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Climber Charles Barrett Arrested for Yosemite Sexual Assaults

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276
This post violated Guideline #1 and has been removed.
Christian Hesch · · Arroyo Grande, CA · Joined Aug 2017 · Points: 55

Looks like it's time to unsubscribe from this poo show. Thanks to all that derailed it (I'm guilty in other threads of drift, but would avoid it on subject matter like this). 

Anyways, it was an enlightening thread for a while, good food for thought, and quite a few perspectives I hadn't thought of before, so thanks to those who contributed to the original healthy discussion. 

M M · · Maine · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 2

I'm sorry, I interpreted Locker's response as "dont be a dumbass" both for men and women. Maybe not worded perfectly but damn, lighten up people.

And Hank, the sexual objectification of women involves them being viewed primarily as an object of male sexual desire, rather than as a whole person.  Now, unless you have deleted your past comments, you have made much worse comments yourself and that is my only point. I'm no Jesus freak but the whole " He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone" applies here.

Andrew Rice · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 11

It'd be great if you all could take your theorizing about the "devaluation" of the meaning of sexual assault and mansplaining about what women should and shouldn't do to keep from getting raped to its own thread. This is a topic about a very specific Federal criminal trial about a specific alleged sexual assault of a real person by a very specific individual. It's not an abstraction. There's a lot at stake for everyone involved. 

I think it's important to keep this place for discussion of developments in that case. And, heading off the inevitable, yeah, I know I participated in some of the derail in the early stages of this discussion. 

Thanks! 

Andrew Rice · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 11

Outside Magazine published a sweeping and seemingly comprehensive feature about the Charlie Barrett arrest, upcoming trial, and his long and convoluted history with law enforcement and the legal system. Titled: How Did this Climber Get Away With So Much for So Long?

J E · · Sacramento, CA · Joined Dec 2023 · Points: 0
Russ Walling wrote:

uh oh... jury pool is getting tainted...

God damn, you're such a piece of shit. 

Nunya Bizness · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2024 · Points: 0

I love the outdoors.  4 hour hikes with altitude are a stroll.  Truck camping is my fave.  I, however, spend my life outside of the outdoors community.  The threat of rape was always a discouragement.  But the knowledge that a rapist's clueless buddies would just enable him and attack me, because "he's such a good guy".  Yeah. TO YOU.  IDIOT.  TO YOU HE'S A GOOD GUY.  Because he needs your cover for his crimes.  You are useful.  Meanwhile, his victims are getting PFAs, guns and LEAVING THE CLIMBING ALTOGETHER.  You seriously can't figure it out?  Please.  I have watched you cut each other off over meta and bolts, but rape questions?  You need a court sentence to make an opinion?  Oh please, you are all full of opinios any other time.  Why did I never take up climbing, or thru climbing or rafting or ANYTHING I'D HAVE LOVED TO DO?  Not just because of the creepy rapist.  They are everywhere.  Because of the ASSHOLES like you that keep him going with all your believing him, but not believing her.  You ate the readin these women abandoned climbing.  Not injury.  Not falls.  You guys in your 40s to 60s?  You are the reason I never went climbing.  F U.  It was decades ago.  Now it's too late.  I would have liked to have been out there.  But all you guys were.  Unsafe.

J E · · Sacramento, CA · Joined Dec 2023 · Points: 0

I can't believe the climbers like Kevin Jorgenson who couldn't muster up the moral courage to apologize for supporting this serial rapist. 

All the popular climbers being silent in the article let you know how fucked the situation really is. 

Props to Lonnie Kauk for having some courage. 

petzl logic · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 730

That article was an incredibly detailed and harrowing journey. This guy sure had a lot of chances to ruin lives and it seems like pure luck that he didn't end any.

I'm stunned at the inability of the justice system to live up to its name.

Tradiban · · 951-527-7959 · Joined Jul 2020 · Points: 212
Nunya Biznesswrote:

I love the outdoors.  4 hour hikes with altitude are a stroll.  Truck camping is my fave.  I, however, spend my life outside of the outdoors community.  The threat of rape was always a discouragement.  But the knowledge that a rapist's clueless buddies would just enable him and attack me, because "he's such a good guy".  Yeah. TO YOU.  IDIOT.  TO YOU HE'S A GOOD GUY.  Because he needs your cover for his crimes.  You are useful.  Meanwhile, his victims are getting PFAs, guns and LEAVING THE CLIMBING ALTOGETHER.  You seriously can't figure it out?  Please.  I have watched you cut each other off over meta and bolts, but rape questions?  You need a court sentence to make an opinion?  Oh please, you are all full of opinios any other time.  Why did I never take up climbing, or thru climbing or rafting or ANYTHING I'D HAVE LOVED TO DO?  Not just because of the creepy rapist.  They are everywhere.  Because of the ASSHOLES like you that keep him going with all your believing him, but not believing her.  You ate the readin these women abandoned climbing.  Not injury.  Not falls.  You guys in your 40s to 60s?  You are the reason I never went climbing.  F U.  It was decades ago.  Now it's too late.  I would have liked to have been out there.  But all you guys were.  Unsafe.

Thank you for your candor. Charlie’s case certainly highlights the weaknesses within our “community” and the legal system. Hopefully he receives a fair trail as any human deserves but with the mounting evidence and testimony I think you can rest assured he will be “taken care of”, so to speak, and you will be free to return to the sport you adore.

Bill Lawry · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 1,821

She said it. Time does not stand still for anyone. A year, a decade, two decades discouraged by fear of rape is too long.

M M · · Maine · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 2

I've been climbing a long time and gotta say I've never knowingly been around climbers with any kind of "bro code",  certainly there are lots of bros in the sport but what I read in that article definitely is disturbing and seems unreal though I now believe it. Anyone who knowingly helped the guy rape, abuse and trash multiple women deserves punishment too.  It kinda shows what sad lives people have when they consider their hobbies more important than fellow human beings. That one judge  Magit is a real POS, guaranteed he sends all the colored criminals to jail and sets the white ones free...

ErikaNW · · Golden, CO · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 410

Andrew - thank you for continuing to share and update on this. That article was an exceptional piece of reporting. It is unbelievable (or at least should be) that this went on for so many years. I hope to see justice for these women - and really hope they can regain their lives and a sense of safety. I’m sickened after reading this. 

Bruno Schull · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 0

Reading that article, like so many, I was shocked and sickened.  

I know that I should not find it surprsing that, time and time again, he was given probation, released, warned, and so on, with no consequences, but I think that's probably just the regular state of affairs for an overburdended, underfunded, crowded, punitive, justice system. 

The women, the victims--God, they are fucking brave.   How they kept going with everything is amazing.  Women are fucking tough. 

Here's an idea: if the victims want, they can get together, plan an expedition, a week climbing, a month climbing, a year climbing, whatever they need, and we can fund it, all of us, the community.   

They can get out into the outdoors, they can send routes, and they can send a big collective fuck you to CB.

That's a cause I would donate to.  

As to the enablers, yes, many probably have something to answer for, but many others were probably conned as well--I think people like EB are very charismatic and convincing.  I'm sure many are feeling guilty.  People like KJ should come out and fucking speak.  They have the platform--they should use it. 

And the few supportive voices with reason and a backbone, like Lonnie Kauk and Jon Krakauer, deserve mention.  Respect.  

4433407 k · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2021 · Points: 5
M Mwrote:

That one judge Magit is a real POS, guaranteed he sends all the colored criminals to jail and sets the white ones free...

Your point is valid, but your delivery may be more effective if you bring your vocabulary out of the Jim Crow era

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2020/03/04/column-why-is-people-of-color-ok-but-not-colored-people-a-reading-list-for-white-folks/

Alex Styp · · Eldorado Springs · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 75
Russ Walling wrote:

uh oh... jury pool is getting tainted...

Really dude? This might be a lighthearted comment but you should probably read the article before you either make jokes about this or defend the guy. The epic saga of horrible behavior in that article, with many, many witnesses identified on the record by name, is pretty indicative of the true nature of the man. As that old Givens saying goes," You run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. You run into assholes all day, you're the asshole."  He's the common denominator amongst (9?) allegations of rape/sexual violence. On court record for issuing death threats against the twin 9 year old daughters of a ranger he had beef with.

There are tens of people coming out and publicly accusing this guy of physical, verbal abuse, stalking, death threats, witness intimidation, etc. I personally know some of them. This is valid, and I for one am happy that the word is finally out in our community for when this guy inevitably gets released on another plea deal and forces several women to give up sport, move to other places, install security systems, etc. 

If you really think that article is inappropriate or unnecessary, I'ma look at my Fish bags differently from now on. That article is a way of bringing awareness and safety into our community in a space that the justice and legal system has thus far failed. 

Big Red · · Seattle · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 1,201

It's absolutely shocking, though somehow not surprising, how often this scum was free to go after mountains of evidence that he is a danger to his victims and witnesses. Our legal system swallows up every other criminal but hates to hold on to a white man who rapes and assaults women.

Russ Walling · · Flaky Foont, WI. Redacted… · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 1,216
Alex Stypwrote:

Really dude? This might be a lighthearted comment but you should probably read the article before you either make jokes about this or defend the guy. The epic saga of horrible behavior in that article, with many, many witnesses identified on the record by name, is pretty indicative of the true nature of the man. As that old Givens saying goes," You run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. You run into assholes all day, you're the asshole."  He's the common denominator amongst (9?) allegations of rape/sexual violence. On court record for issuing death threats against the twin 9 year old daughters of a ranger he had beef with.

There are tens of people coming out and publicly accusing this guy of physical, verbal abuse, stalking, death threats, witness intimidation, etc. I personally know some of them. This is valid, and I for one am happy that the word is finally out in our community for when this guy inevitably gets released on another plea deal and forces several women to give up sport, move to other places, install security systems, etc. 

If you really think that article is inappropriate or unnecessary, I'ma look at my Fish bags differently from now on. That article is a way of bringing awareness and safety into our community in a space that the justice and legal system has thus far failed. 

I think you missed the point.  I did read the article.  Let me clarify my position for you:  The article (and his life of crime as it is) bringing all this stuff to light puts him in the position of a pariah, and from the article and his actions, it is well deserved.  There is no way after reading the article anyone could support this guy, and I certainly don't, in any way.  The article made him look really bad, probably not as bad as he really is, and the actual point is nobody could be objective toward him after reading the article.  So, yeah, the pool is tainted, he is a flying piece of shit, and decades ago someone should have ended his misery.

Edit to add:  The "justice" system is once again an absolute fucking failure, many times over with this guy.  If it had done its job, even poorly, there would be less and less of these crimes.

Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 669
Russ Wallingwrote:

I think you missed the point.  I did read the article.  Let me clarify my position for you:  

Another strategy is to just apologize for a stupid comment and we can all move on instead of yet another side quest. This thread is already difficult to manage signal vs noise. The topic is pretty serious. 

Edit: aaaaand sidequest ensues. I won't engage with Russ anymore - and I'm sorry for my part in making things - it seems - worse. 

Justice for Barrett's victims.

J E · · Sacramento, CA · Joined Dec 2023 · Points: 0
Russ Wallingwrote:

I think you missed the point.  I did read the article.  Let me clarify my position for you:  The article (and his life of crime as it is) bringing all this stuff to light puts him in the position of a pariah, and from the article and his actions, it is well deserved.  There is no way after reading the article anyone could support this guy, and I certainly don't, in any way.  The article made him look really bad, probably not as bad as he really is, and the actual point is nobody could be objective toward him after reading the article.  So, yeah, the pool is tainted, he is a flying piece of shit, and decades ago someone should have ended his misery.

Edit to add:  The "justice" system is once again an absolute fucking failure, many times over with this guy.  If it had done its job, even poorly, there would be less and less of these crimes.

Appreciate the clarification, my bad for assuming that you're comment meant you had sympathy for the piece of shit in question. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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