Rapist "Lingering" by Queens School Has Parents Alarmed

St. Raphael School

Ten years ago Demetrius Edwards pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old Brooklyn girl at gunpoint. According to the justice system, his debt to society has been repaid, so he was recently released from prison and moved into his parents' apartment, about 100 feet from the St. Raphael Elementary School on 37th Street in Queens. It's no surprise parents are panicking, but although Edwards is a sex offender with a record and a "Level Three" status—which means he's at "high risk to commit another sex crime"—nothing in the law prohibits him from living by the school.

Edwards's father William insists his son moved out last week, but neighbors and parents say he still "lingers" around the building during school hours with his parents' dog. One parent with children enrolled at St. Raphael tells the Daily News, "I see him outside all day. He's always in front of the apartment, always walking the dog." Today, parents and local politicians will be holding a press conference to highlight the issue of sex offenders living near schools.

But William Edwards calls the parental outrage "shameless" and says, "People should just leave it alone. He's registered. He's following the law. It was something that he did when he was a teenager. He did his time." Edwards also tell the News, "I bet you have Level Three terrorists and people who shouldn't be living in the country."

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By John Del Signore in News on October 26, 2009 10:36 AM

Comments [rss]

Outter Burrougher

whether scum or not, he served his time and is following the rules that this particular society has deemed appropriate. case closed (or calm the fuck down and advocate to change the laws).

S.K.

Would you prefer that this creep wander the streets homeless?

At least we know where he lives, so we can keep an eye on his activities.

militza

I just prefer him off the planet.

ladyjane

that's what im talking about.

Clarice City

http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/cgi/internet/nsor/fortecgi?serviceName=WebNSOR&templateName=detail.htm&requestingHandler=WebNSORDetailHandler&ID=801607040

emilydickinson

If you drop the moral outrage that comes with a sex crime, the legal issues are very clear. He went to prison, and served his time, so technically he should be free to pursue any life he chooses.

whitecastlerock

yeah moral outrage-yeah what's wrong with me? He just raped a kid, that's all. It's like robbing a bank. He made a mistake.

hotstepper

just NIMBY right?

femiredwood

Oh wait--- he wasn't 10 years old---I clearly can not read.

poetofsorts

Haha that makes two of us...WOOPS

femiredwood

This was supposed to go to another comment that is not posted because apparently it's waiting the blog owners approval. So just ignore it.

femiredwood

Am I the only person that is appalled and in shock that he committed the rape when he was 10! At 10, I was begging my dad to buy me candy and a real Barbie----not the generic ones they sell in the dollar store.

And he did it at gunpoint! I don't understand people.

ladyjane

sex offenders...scary, sad, disturbing. all are true. most cities/states have laws that prohibit them from living within 1,000-2,000 feet of schools, child daycare centers and playgrounds (nyc is an exception). studies show, however, that rates of recidivism among sex offenders are relatively low and are not associated with proximity to any of the previously listed facilities. and when they do re-offend, the majority of the time they are not with sex related crimes.

in some cities (atlanta, for example) sex offender housing restricitions are such that these people are sent from prison to live in tent cities on the outskirts of a metropolitan area by their PAROLE officers because there is no alternative. sure, you may think that's better because they are out of the way, but they are also without supervision and social supports that are probably most helpful in keeping them from re-offending...all in all, tricky. i understand that parents wouldn't want this creep hanging around the school where their children attend, but there is still compelling evidence that kicking him out of the area might not be the way to go.

hotstepper

given the gravity of this crime i contend that 43% recidivism is not low at all. and your "re-offend" statement is just plain untrue.

"Sex offenders were less likely than non-sex offenders to be rearrested for any offense –– 43 percent of sex offenders versus 68 percent of non-sex offenders."

"Sex offenders were about four times more likely than non-sex offenders to be arrested for another sex crime after their discharge from prison –– 5.3 percent of sex offenders versus 1.3 percent of non-sex offenders."

--http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/c...

ladyjane

43% arrested for one NEW crime (not sex-related). "returns to prison were generally not, however, because of new sex crimes. In fact, only 5.1% of the released sex offenders were rearrested for another sex offense during that period of time (three years post release), and only 3.5% were reconvicted of another sex crime. The clear majority of sex offenders (71%) were returned to prison for technicaly violations of release conditions"

from managing the challenges of sex offender re-entry on the center for sex offender management website.

Politburo

You do realize how misleading those statistics are, right?

94.7% percent of sex offenders did not commit another sex crime, based on the statements you pasted.

OP's statement seems justified.

whitecastlerock

sorry no matter how you spin it raping a kid is unforgivable... drop this vermin off at the polar ice cap.

Kojak

Unless a sultry hot female english teacher sleeps with a 15 year old boy.

That's not a sexual offense. That's called awesome.

yourmother

Yeah, like Roman Polanski. He raped a 13 year old too. Not with a gun, bug with drugs.

longacre

"I bet you have Level Three terrorists and people who shouldn't be living in the country."
Sorry, but kid rapers like your son actually rank below terrorists on the hierarchy of scumbags.

zodak

i don't think sex offenders can ever be rehabilitated & should never be released from prison. that being said, this man did his time & he should sue all those people for harassment.