Word: sams
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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That same afternoon another Jackson Township boy had far graver matters on his mind. From August to December last year, Sam Manzie, 15, had allegedly been involved in a sexual relationship with 43-year-old Stephen Simmons of Holbrook, N.Y., a convicted pederast whom Manzie had met over the Internet. Since late August, though, Manzie, with the consent of his parents, had been assisting New Jersey prosecutors in an effort to build a criminal case against Simmons for sexual abuse. Manzie kept up phone contact with Simmons so their conversations could be taped. Three weekends ago, however, the boy took...
...parents' worst fears about how much freedom they can really afford children to roam sidewalks or cyberspace. Community members and the local press were quick to ascribe larger blame for the horrid crime. Shouldn't the unregulated Internet be made accountable? Or the depressing lyrics of the rock songs Sam Manzie loved? Or the Christa McAuliffe Middle School for allowing students to solicit door to door...
What is certain about this case is that Sam Manzie was suffering a particularly tortured adolescence. He failed to complete his freshman term at an all-boys Catholic school this year, and it seems he might not have been attending school this fall. From age 12, Manzie, a bright boy, grew increasingly solitary and began spending more and more time alone with his computer. He created a home page on the Web that told of his passion for the band Smashing Pumpkins and expressed his wish for true friends...
...Manzie managed to meet Simmons continually for months without his parents' knowledge is something of a mystery, but Sam Manzie's lawyer, Michael Critchley, is quick to defend their nurturing: "They provided support, they supplied understanding. When necessary, they supplied psychiatric assistance. As much as could be done, they did." The Manzies finally learned of the relationship when they noticed phone calls to Simmons on their long-distance bills. The Manzies sent Sam to a therapist and then warned Simmons to stay away from their son. His therapist contacted authorities about the boy's abuse...
...part of the opening celebration tomorrow, Tweeter etc. will give away a number of prizes including a $2,000 speaker set. The store has also invited Sidewalk Sam, a nationally-renowned outdoor artist, to design a 20-foot-long Rock Music Mural outside the store...