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When DinoCon is doing more than the US Gov (files.catbox.moe)

submitted 5 days ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/scientist-jack-horner-linked-to-jeffrey-epstein-in-newly-released-doj-files

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[-] midribbon_action 50 points 5 days ago

In case you missed it, these are people who knew Epstein was an unrepentant child molester. Epstein was proven guilty in court, made no statements of remorse, and these scientists continued to validate and support his behavior for years after, up until his death. If he had accepted responsibility for his crimes, I would feel differently about people who decide to associate with him while he spent the rest of his life in prison. But I doubt these scientists would have. The reason they liked Jeffrey was because he got away with everything. They admired his ability to rape on an industrial scale without consequences.

Nobody should ever be guilty by association. However, nobody is entitled to be a respected dino scientist. That is something you earn, and I see no reason not to include their feelings about child rape when discussing whether most attendees would feel comfortable with them at a conference.

[-] TractorDuffy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Haven't you heard it's possible that he was killed by the administration because he had accepted responsibility for his crimes? If it's true that he was going to cooperate with authorities to reduce his sentence it would explain why those in power would want him gone.

His actions were unconscionable but unless you knew him personally or were involved with the investigation into his case you can't tell us he "wasn't accepting responsibility" unless you're just making stuff up.

[-] fossilesque@mander.xyz 13 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

According to the Montana Standard, after his name surfaced in the released files, Horner posted, and later deleted, a social media statement calling his decision to pursue Epstein’s support an extremely poor judgment. He said that while he knew Epstein had been convicted of soliciting prostitution, he was unaware of Epstein’s broader sex trafficking operation until years later.

Horner wrote that his visit involved only Epstein, staff, and several women introduced as college students. [...]

I can see where the judgement lapse happened, but that's a pretty big lapse. I'm pretty ok removing these folk until the dust settles from events like this.