Unintended Consequences

Here's an example of the unintended consequences of the hysteria regarding sexual offenders. From the Seattle Times:

Man says he'll plead guilty to killing sex offenders

If the scene in Whatcom County Superior Court yesterday is any indication, Michael A. Mullen doesn't like to sit and wait for the wheels of justice to turn.

On Aug. 27, according to police, Mullen killed two sex offenders who had served their time and had been quietly living in suburban Bellingham. About a week later, police say, he confessed to the crime. And yesterday, during his first court appearance, Mullen's main concern was getting the process over with.

"Can I have a speedy trial?" Mullen, 35, asked Superior Court Commissioner David Thorn during his preliminary hearing. He didn't even want a lawyer. "I would just like to plead guilty," he said.

Mullen, who is being held on $1 million bail, is expected to be charged today with two counts of first-degree murder, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Mac Setter said.

Police said the motivation behind the slayings was the highly publicized case in Idaho in which children were allegedly abducted and their family killed by convicted sex offender Joseph Edward Duncan III.

The men Mullen allegedly killed, two Level 3 sex offenders, were found dead in their home on Northwest Avenue in Bellingham. Victor Vazquez, 68, and Hank Eisses, 49, were each killed with a single gunshot to the head.

According to Bellingham police Lt. Craige Ambrose, none of the usual motives — such as money or drugs — presented themselves during the outset of the investigation. That both men were registered sex offenders fueled speculation the killer was a vigilante and might kill again. Letters sent to a Bellingham newspaper and a television station last week, purportedly from the killer, threatened other sex offenders.

On Monday, Mullen called police and turned himself in.

...

On July 13, Mullen examined the list of sex offenders on the Whatcom County sheriff's Web site, Ambrose said. From that list, he chose at least one of the two victims.

Ok, so some nutbar hear's of an instance of a convicted sex offender committing murder in another state and decides it's time to do away with some other random sex offender. So he goes onto the government sponsored website, gets the information he needs, enlists a friend to help, and then premediatedly murders them. Nevermind that the offenders had been convicted, served their time and were living quiet lives.

Swell.