the show, it is more important to catch the people who come on the show. Next time 20/20 take the high road. It is hard to criticize a show that catches these type of criminals regardless of the motive.

Wow! What a great story to support the pedophiles out there! Just when these guys are starting to be highlighted and neighborhoods are starting to be made safe the very program that has been doing these great things gets targeted. This is the first episode in which anything has gone wrong and in typical news style the opposing network picks up the story. And I figured ABC would be for the victims and the families - not the bad guys!

about time it has been brought to light what crap this show is..i stopped watching ,i found it dispicable. Did anyone consider the family? kids at school? inocent wife?? this show should end, sure arrest them, catch them, but dont film it.

Pathetic jounalism on your part ABC. A cheap shot at NBC.

I think 20/20 is jealous that they didn't think of the idea first! NBC is doing a great thing. At least they are trying to get something done with all the perverts out there. The public humiliation is ALMOST enough punishment for these perverts!! I can't believe you're doing a story like this! I NEVER post on things like this but I was so outraged by your story, I had to. You should be ashamed!!

Your piece on 'To Catch a Predator': A Sting Gone Bad" is more telling of how your show has gone bad. Sounds more like jealousy of a competitor(NBC). You obviously interviewed people from your point of view. How about other people who thought it was a good idea. One sided reporting is bad reporting.

I am DISGUSTED by 20/20, the producers,and especially Brian Ross; that he/they would prostitute themselves/himself - to the compeditive jealosy casting doubt on the other network's successfull series. This is just an example of journalism gone bad, not on the part of Dateline, but he contempt and disingenuous production of ABC. ABC appears to have taken staked out a position, unfortunatly not surprising, as the Appologists for Perverts. But then what do you expect for the present day press. ABC is suffering from compeditive jealolsy, and therefore responded by trying to achieve claim --- being an appoligist for perverts. This is why journalism majors have no business masquarading as reporters. Dateline WINS --- 20/20 LOSESES....

Congratulations ABC, with your help maybe we can stop harassing child predators. Is this story because your network did not come up with the concept first? It's ashamed, with so much family appropriate programing, you would do this kind of story. Nobody coaxed the predators into trolling for minors. Nobody ever forced an individual into a car to go have sex with a minor. Stop it, your arguemnets are weak. Suddenly my TV no longer gets an ABC channel.

You have got to be kidding me! Tell me how you can justify a man or anyone trying to molest a minor or worse a child. Keep on fellas and I promise you that if this country servives 100 more years it will be a Matriarch Society. Women are sick to thier stomach at the action of the men that can not control or refuse to control thier thoughts or actions of sexual deviantcy. Why am I not suprise that the National Media would take the side of the predetor, shame on you

I am APPAULED that the Murphy Texas prosecutor has dropped the charges on the 23 perverts that NBC exposed. That's it....let's protect these child molester again. I would like to know how that prosecutor can sleep at night. Justice? I think not!

I'm dissaapointed that 20/20 is pointing out what may be wrong with the to catch a predator investigations, and not pointing out all of the good that has been done through these shows. If the police officers were ever uncomfortable with the way things were going with dateline, then they could have declined. This show should be about the decisions of the police force, not what dateline may have done wrong. What dateline did was bring out child abusers and everyone should be grateful.

I think ABC News is missing the point and it is sad that one station has nothing better to do than bash another station - How about we focus on the good done, not once did I hear that mentioned - they successfully exposed many predators -- If one state choose not to prosecute that is there choice - but many are in jail because of NBC news - Did ABC do this because it is a successful series. Some people in life are SUE HAPPY .. whereever they can get money they will sue for it - but to condem a station NBC for taking a stand and bringing people to Justice - I don't blame NBC for not appearing on your show... IS ABC PERFECT -- I'd think not - how about you point out the good!!!

Shame on you, ABC, in the name of competion you try to stop a show that has probably saved lives and the future of many children. How many children will be harmed if NBC's program is stopped. You should in fact have a similar program. Now all of the predators caught in TX are still out there, preying on children. Shame on you.

I think this segment is a cheap shot at NBC. It looks especially stupid since NBC already aired their episode regarding Murphy DA's accusation on Wednesday, and had an actual Texas state assistant DA to say that everything they did on the show was legal, and he didn't understand why the Murphy DA wouldn't prosecute (yes, that guy is only a Murphy DA, not a Texas state DA as 20/20 claimed throughout the show). I used to love 20/20, but I lost my complete respect with this segment. This is not good news reporting, but rather a cheap shot at a competitor's very successful (and excellent) series, and it only makes 20/20 look stupid. NBC did what they need to make the series into a good successful story, and bring attention to a very critical issue. Kudos to NBC, shame on you ABC!

I'm very disappointed in tonight's broadcast in regards to NBC, The Sting Gone Bad. Bottom line is that people are doing very bad things and are getting caught and for ABC to go after NBC for such visibility and making an issue/episode out of it is disappointing. Focus on things that are of more significance......diplomacy at it's worse would warrant more television time than Chris Hanson and the good work that he is doing in regards to making predators accountable.

The Murphy County DA has no guts with prosecuting any of the accused offenders. No one forced these alleged pedophiles into the set - up home, and no Hanson did not violate their Amendment right to Miranda by questioning them because they were able to leave at any point hence not being in custody. Not to mention, the statements made to Hansen were not required for prosecution anyhow, only the internet chat log and the mere fact that the alleged violators freely came to the set - up house for what they thought was a sexual encounter with a juvenile was needed. ABC is merely trying to cash in with their series on the Dateline series that was obviously so successful and the Murphy County DA is full of poppy cock with its rationale for refusing to prosecute. I would welcome any such sting in my neighborhood for at least to weed out the true predators in our society. This is what the DA and ABC seem to be ignoring.

All this is is sour grapes by one network being out done by another. Ratings rule. I guess ABC is in favor of pervs trolling for children on the internet? Is that what they are trying to porlytray? Nowhere did you report that the law enforcement officals were wittnessing a crime when the were propositioned by the "supposed" crimmals. They have the lawful right to arrest anyone then and there in the act of a crimanl act. Especialy one that has children involed. SHAME ON DA ROACH, FOR NOT HAVING THE GUTS TO PROSECUTE PEDOPHILES, AND SHAME ON YOU ABC FOR PROTECTING THEM!!

Unfortunately I think that the reason you would run such a story is because your network didn't come up with the idea. My walk-away from your story is that you will defend child predators. That's disgusting!

Jackson... you hit the nail on the head. It's EXACTLY like another form of pornography but you couldn't get these folks who watch the program (or air it for that matter) to admit that. They all believe they have God on their side. Disgusting.

Collin County District Attorney John Roach should be APPLAUDED.

I would like to remind the posters who are "outraged" that the charges were dropped or that NBC is doing a "public service" of a little something called: THE FOURTH AMENDMENT.

We have rights in this country, protected by the Constitution.

Thank you Mr. Roach.

Chris Hanson is a hero and so is NBC. The D.A. that let the 23 people go should put a bullet in his head too. He's just as sick as the other pervert.

I used to watch 20/20
Guess I'll watch Dateline Only now.

Can't wait to see what Dateline fires back with at 20/20.

Keep it up DATELINE and CHRIS HANSON

I am disappointed, however not surprised by your "investigation" into the to catch a predator show. This is yet another example of how the law has tried to accommodate everyone, but has served no one.
Everyone knows that a criminal rarely recieves the maximum penalty for his/her crime, even when the crime committed is as obvious as this. I get disgusted when I see repeat offenders or serious offenders get away with a slap on the wrist. To Catch a Predator has given serious offenders a punishment to last a lifetime. All can say to NBC is job well done, and to ABC shame on you for your poorly thought out ratings scam.

He DID break the law. He arranged to meet an underage person for sex. The simple arrangement is against the law in Texas, whether it was followed through with or not. As long as the police are involved, I don't see an issue. Did he freak because he saw all the TV cameras? I hope so. Maybe the camera's can serve as more of a deterrant than police activity and possible jail time.

ABC should be ashamed! This is not about news, it's about ratings. The success of NBC's Dateline in this area makes it your target, not justice. Add a DA and a few police officers who are looking for attention and there you have it, 20/20. What a joke. You totally miss the point of deterrence. I applaud NBC and PJ for doing what they can to bring this to light and to shine it as brightly as possible.

I used to have much respect for 20/20 but to do an expose defending potential child molesters and maligning a fellow reporter attempting to help bring an end to online predators having free reign to our children is unforgivable. To question Hanson's tactics is one thing but to state that he was just out for ratings seems slanderous in and of itself. The things those people type to a child (whether real or an undercover agent) is absolutely unforgivable. Anyone who would attack a person trying to do something about it is reprehensible.

Adj. 1. reprehensible - bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure; "a criminal waste of talent"; "a deplorable act of violence";
condemnable, criminal, deplorable, vicious
wrong - contrary to conscience or morality or law;

The definition fully represents 20/20 for this report.