Donna Jou Case: The Lessor of Two Evils Results in Slap on Wrist

In two weeks John Steven Burgess, a three time convicted sexual predator will be released from a California prison. Earlier today Reza Jou father of Donna Jou was on my show "Time's Up" (listen here) to discuss his daughter's case." She is also still missing.

Burgess confessed to the murder of Donna Jou saying he injected her, she overdosed, he freaked out, claims he rented a boat, and threw her in the Pacific ocean. His attorney struck a plea deal and John Steven Burgess was charged with involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 5 years, but will be released on April 15, 2011, after serving only 2 years.

In my opinion, there are a lot of holes and red flags in this case. Let's go back a bit to his history.

Important details and dangerous patterns of conduct as it relates to Burgess did not seem to hold much importance when he was arrested.

• In 2002, he has 3 separate battery convictions.
• In 2005, he was arrested after beating up his girlfriend.
• Burgess was also charged with trying to force a teenage girl into prostitution.

The entire case wreaks of manufactured inconsistencies as it relates to college student Donna Jou.

First, he rents a house and takes in foreign roommates to assist with expenses. Did anyone check the background of these roommates?

Burgess posted ads for roommates on Craigslist. His online ad says "we are 420-friendly" -- a number that according to authorities refers to marijuana. But does it apply to Burgess?

The State of California has two different 420 codes the first -California Penal Code 420 is a misdemeanor obstructing entry of public lands, and California Family Code 420 distinguishes a wedding ceremony.

Burgess is running ads in Craig's List or a code maybe, that he labels 420 for foreign students. Could he instead have been capable of running a prostitution ring with the aid of these foreign students with a connection somehow to their homeland? Is he part of a human trafficking ring? Was it a disguise? Burgess is smart enough when he is suspected in the Donna Jou case to send an email to investigators. Burgess admits in the email that it was an accident, confessing she overdosed? The lessor of two evils when one is facing the possibility of a life sentence for a person's abduction and possible murder. W,hy Burgess does not do the required registration because he is a registered sex offender, but he sends authorities an email confessing to the death of Donna Jou?

Is John Steven Burgess part of something involving criminal activity on a grander scale? Another fact is Burgess has no money to hire an attorney. How does he suddenly have one of the foremost high profile criminal attorney's defending him in this case? Why didn't the the 3 strikes and you are out sentence apply to Burgess?

If John Steven Burgess went undetected before, he can easily do it again. Please return, Tuesday, April 5, 2011, for continuing coverage on the case of missing college student Donna Jou and the impending release of John Steven Burgess.

$15,000 Reward for any information in finding Donna Jou.

If you have any information regarding Donna please

contact your local police department or call:
Los Angeles Police Department at 213-486-6900

And visit the Cue Center for Missing Persons HERE for more information about the case

Susan Murphy Milano is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education. She is an expert on intimate partner violence and homicide crimes. For more information visithttp://www.saferelationshipsmagazine.com/ She is also in partnership with Pamela Chapman and iAscend Programs. http://pamelachapmanl.biz

Susan is the author of "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships," available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" on Here Women Talk http://www.herewomentalk.com/ and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated The Roth Show with Dr Laurie Roth. Susan is a survivor- the daughter of a police officer family intimate partner homicide by her father who murdered her mother before committing suicide

"The Keeper of the Secrets"

As a boy, Chip St. Clair never knew what would set his father off--maybe the ice cubes had melted in his glass of Tab, maybe dinner was overcooked or undercooked or the gravy was too runny. Regardless, the beatings always came. As did the twisted games of cat and mouse--being thrown from a rowboat into frigid Lake Michigan, the middle-of-the-night moves to different states, or being left to dangle over a ten-story balcony while his father watched from inside.

But one fateful night when the police answered the call, the truth came to light from the shadows, sparking national headlines: Chip St. Clair's entire life--his name, even his date of birth--had been a lie, and the man he called 'Dad' was an impostor, an escaped child killer who had been on the run for over two decades. The stunning revelation would send one of America's Most Wanted to justice and another on a quest for his true identity.

With chilling detail and a riveting, lyrical narrative, The Butterfly Garden reveals St. Clair's struggle to piece together his haunted past before it consumes him and shares his inspiring metamorphosis from victim to victim's advocate. The Butterfly Garden is a timeless triumph, a reminder that hope can be the most powerful of all emotions, freeing us to soar despite the past and the odds against us.

Chip St. Clair is the author of the bestselling memoir The Butterfly Garden (HCI, 2008) – a haunting account of surviving the darkest of family secrets — a childhood unknowingly spent on the run with one of America’s most wanted killers — of his metamorphosis from unthinkable horror to a future of self-discovery, hope, and peace using the power of literature and love to battle the demons of the past. And ultimately of his commitment to protect children, empower survivors, and put predators behind bars.

Chip St. Clair will be among the guests on the Susan Murphy Milano radio show, Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. Show Link: www.blogtalkradio.com/susanmurphymilano

Been there, done that…” Susan Murphy- Milano has turned a tired phrase into demonstrable realism through the gift of her newly published book, "TIME'S UP: A GUIDE ON HOW TO LEAVE AND SURVIVE ABUSIVE AND STALKING RELATIONSHIPS

Human Trafficking: Is An Epidemic in the United States

Young girls abducted or lured away from home and into sex slaves is no longer just an overseas problem but a concern in cities across America. It is called human trafficking and it is an epidemic.

It become so alarming that local leaders in San Antonio, Texas are looking at ways to tackle the problem. It did not take long for human rights investigators, posing as buyers, to show just how easy it is to buy sex with a child. "Now if you want something really young, that will cost you $200," said a man, who was captured on hidden camera by investigators with Shared Hope International, a nonprofit group working to rescue and rehabilitate young girls and boys who of are victims of human trafficking. The video tape showed the investigator wheeling and dealing for a young girl and finding out if he could purchase a girl for as young as 14 years old. "We have information on girls as young as 10 or 11," said Chris Burchell, who has helped to create a new statewide nonprofit organization called the Texas Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Child Sexual Exploitation Coalition. Shared Hope International visited three Texas cities, including San Antonio, and discovered many prostitutes were forced into sexual acts at an early age and were being treated as criminals rather than victims of human trafficking. According to Burchell, many of the girls were runaways or tricked into performing sex. One recent case involved a local 13-year-old girl. "The teenage girl went into a known crack dealer's home with a friend when one of the crack dealers locked her in the bathroom and told her friends she had left. Once the friend left, the 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and sold to everybody else buying crack that weekend," Burchell said. Innocent girls and boys are tricked or forced into becoming sex slaves and it's happening almost everyday and Burchell said parents need to know this so they can teach their children what to watch out for. Burchell said new human trafficking laws are helping authorities crack down on domestic human trafficking but more work is needed. "These are our own locally raised born here kids that are being subjected to forced prostitution," said Burchell. Helping a great deal is the Bexar County Sheriff's Human Trafficking unit. They typically go out during the day or night to visit area prostitutes, not to make an arrest, but to find out ways to help minors who are working the streets into a better life. The HT unit works closely with other agencies including Catholic Charities offering services to young victims who were forced into sex slavery and don't know how to get out of it.

The County's Human Trafficking Unit is the only one of its kind in the San Antonio area and according to Burchell, with the help of other agencies, they have been able to be one of the first in Texas to indict someone under the new Human Trafficking law. Burchell is working to create a network of agencies across the state to provide services such as medical treatment and rehabilitation so that children who's lives were interrupted can get back on track. "Hopefully those victims can be kids again," said Burchell. "Just imagine a child, 12, 13 years old, being forced to provide sex services 30 to 50 times a day," said Burchell. With the help of Shared Hope International, Burchell hopes the state is well on its way to tackling the problem of child prostitution and hopes parents as well as children are aware that human trafficking is happening in our backyard and we must all fight to protect our most innocent and vulnerable.

Laws against trafficking in the United States exist at the federal and state levels. Over half of the states now criminalize human trafficking though the penalties are not as tough as the federal laws. Related federal and state efforts focus on regulating the tourism industry to prevent the facilitation of sex tourism and regulate international marriage brokers to ensure criminal background checks and information on how to get help are given to the potential bride.

Human & Sex Trafficking Affect Over 4 Million Children & Young Women Each Year.
Project Meridian's mission is to rescue and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking; sex & organ trafficking; and to help end trafficking through a campaign of public awareness and the prosecution of those who prey on the vulnerable. "Evil Flourishes When Good Men Do Nothing"

To learn more visit Project Meridian's Web site: http://www.projectmeridianfoundation.org/

Human Trafficking / United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Click here Human Trafficking and Operation Predator is a comprehensive initiative designed to protect young people from child pornographers, alien smugglers, human traffickers, and other predatory criminals.

For more information regarding Human Trafficking: Texas Anti-Trafficking In Persons And Child Sexual Exploitation Coalition CHRIS.BURCHELL@TEXAS-ATIP.ORG

National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline 1-888-373-7888