Disturbing Craigslist Case Ends with Plea Bargain
On May 6, 2009, a 36-year-old California man named John Burgess pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from the death of a 19-year-old pre-med student at San Diego State University named Donna Jou. Burgess--a convicted sex offender who had served jail time for failing to register as such--faces five years.
According to the defendant's admissions in court, he had met Ms. Jou after answering an advertisement she'd put up on Craigslist.com for students to tutor. On the night of June 23, 2007, he brought Ms. Jou back to his house and injected her with a mixture of cocaine and heroine known colloquially as an "eightball." The drug cocktail sadly proved lethal. The next morning, Burgess awoke to find that Ms. Jou had died during the night. Burgess then panicked and--instead of contacting the police--took Ms. Jou's body out onto his sailboat and dumped her into the Pacific Ocean.
For over a year following her death, Burgess laid low... or at least tried to. He was actually arrested in Florida in the interim for different charges. But the law finally tracked him down and arrested him on involuntary manslaughter charges (as well as on charges of providing drugs and alcohol to a minor).
Burgess's case drew national media attention and fueled a growing debate over the obligations of services like Craigslist.com to patrol their message boards for predators, pedophiles, and scam artists. In the wake of the trial, Craigslist.com has revised its guidelines. The site now requires individuals to pay to advertise in its "adult services" section, and its curators promise to vet future postings to ensure their accuracy.
California criminal cases can be complex, both legally and emotionally. If you or a family member faces criminal charges in San Diego, you need a determined, veteran attorney in your corner. Look to Stephen Brodsky and Associates. To arrange a free consultation now, go to www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.
