The organizers of a pedophile support chatroom allegedly visited by former “Wheel of Fortune” announcer Jim Thornton has issued a statement in the wake of his firing.
“LifeLine is aware of mainstream media coverage following its alleged use by a TV celebrity on an airplane,” it said, per TMZ. “Since the news broke, we have been overwhelmed with visitors both well-intentioned and otherwise.”
Thornton was on an American Airlines flight in May, traveling from Charlotte, N.C., to Los Angeles, when another passenger apparently spotted him scrolling on the website LifeLine.chat. Earlier this month, TMZ published photos seemingly taken inside the plane, with one message visible on Thornton’s lap top referring to the eatery Golden Corral as “an all-you-can-eat Boyfett.” Another made mention of a “Couple of cute boys and a hot little girl” while others repeatedly used the initials “CP,” which appears to stand for child pornography.
Shortly after the images were published, Sony announced it had suspended Thornton and later fired him.
LifeLine organizers said they wanted to clarify its mission, explaining that it “operates as a support chat for people attracted to children and adolescents.” They also emphasized there are strict rules in place for all users, including ones against “any kind of illicit behavior, including the sharing of criminalized images.” Those who break the rules are immediately banned, they added, and all illicit content scrubbed from the page.
“Many commentators ask why a place like LifeLine even exists,” the statement said.
“It exists because most people attracted to minors are fully capable of behaving responsibly, yet extremely distressed by the stigmatization of their feelings,” it continued. “They need a place to talk, ensuring better mental health, leading to more positive outcomes for themselves and their local communities.”
LifeLine organizers emphasized the service exists “precisely because the world is so incredibly hateful and punitive that minor-attracted people have no other means of support.”
Thornton has maintained that he was on the website by mistake. His lawyer, Allison Hart, said he intended to visit the suicide prevention website, 988lifeline.org, but somehow ended up on LifeLine instead.
Thornton has “become active in suicide-prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and he has spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation,” Hart said, adding that the announcer exited the chatroom as soon as he realized his error.