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Read comments (24)Larry Higgins, who is also known as Larry Bonds, was indicted Monday, March 10, on seven counts of statutory rape and three counts of aggravated statutory rape.
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Investigators believe that Higgins had sexual encounters with two 14-year-old girls, two 15-year-olds and one 17-year-old girl between the first week of August and Oct. 10.
Statutory rape is defined as unlawful sexual penetration involving a 13- to 15-year-old victim when the defendant is 4-10 years old, or a 15- to 18-year old victim and a defendant who is 5-9 years older.
Aggravated statutory rape involves a 13- to 18-year-old victim and a defendant who is at least 10 years older.
The indictment against Higgins was one of 46 indictments issued on Monday.
nathaniel is not debating as he wishes us to think. He is throwing out irrevelant nonsense just to get attention. Yes he is patient when it concerns himself and his opinions. I wonder if his arm is tired...from patting himself on the back while looking down on the rest of us. Get over yourself nat!!
Maybe, i should say that your perception is irrelitive as long as the law already has provisions for consent.
nathaniel,
maybe you should enlighten us on your perception of consent. it's relative anyway.
Don't waste your time with nathaniel: You can NOT reason with an unreasonable person, nor rationalize with an unrational person. Don't confuse him with the facts, his narrow mind is set.
Ukvolzfan001 you hit the nail on the head. When the community supports its law enforcement the results are great. Sometimes people have a hard time understanding the law enforcement community. Many people believe they should see results now. Law Enforcement takes long hard hours to prepare cases. We are truly proud to have Sheriff Tippit and THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS HIM!
Also, i'm logging out on this one. my discussions with you are over.
no, your point is that if someone under the age of 18 wants to be married to another, he/she should be able to do that. many people have gotten married before they turn 18. marriage is different than adultery or fornication with another just for sexual pleasure.
Also, no,I did not and do not have the right to shoot someone just for assaulting my daughter; that is the law there in TN. According to TN law, i do not have that right. the law may provide otherwise elsewhere but not in TN. Those type of comments are what scare me. we can not do what we want to just because we want to do it. (referr back to my first posting concerning relative points of view.)
Your comment about people not living very long is true. but, laws were different then, too. so, with our society, laws usually evolve with the social setting we enjoy. If they did not, there would be a completely different composition of the courts and legal system in our culture. And, sir, i do believe i have read the consititution quiet frequently; I believe in the constitiution hole heartedly, study it and attempt to live it regardless how difficult it is to deal with in conjunction to my personal experiences. And one more point, rape is not a civil offense; it is a criminal offense. please refer to Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-506 (2007).
I know the law enforcement has so much to deal with that they are never going to get all the wierdo's out there. but, let me tell you I have a daughter who was twelve years old and was molsted in Dyersburg by a 21 year old individual and because I did not live in the town, i could not press charges against him. She was here visiting her dad when this happened. She contracted a STD which led to cancer and has completely changed my life, her sister's life and her life forever. this jerk not only knew what he was doing, he attacked me and my daughter when I found out about it and confronted him. The police will not be charging him any time soon. THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH RAPE IF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOW. THE LAW SAYS SO AND I BELIEVE IN ENFORCING THE LAW. If i had shot this perv, i would have been charged with murder because the LAW STATES I SHOULD. There are no provisions in TN law to assault someone because he has assaulted your child in a sexual manner. A child under the age of 18 has the right to engage in sexual activity under certian circumstances. Obviously, the guy in this article did not meet any of those circumstances. I did not write the law, Nathaniel, I am meerly tryig to abide by it. Mabe if the table was turned, you would understand what abiding by the law meant. Some laws are in place to obey, not question. Some laws -- right laws -- are okay to question. Such as right to freedom of speech, freedom of enterprise, etc. Criminal laws are in place because society as a whole has indicated it believes is unacceptable for certian actions to take place. I am only one memeber of society; many others have voiced opinions long before I came into existance. I had nothing to do with making this law.
this is on statutory rape case .i no some will not agree with me .when a child takes and kills someone or robs a place or comits some crime they try him as a adult but when a girl that gives there consent to have sex with some one older then they want the man to go to prison.but this child that killed or robbed knew better but he or she will go to jail but that girl that give consent will walk free and in both cases they are minors .i do not agree with a child that is 12- 14years of age.there are many out there that is haveing sex with minors they have not been turned in.the way the girls dress now a day no wonder there is so much sex going on.i do not agree with some one forcing there self on someone to have sex .so do not take me wrong
Amen 1voice. I agree 100%. Ignoranceisbliss is most likley bringing politics into his/her comments baised on they way they were written.. It dosen't matter who is running the office as long as they are doing a good job and being productive. I support our local law enforcement 110% Don't judge someone based on politics. Crime happens and law enforcement responds. Ignoranceisbliss- real life is not CSI. Not every crime can be solved within 30 minutes and commerical breaks.
OMG Ignorance is right!! I can't believe that you can blame a law enforcement agency for the stupidy and evilness of a person.
The person or people that killed that man in 2000 were evil people and i bet when it comes out it had something to do with drugs and/or money as the same with the ridgely murder last year drugs and money again. The most recent murder was just stupid but there again back to a drug dealer the girls were fighting over. So i don't think it is right to blame the cops because people are mean and stupid.
We need to get the drug dealers and crack hoes off our streets that will take care of both probelms drugs and murders!!
Good job COPS - you guys put up with the crap the rest of us don't have the balls to deal with!! Thanks
hahehahehahe anyone who thinks its okay for a man of 40 to marry a girl of 17 and get her pregnant tell me about it and why you think its okay or not okay!!! i really need to know... by the way he has a daughter of 17 he has never met because the mother said she didnt want her child to know him and his mother as the family.. i cant say that i blame her for that decision but what do you people think..???? just trying to figure out why people do what they do?? i think it should be a law that you cant be with someone in the teen age yrs. if your older than 24 it just doesnt seem right uh??? think about your daughter!!!! i am so upset about this colum right now because my ex husband married someone who is the same age as one of his kids.... i cant even tell you what my kids go through they arent but 4 yrs younger than she is ( his new wife and daughter from someone else) this man needs help and incarseration but in dyersburg he will prolly be given the medal of honor. he should be put to death. i know if my children do that i will call the law..
Ignoranceisbliss- I have to agree with you on one of your statments. We as citizens and our law enforcement community need to work together on the drug issuse. We do need to attempt to prevent the children from getting their hands on drugs. I dont' know if you live in Lake County or not but have you seen the services offered to children around here. There is NOTHNG for our children. The community offers nothing other than Western Days or a hayride now and then. WOW! I bet the kids love that. Go to Ridgely and see if there is a playground anywhere for young children. There is one but it is always locked and children are not allowed to play after school hours. The local governments would rather spend money on less important things. They always forget the children and crime prevention. Read the Banner coverage of board meetings, you'll see what I'm talking abount. There have been two murders in Ridgely since 2006 with arrest made in both. There is one unsolved murder from 2000 that took place in Tipotnville. It is sad to say but sometimes that happens but I bet the local law enforcement officals are still working the case. I have lived in Lake County since 2002 after moving back from the North. I am very pleased with the law enforcement in my community. Sheriff Tippit and his deputies are very professional and active in the community. The officers in Tiptonville and Ridgely do a good job. These departments seem to do very well with the limited resources they are provided. It is nice to see a Sheriff that is visable and active in the community. As for your comment,"Where was your wonderful law enforcement when THREE murders happened?" If you haven't noticed a police officer can not be everywhere at once. He or she can not prevent crime from happening. Many times murders or just about any crime that occurs today is drug related. By busting those high up drug pushing thugs that are providing the drugs to "THE SOURCES" and tearing apart our community makes it hard on the users to find their source. Maybe their source will be out of Lake County and off our streets. You can now drive down the streets without seeing druggies on EVERY corner. The community needs to stick together and continue fighting this battle. Sheriff, Ridgley PD, and Tiptonville PD continue the good work. WE SUPPORT YOU!
Justice Served!
I would like to pose a question to tennfan08, 1voice and anyone else, who can address my concerns.
While I commend all of the Lake County Law enforcement agencies for these drug arrest, I can not help but be concerned over the two murders that have taken place during Sheriff Tippit's administration. Two murders in less that one year in addition to an unsolved murder from his previous term. The previous administrastrion made several high profile drug arrest and during that time NO murders took place in Lake County.
In reality, arresting a few drug dealers is not going to help the drug problem Lake County is facing. The users will simply buy it from another source. We need to find a way to stop kids from ever beginning to use. In order to do that we must provide positive, fun activities while they are young and quality eduction that will enable them to go to college or get jobs. Until some growth and industy come to Lake County, nothing is going to get better. Why shouldn't kids start using drugs, there's nothing else to do?
Where was your wonderful law enforcement when THREE murders happened?
Nathaniel,
Man, drop the LSD or whatever you are hitting. Obviously, you are in a tailspin.
Mr. Higgins should rot in jail...He is a smooth talker and knew how old these girls were. He knew better and knew it was against the law but thought he was above the law and wouldnt get caught. Thank God he is off the streets and cant harm any more young girls and ruin their lives as well.
Natheniel,
You had posted two comments which indicated the activity in which Mr. Higgins engaged was okay if the children had consented. My point was that THERE IS NO CONCENT WITH MINORS. You are not understanding that point. I did not make the laws that state concent starts at age 18. I do not have to defend that point. Home schooling, western philosophy or any of the other garble you included in your post has anything to do with the fact that this man raped these minor girls. The only exception was your referrence to the constitution. The constitution allows the individual states to pass laws to govern each individual state. Our place is not to figure out why the laws were written as they were but to abide by them.
I do not think that my statement would cause the average person to believe I feel whatever actions I want to take are okay as long as I think they are. My point was that our society -- generally speaking -- has a majority of people who use that point of view. Otherwise, we would not be discussing having sex with minor children. Do you think Mr. Higgins thought what he did was wrong? A recent study of rapist indicated that 86% of the rapist interviewed did not believe what he did was wrong. THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT AGE MATTERED WHEN IT CAME TO CONCENT, EITHER.
Are you getting my point, now?
I also agree with tennfan08 and 1voice. I don't understand why the drug indictments did not recieve any attention by the press. Everytime something happens here in Dyer County or other counties releating to drugs it is all over the front page. I saw this information on the Banner website and I believe it is news worthy. It appears that Sheriff Tippit and the other local agencies are taking a proactive approach to the increasing drug problems facing their community. Good job Sheriff Tippit. You, your deputies, and the local agencies involved deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. It is nice to see people higher up in drug dealing ring to get busted. Keep up the good work. Good job men!!!!!
JUSTICE SERVED!!!!!!!
Hey tennfan08, I think you are so right about the drugs in Lake County. As long as "our" officers stay motivated and the community supports them Lake County will not be a place a drug dealer wants to set up shop!! I am just glad that Sheriff Tippit and the Deputies that work for Lake County are kicking butt and taking names, taking BIG names...Thank you very much for making the chance of my kids getting crack go down...keep up the good work and may God Bless all the officers that put their lives on the line to do this!!!! Sheriff Tippit your community appreciates your efforts!! Good Job!!
The issue here is that these victims are not adults; they are children/minors. There is no consent.
The people in our culture have a problem here. The problem is if one wants to commit an act, it then becomes okay, NATHANIEL, whether it is moral or legal is beside the point. The rest of society is compelled to accept the act as okay or tolerant soley because the actor's relaive point of view. (for example it's not wrong if I do not view it as wrong) The situation here is the STATE LAW prohibits MEN OR WOMEN from engaging in sexual activity with a MINOR for obvious reasons. If you do not understand those reasons, please do at least one of the following: either get an understanding or don't have sex until you do. Minors -- whether the child is five years of age, twelve years of age or sixteen -- are considered minors because there is a deminished mental capacity at hand. That means that these individuals are incapable of making informed decisions on his/her own best intrest. CONSENT, people, IS NOT AN ISSUE HERE. LEGALITY IS. Quiet frankly, MR. NATHANIEL, I sure intend to keep my girls away from you. Either you are uninformed, inconsiderate, otherwise motivated or all of the above.
Nathaniel - it does not matter if it consentual or not! Look at what the TN law says about the age difference between this man and his victims. These GIRLS according to the Law were raped.
I agree with you justiceserved! not only should the larry higgins' rape case be publicized the drug arrests should be too. The lake county grand jury returned approximately 28 drug cases here in lake county on last week! The only difference this time is that these cases were high profile dealers. I am a citizen of Ridgely and Lake County and I am extremely proud of the accomlishements of our local law enforcement community including the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Ridgely P.D. and Tiptonville P.D. What makes Lake Co. law enforcement different is all agencies work TOGETHER!!! Many times they are frowned upon when they do wrong, now is the time to pat them on the back when you see them. Sheriff Danny Tippit was quoted in the paper as saying "this is just the beginning, the work is still going on" sheriff I applaude you all for making a difference and taking these "Murderers" off the streets of Lake County. Two of the big dealers here in Ridgely are gone and one is already in jail, where they belong. Driving fancy cars, new homes and don't even have jobs. Previous administrations promised to take these scum bags off the streets with words only but Sheriff Tippit kept his campaign promise and DELIVERED!!! Officers keep doing your jobs people are going to complain regardless, so if they aren't part of the solution then they're part of the problem. We Salute you all and once again THANKS!!!
I believe the Lake County Grand Jury also indicted several people for drug sales. The Lake County Banner reported that 28 people were indicted for sales. A big ol' "good job" goes out to the LC jury for indicting the drug dealers and Mr. Higgins.
JUSTICE SERVED!!!!!!!!!!