-Caveat Lector- "[The journalist], whose reporting about gay and lesbian culture has appeared nationally in newspapers and magazines including the San Francisco Examiner, Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press, Men's Health, and Out, contends he [approached] the 13-year-old boy in hopes of writing an investigative story about 'troubled' youths." Gay Reporter on Trial in Sex Sting BY NOAH ISACKSON .c The Associated Press SACRAMENTO (AP) - A gay journalist says he was simply doing research for a story on homosexual teens when he showed up at a park to see a 13-year-old boy he met on the Internet. Bruce Mirken, 42, went on trial Tuesday, accused of arranging for sex with a teen-ager. He was arrested a year ago in a Sacramento park where he went to meet a gay boy he had conversed with online. Instead he was met by an undercover police officer in a sting operation that tracked Mirken's e-mail and phone conversations with ``Anthony,'' a fictitious boy used to dupe Mirken. Mirken could get up to four years in prison if convicted of attempting to commit a lewd and lascivious act on a child. Authorities started investigating Mirken after he answered an electronic message posted in a chat room by ``Anthony,'' who said he was looking for an adult friend because his last one moved away. Mirken, whose stories about gay and lesbian culture have appeared in newspapers and magazines including the San Francisco Examiner, Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press, Men's Health and Out, contends he corresponded with the boy in hopes of writing an investigative story about troubled gay youth, not to have sex. ``I can't wait to testify,'' said Mirken, who took notes in a spiral notebook throughout Tuesday's opening arguments. ``The prosecution's evidence is made up of out-of-context statements and half-truths.'' First Amendment advocates fear the case may hurt reporters' efforts to gather information. ``It's not all that uncommon for a journalist who is dealing with the fringes of society to ignore or play along with the source,'' said Terry Francke, general counsel for the California First Amendment Coalition. ``The whole point is to get the information that the journalist is looking for.'' Prosecutors told the jury that recorded conversations and e-mail records between Mirken - who used the screen name ``Luvboys343'' - and the boy were sexually charged and filled with flirtatious questions such as, ``Do you skinny-dip?'' and ``Does your mother come home during lunch?'' The defense argued that the boy introduced himself to Mirken as lonely and that the questions were not sexual in their proper context. ``What we have are innocent statements by Mr. Mirken and a series of sexual responses by the police officer,'' said his attorney, Bruce Nickerson. ``What interested Mr. Mirken were statements by the boy that sounded like he may be in trouble.'' Prosecutor Perry Sims said Mirken clearly indicated his sexual intentions by arranging to meet the boy in a park nearly 90 miles from his home and leaving his notebook and expired press pass in his car when he got there. Sims said Mirken was arrested carrying $96, the amount the undercover officer had said it would cost for them to get a hotel room. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om