An unfortunate incident has taken place in the case involving the newspaper publisher accused of promoting prostitution on the online classified ads site, Backpage. Local reports indicate that James Larkin, the publisher, has died by suicide. The Superior Police Department in Arizona confirmed that Larkin died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The police have ruled out foul play in his death. Larkin leaves behind his wife, Molly, and six children.
Larkin was set to stand trial alongside co-founder Michael Lacey and four other Backpage employees on charges of facilitating prostitution and money laundering. However, a mistrial was declared in September 2021 by a federal judge who ruled that the prosecutors had wrongfully invoked sex trafficking, despite none of the defendants being charged with that particular crime. Instead, Larkin, Lacey, and the others were accused of knowingly selling ads for sex on the site.
It is important to note that although the site hosted many ads featuring minors who were victims of sex trafficking, no one in the federal case in Arizona was charged with sex trafficking or child sex trafficking.
Larkin’s attorney, Timothy Eckstein, has informed the court about his client’s death and has filed a motion to dismiss the charges against Larkin. Meanwhile, the retrial of the other defendants is expected to proceed as planned.
The family of James Larkin expressed their devastation over his loss and described him as an incredible husband, father, grandfather, colleague, and friend. They emphasized that Larkin’s life and legacy represent the spirit of the Sonoran Desert.
Larkin’s family stated that he fearlessly followed his own path in life and fought for causes that were often overlooked by society. He stood against police brutality, advocated for immigrant rights, and, above all, defended free speech. The statement commended his unwavering commitment to journalistic principles and his dedication to uncovering corruption in society.
Lacey and Larkin, who co-founded the Phoenix New Times and owned other weekly newspapers, including The Village Voice, had sold their publications in 2013 but retained ownership of Backpage. Authorities claim that Backpage generated approximately $500 million in revenue from prostitution-related activities before its shutdown in April 2018.
Lacey and Larkin maintained that the site did not allow ads for sex and made efforts to remove such content using both human moderators and automated tools. They argued that the site’s content was protected by the First Amendment and asserted that Backpage aided law enforcement in investigating sex trafficking cases.
Six former Backpage operators, including Lacey, Larkin, and two others, have pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating prostitution. Additionally, Lacey, Larkin, and two others have pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges. Prosecutors allege that the operators ignored warnings to cease running prostitution advertisements, some of which involved children. They are also accused of providing free ads to prostitutes and collaborating with individuals in the sex trade to post ads. Backpage employees allegedly identified prostitutes through Google searches and offered them free ads. Prosecutors claim that the site also had a business arrangement with another site that allowed customers to post reviews of their experiences with prostitutes. The moderation efforts by Backpage were allegedly intended to conceal the true nature of the ads.
It is a tragic end to a complex and contentious case, marking the loss of James Larkin and leaving ongoing legal proceedings for the remaining defendants in the trial.
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