14 DAY TRIAL // Sergey Merenkov, the owner of the website where New York police officer Gilberto Valle posted his cannibalism fantasies, has testified in his trial.
The Russian native has compared his site to Facebook, as it allows for people with similar outlooks on the world to chat online.
“It's very similar to Facebook,” Merenkov has said in his testimony, recorded before the trial.
The Russian creator of the portal has also mentioned that users are warned about its content when entering it, Sky News informs.
“This place is about fantasies only, so please play safe,” the introductory blurb reads.
28-year-old Valle would chat about killing and eating women on said website. The former cop would also download gruesome photos on his computer, such as snaps of women being burned and other disturbing imagery.
He is just one of 38,000 registered members, according to Merenkov's testimony. 4,500 of users log on nearly every day, and some share Valle's interests.
However, the site administrator notes that users have been barred entry once showing signs of crossing the line, and mistaking fantasy for reality.
“It seemed not to be fantasy anymore, that it could have led to something bad,” Merenkov explains.
As previously reported, the defense pushes forward with a strategy of showing that, since Valle hasn't acted on his dark thoughts, he is not at fault and cannot be found guilty of a crime.
However, experts quoted by the New York Post argue that lines are blurred when it comes to entertaining in such thoughts online.
“The distinction between being ‘online’ and ‘offline’ has disappeared; the ethics of right and wrong behavior have not. Plotting to murder your wife is wrong regardless of whether it occurs online, on the telephone, or in person,” says Christine Rosen, writing on how access to technology affects our lives.
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