80-year-old arrested in prostitution ring (Social Security not enough)

[JohnLocke]

Cops bust granny for pimping
Associated Press
Monday, June 6, 2005
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Police in New Jersey made a surprising discovery when they busted the alleged madam of a prostitution ring called "August Playmates": the woman running the show was 80 years old.
Authorities arrested Vera Tursi last month during a sting operation to crack down on prostitution rings posing as legal escort services.
Police said Tursi had run the business from her two-bedroomed flat, taking $60 of every $160 she charged clients for one hour with a call girl.
Tursi has admitted her role in the business, saying she had taken it over from her daughter, who had died a few years ago, and that she had needed money to subsidize her Social Security checks.
Although police arrested Tursi when they came to her flat on May 2, they decided not to bring her to the police barracks because of her poor health.
Tursi has been charged with one count of promoting prostitution. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison.
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Read the rest here

[benburch]

1. Why do we use the force of the state to hassle hookers?

That is one of the major abuses of power.

[rkc3]

3. Because we can't tax their proceeds.

No one should make money if the state or government can't get a piece of the pie (no pun intended).

[benburch]

5. We could if we decriminalized it.

Then they would be like a barber or any other personal service provider.

[rkc3]

7. But prostitution is not a good family value.

[benburch]

9. My many hooker friends...

who are raising families clearly don't count to Republicans.

[indepat]

6. Why was Ashcroft seemingly more interested in hookers in New Orleans

that in following leads on possible terrorists? I don't know, maybe Repukes of his ilk get their jollies this way.

[amazona]

8. this woman is a pimp and I'm uncomfortable with that

I don't think we need to let pimps necessarily have free reign. She's taking $60 from each customer for -- what exactly? We're getting away from a private transaction between consenting adults and into a middle-man type situation.

[benburch]

10. Yes, but her job exists mostly because of the illegality.

When it is deciminalized, the "house cut" goes WAY down. In the legal NV brothels which are Legalized rather than Decriminalized they house cut is still too high because the brothel has the monopoly on legal work.

[China_cat]

11. The 'house cut' of an ordinary pimp

would be for the girl to get $60. This woman was treating her girls very fairly.

[Warpy]

12. She was providing the location

one which was better shielded from cop raids than the local No-Tell Motel or her employees' homes (where their kids probably were).

Madams generally provide facilities and some level of protection from violent clients. Pimps just send women out on the street as cash cows and don't do much for them beyond bail. Some of them don't even do that much. There's a difference between a madam and a pimp.

Prostitution is dirty and dangerous work and probably necessary work. It's stupid to criminalize it, but that's mens' law for you.

[sasquatch]

2. Well it's the Bush economy, and all you others can fuck off

:(

[MichiDem]

4. And how exactly are we going to do that?

If they keep hasselling the hookers. :D

[JohnLocke]

13. Kick (nt).