New Blogs Part 12
If you think the Sex Offender Registry is not unconstitutional; than please leave this webpage, now; by official decree, of the author of this webpage.
If you believe it is ok to deny registered sex offenders human rights or U.S. Constitutional rights. If you do not believe registered sex offenders are denied their human and constitutional rights or if you are against free speech.
Please leave this web page now. Thank you.
By remaining on this web page you here by acknowledge that you support human rights and United States constitutional rights for registered sex offenders and that you support freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech is understood to be fundamental in a democracy. The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights.
The author of SO FAQ does not affiliate with any other organization or people on the internet or the world for that matter. I have been saying this since I first logged on to the internet. Just because I like organizations like the ACLU; does not mean I believe in everything they believe in or stand for. Just like in our great country when we vote; we will never believe in everything the candidate we vote for; believes in or stands for. That doe not mean we are should not vote.
If you believe it is ok to deny registered sex offenders human rights or U.S. Constitutional rights. If you do not believe registered sex offenders are denied their human and constitutional rights or if you are against free speech.
Please leave this web page now. Thank you.
By remaining on this web page you here by acknowledge that you support human rights and United States constitutional rights for registered sex offenders and that you support freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech is understood to be fundamental in a democracy. The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights.
This blog is not for people to be critical of what is posted here and if the reader is critical of anything here than that means they did not read the disclaimer on the top of each of the pages here and are not welcome here and should stop reading and leave this blog upon my request and in the name of freedom of speech, and my rights as a American citizen.
No sexual abuse is ever acceptable. Sex offense laws and policies should be based on sound research and common sense, not fear, panic or paranoia. Current laws and policies that paint all sex offenders with one broad brush are counter- productive, wasteful, and cause needless harm. Each offense must be judged on its own merits with a punishment that fits the crime and does not waste taxpayer dollars. The public sex offender registry and residency restriction laws do not protect children but instead ostracize and dehumanize individuals and their families. Money spent on purely punitive measures would be better used for prevention, healing, and rehabilitation.
The author of SO FAQ does not affiliate with any other organization or people on the internet or the world for that matter. I have been saying this since I first logged on to the internet. Just because I like organizations like the ACLU; does not mean I believe in everything they believe in or stand for. Just like in our great country when we vote; we will never believe in everything the candidate we vote for; believes in or stands for. That doe not mean we are should not vote.
Hey, this blog looks real nice on a cell phone; as I have recently discovered.
Please ignore the official counter on this blog. Shortly after I put this counter on every page of my blog it became impossible to update with it in the html of this blog. I had to take it off all my blog pages. I just realized today it is still on my untouched SOFAQ homepage still and I believe it is true, counting not only computer hits but phone hits as well. I am pasting a copy of it here:
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| That's right; the home page of this blog registers 215,050 hits. check the bottom of this page to see for yourself: https://sexoffenderfaq.blogspot.com/ |
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 06 2018
First thing I want to say the only reason I mention the Bible on this blog is because I am concerned with the fact that America is not mentioned in the Bible after the tribulation. I believe the tribulation can be very soon to come to pass according to the Bible. That means that very soon America could not exist. This is why I have started to post about China and Russia and all their new weapons that are obviously designed to take us out. That is the only reason I have begun to quote the Bible on my New Blogs pages.
Satanist are in the news again. Today's Christian has nothing to be concerned about the Satanist of today. After the tribulation; that will be a completely different story. Satanism is not a bad religion. Like all religions it is peaceful and meant to be good to it's followers. The one thing that fascinates me about Satanism; is the fact that Anton Lavey took the time to carefully explain the importance to his believers, to never force themselves on anyone sexually. In the 1960's there was a very strong creed having to be against sex offences in the Church of Satan. Think about that and come up with your own conclusions.
Here is the link:
The Satanist's are basically protesting Separation From Church and State. I am and will forever support our founding fathers and Separation From Church and State. I believe any depiction or Christ even the Nativity is blasphemy according to the Bible. I also think it is against the Bible to display the cross as a Christian symbol. Displaying the cross is like displaying the electric chair. Non of these thing do not offend me though. I am not offended by people and things that are around us everyday; that is just plane reality.
From: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/419883-us-destroyer-sails-near-russia-claimed-waters-in-sea-of-japan
"On Dec. 5 (local time), guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) conducted a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) in the Sea of Japan,” Pacific Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Rachel McMarr said in a statement.
“McCampbell sailed in the vicinity of Peter the Great Bay to challenge Russia's excessive maritime claims and uphold the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea enjoyed by the United States and other Nations.”
I read somewhere you can barely see these missiles move. I also read we have many of them ourselves. I have also read we have nothing to fear from foreign country's weapons. It still is good to be on our toes. This is all up to date and worth keeping track of.
Here is a great link on the new weapon's budget for our country from yesterday and I think it is a great idea to spend as much as we can on military defense. We must never turn our backs on the well being of our citizens; at the same time as spending money on defense. No spending on the military should ever be done at the expense of the well being of the people of our country that made it great. Quit frankly I do not trust our country when it comes to spending 700 billion dollars on military defense. What most likely will happen is a few people will get filthy rich and a uncountable amount of citizens will suffer poverty. There needs to be a extreme over site to make sure we get the most bang for our buck, so to speak.
Russia warns hypersonic missiles ‘cannot be intercepted’ as nuclear treaty nears collapse
VLADIMIR Putin has a hypersonic missile system that “cannot be intercepted” at his disposal, a Russian general has warned
Published 5th December 2018
Putin has today said Russia "will react accordingly" to US withdrawal from the INF Treaty.
The missile is at the disposal of Moscow should the US pull out of a landmark nuclear disarmament treaty.
Iran secret NUCLEAR sites REVEALED
THE Islamic regime in Iran is harbouring hidden nuclear weapons sites as it continues its secret arms programme — a dissident group has claimed.
Published 5th December 2018
On Tuesday Iranian warships were scrambled as a US aircraft carrier headed for the Persian Gulf.
While last week Tehran launched a radar-evading stealth destroyer warship.
Published 5th December 2018
Russia Shows Off New Laser Weapon After U.S. Threatens to Pull Out of Missile Treaty
Russian state media published video earlier today of its latest laser weapons system, the Peresvet.
Grits also has a great page again. One article is about going after the corrupt Texas so called Department of Public Safety:
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 07 2018
I added this to the above post:
We must never turn our backs on the well being of our citizens; at the same time as spending money on defense. No spending on the military should ever be done at the expense of the well being of the people of our country that made it great. Quit frankly I do not trust our country when it comes to spending 700 billion dollars on military defense. What most likely will happen is a few people will get filthy rich and a uncountable amount of citizens will suffer poverty. There needs to be a extreme over site to make sure we get the most bang for our buck, so to speak.
Pakistan Acquires Sh-15 “Nuclear-Capable” Howitzer Artillery Guns From China
On December 6, 2018
SH-15 will be the best ‘shoot and scoot’ artillery guns for the use of nuclear shells — easy to hide and easy to use against troop concentration. Pakistan has been working on the miniaturisation of nuclear weapons since 1984.
The US nuclear artillery shell W-48 uses 10kg high-density alpha-plutonium with a sphere of barely 54mm.
North Korea is still developing nuclear warheads
December 06, 2018 12:11 PM
North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile and nuclear warhead development rolls on.
December 06, 2018
Two North Korean missile bases have been active and expanding, according to analysis of satellite images by CNN.
According to CNN, satellite footage shows the Yeongjeo-dong base is still active, and another base seven miles away is being upgraded.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 08 2018
India interested in training its military in Russia
Military & Defense
December 06, 19:15
MOSCOW, December 6. /TASS/. India is interested in training its military at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the Russian Defense Ministry informed on Thursday on the outcomes of the visit by India’s Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba.
Exercise Hand-in-Hand between armies of India and China set to begin
By Anurag Singh December 6, 2018
Exercise Hand-in-Hand between armies of India and China will be conducted from 10 to 23 December at Chengdu, China. The exercise will involve tactical level operations in an International Counter Insurgency/ Counter Terrorist environment under UN mandate.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 09 2018
Has China's J-20 Stealth Fighter Been Spotted at a US Airbase?
The Aviationist has published a photo of an unidentified combat aircraft which looks strikingly similar to a J-20, claiming the photo was taken at the Savannah-Hilton Head Airport in the US state of Georgia.
The person who provided the image, who claimed to have taken the photo from the airport's parking lot on the morning of December 5, asked to remain anonymous. However, according to the authoritative military aviation website, cross-referencing the image with satellite photos of airports in the Georgia area seemed to confirm that the mystery 'plane' did appear at the airport in question, with profile images also appearing to match objects at the airport such as roof color and texture with those in the photo.
Web Desk On Dec 8, 2018 Last updated Dec 8, 2018
Chinese troops arrive in Pakistan for joint military drill
RAWALPINDI: A special forces contingent of People Liberation Army China arrived in Pakistan on Saturday to participate in Pak-China joint military exercise ‘Warrior –VI 2018’.
Dec 8, 2018
Iran threatens Trump with 'BOMBS AND TERRORISM' over sanctions
IRAN’s firebrand president has warned the West will be flooded with “a deluge of drugs, asylum seekers, bombs and terrorism” due to Donald Trump’s sanctions against Tehran.
Dec 8, 2018
Russia's New Radar Can Track 5,000 Objects (Including Hypersonic Missiles)
This radar can chart the flight path of any aircraft target at a distance of about 3,000 km, and can simultaneously track over 5,000 airborne objects of different types, including small [aircraft].”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 10 2018
Published 1 hour ago 2pm December 9, 2018
Russia building up forces near Crimea amid tensions with Ukraine, satellite photos show
satellite images obtained exclusively by Fox News on Sunday show that additional forces may be headed to the region.
The Ilushin-76 cargo planes are used by the Russian army to deliver outsized or heavy cargo. (ImageSat International)
Washington Post: Russia undermines the dominant role of USA in the middle East
December 9, 2018
Russia’s influence far beyond Syria, including in the countries interested in the outcome of the war, such enemies as Israel and Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey.
Newsweek: Russian Premier League can shock US
December 9, 2018
“We, too, might suddenly emerge from under the water in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving America in shock”, — said the chief editor of the Russian magazine “national defense” Igor Korotchenko
From: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1056504/world-war-3-russia-military-drills-vladimir-putin-donald-trump-nuclear-deal-sanctions
15:52, Sun, Dec 9, 2018 | UPDATED: 16:23, Sun, Dec 9, 2018
Russian warships team up with India for MILITARY DRILLS
RUSSIAN warships have arrived in India to participate in the Indra Navy 2018 military drills as fears of a World War 3 heighten.
China-US relations heading toward uncharted waters dominate Global Times annual conference
Published: 2018/12/9 18:48:40
Second, the US is offensive, while China is defensive. The anxiety of the US made it take irrational actions in its general strategy. China hopes to maintain a stable relationship with the US.
The US opened three battle lines in the political, military and economic fields against China. The US keeps meddling in China's affairs, so why can't China go to areas like Hawaii where the US is "dominant." The initiative over the South China Sea and Taiwan should rest with China.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 11 2018
Dec 10 2018
A People's Liberation Army Air Force senior colonel argued at a conference Saturday that the Chinese PLA Navy should ram US Navy warships that try to conduct freedom-of-navigation operations in "Chinese waters" in the South China Sea.
Dec 10 2018, 5:26 pm
India Successfully Conducts Second Test Of Nuclear Capable Agni-5 Missile In Six Months
How The Chinese Government Might Use Cell Phones To Spy On Americans
By building a 5G network backed by Chinese tech, Sprint and T-Mobile could help the Chinese government spy on American communications.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 12 2018
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2018
Conflation of punishment with price system distorts justice in sex-assault cases
We live in an era when "justice" has been defined largely in terms of the price system, as though it were subject to laws of supply and demand. The root theory behind our modern justice system, in large part, holds that punishments are a "price" paid for misconduct and, if they do not deter, it's because the "price" wasn't high enough.
Defining punishment abstractly as the "price" of crime generates perverse cultural meanings for victims, prosecutors, jurors, and others engaged with the system. Under the price-system mindset, harsh punishment by the state (which monopolizes the currency of punishment) is evidence that the victim is valued, while more lenient outcomes are evidence that they are not, that a lower "price" has been placed on their suffering.
This implicit pricing model distorts nearly every part of the justice system, but particularly regarding sexual assault. Certainly, some women want maximal punishment for their rapist. But because the overwhelming majority of women know their perpetrators, often including beloved family members, harsh punishments can also perversely prevent some women from reporting crimes against them. For them, defining the "value" placed on their suffering vis a vis the "price" of punishment harms their interests, making them less safe and abnegating their needs rather than meeting them.
This is why Grits has often thought that restorative justice tenets may ultimately provide a viable, alternative path for how to confront these horrible situations. Such interventions focus on the questions, “Who was harmed? What do they need? Whose obligation is it to meet those needs?,” which seems like a more constructive approach than one-size-fits-all punishment regimens.
But the pricing model is what we've got, and a couple of recent, high-profile cases help demonstrate how treacherous this terrain can be.
In Waco, the town is in a furor over outgoing DA Abel Reyna's office agreeing to a plea bargain for a former Baylor frat president, Jacob Walter Anderson, indicted by a grand jury on four counts of sexual assault. Under the deal, he pled to a third degree felony charge of unlawful restraint. He'll serve no jail time, undergo counseling, pay a $400 fine, and won't be required to register as a sex offender. Reported the Tribune-Herald:
The victim, who has been outspoken against the plea bargain, began to cry loudly Monday after Strother announced his decision to accept it. She urged the judge to reject the plea offer and set a trial so she could have her day in court. She said Anderson sexually assaulted her, repeatedly choked her and left her for dead after she fell unconscious.
Later, in an emotional victim impact statement, she told Strother she is devastated that he approved the plea bargain. She called out prosecutor Hilary LaBorde, who struck the deal with Anderson, and McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna for not attending the hearing.
“If I had the courage to come back to Waco and face my rapist and testify, you could at least have had enough respect for me to show up today,” she said. “You both will have to live with this decision to let a rapist run free in society without any warning to future victims. I wonder if you will have nightmares every night watching Jacob rape me over and over again?” ...
The woman described in sometimes graphic detail what she said Anderson did to her.
“When I was completely unconscious, he dumped me face down in the dirt and left me there to die,” the woman said. “He had taken what he wanted, had proven his power over my body. He then walked home and went to bed without a second thought to the ravaged, half-dead woman he had left behind.”
The woman said she has learned through this process that “the McLennan County justice system is severely broken,” but she thanked the women who created an online petition opposing the plea agreement that she said was signed by more than 85,000 people.
So why did the McLennan DA's office fail to go to trial? They feared an acquittal, was supposedly the reason. ADA Hillary Labord
declined comment about the case. However, in an email she sent the woman and her family after they learned of the plea agreement by reading the Tribune-Herald, she said she offered the deal after an acquittal in a sexual assault case that she said was similar to Anderson’s. She said she was concerned Anderson would be found not guilty.
“(The jury) engaged in a lot of victim blaming — and the behavior of that victim and (this victim) is very similar,” she said. “It’s my opinion that our jurors aren’t ready to blame rapists and not victims when there isn’t concrete proof of more than one victim.”
The prosecutor's motive ostensibly was to protect a victim who didn't want to be protected, but she never spoke to the victim to tell her about the deal, letting her learn about it in the newspaper. So far, one notices, no one has judged the behavior or credibility of the victim but the prosecutor. Jurors never had the chance.
In that light, how did anything that happened throughout this process meet this woman's needs? The state demonstrated they didn't value her by judging her credibility, failing to communicate, even to say the DA planned to dishonor her wishes, then they placed a low, abstract "price" on her pain through lenient punishment without giving her a chance to tell jurors her side of the story. No wonder the woman's angry! A statement released by the victim's family, the Tribune-Herald reported, declared:
“This is an absolute travesty,” the statement reads. “By agreeing to this plea, (prosecutor) Hilary LaBorde and the McLennan County DA’s office have allowed that rape is no longer a crime in Texas. They are telling the rapists and sexual predators, ‘Go ahead and violently rape, choke to near death and abandon your unconscious, ravaged and used-up victim and we will make darn sure you get some counseling. Even if a grand jury indicts you on four counts of sexual assault, we don’t care.’
“Oh, and ‘All you rape victims, don’t bother to report it, because we will put you through hell for years, make promises about getting a conviction and lie to you about not accepting a plea the whole time. We will give your rapist counseling and drop all charges and let him go free. We don’t care about about justice and we don’t care about you,’ ” she said in the statement.
The victim here isn't just angry about a light sentence, although she clearly thinks her rapist should have been punished more harshly. But she's also angry about not being kept informed, about the DA's office ignoring her willingness to testify, and not getting her day in court. She feels lied to. She felt throughout the process that she wasn't being heard, viewed the trial as the moment when she finally could be, then saw that opportunity taken from her in a deal considered friendly to her assailant. Anyone would be mad.
By contrast, consider this recent story: In Bell County, a man disproved false rape allegations by producing a selfie taken in Austin as an alibi. An ex-girlfriend accused him of breaking into her house, raping her, and carving an "X" into her chest. Police initially believed her, and the guy was in serious jeopardy of spending a long stretch in prison if he hadn't been able to prove his whereabouts. Now, she has been charged for making the false report.
Thank heavens the fellow was out of the county and could produce a time-stamped selfie! If the same fact-pattern occurred in the pre-cell phone era, he'd be screwed.
False allegations are rare but do happen. Indeed, the FBI has asserted that, 'The “unfounded' rate, or percentage of complaints determined through investigation to be false, is higher for forcible rape than for any other Index crime." Some false allegations, as in the San Antonio Four case, appear to arise from retaliation. Some come from young women embarrassed at their own behavior. And some are women who are raped by a stranger and make an honest but tragic mistake about their assailant's identity.
In those incidents where a rape did occur but the wrong person was accused, a double tragedy occurs. An innocent is punished for the sins of another and the real perpetrator goes free. That's a worst-possible-case scenario that should justifiably scare anyone - say, jurors, asked to pass judgment in these instances. Women deserve justice, but justice is poorly served when an innocent person is punished.
Grits values both the victim's pain in Waco and the liberty interests of the man in Bell County. For that matter, I hope that the defrocked frat president turns his life around, repents his sins, goes on to live a productive life, and never does anything like that again. It's possible the best way to ensure that happens is to send him to prison for decades, but I've no evidence that's true.
I don't know how to resolve these high-level contradictions based on evidence, particularly when the evidence we do have suffers from undercounts and corrupted data about how many rapes are actually solved. One bit of good news: changes on the misleading data front are apparently in the works.
In response to the Reveal podcast criticizing Austin PD's categorization of "exceptionally" cleared rape cases (see Grits coverage here and here), the FBI will change its definitions regarding what qualifies a rape investigation for "exceptional" clearance, according to a followup story from the Center for Investigative Reporting.
For decades, law enforcement lumped cases which were "cleared" by arresting a suspect into categories along with much more numerous cases where police had identified a suspect, had probable cause to make an arrest, but chose not to do so because a judgment had been made by police or prosecutors that the case wasn't winnable. As with the case in Waco, typically victims weren't involved in or often even notified of those judgments.
Grits cannot presently discern the path leading from an unsatisfactory status quo to a system that more reliably delivers just outcomes in sexual-assault cases. But it's clear to me the justice system as presently constituted exacerbates the problem, and IMO a big source of the disconnect is this conflation of the value society places on victim's suffering with punishment as the "price" paid for crime.
14:15, Tue, Dec 11, 2018 | UPDATED: 16:25, Tue, Dec 11, 2018
Russian bombers land in Venezuela in WARNING to US
RUSSIAN bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons have landed in Venezuela in a show of force against the US
The pair of TU-160 supersonic bombers, known as "White Swans" by Russian pilots, landed at Maiquetia airport near Caracas on Monday after covering more than 6,200 miles.
North Korea fires missile into sea off east coast, possibly an ICBM
by Dover News Staff—December 11, 2018
North Korea fired a missile on Friday in an unusual late-night test launch, and details announced by officials in Japan, South Korea and the United States suggested it was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The launch from North Korea’s northern Jangang province took place at 11:41 p.m. (1441 GMT), an official at South Korea’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The US Defense Department confirmed the launch.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 13 2018
Russia to set up Caribbean base
December 12, 13:00updated at: December 12, 13:00 UTC
Moscow is gearing up to establish a long-term military presence in Latin America and the current mission of the Tu-160 strategic bombers to Venezuela is part of this plan, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes.
on December 12, 2018 at 4:00 AM
The US & China: A Colder Peace or Thucydides’ Trap?
As President Trump pushes Beijing on trade and cyber espionage, the United States and China are on a collision course. The U.S. urgently needs a new strategy to avoid the traditional fate of rising and status quo powers: catastrophic war.
December 12, 9:50 UTC
BEIJING, December 12. /TASS/. Ties between Russia and China in the sphere of national security and inter-army cooperation signal openness and a high level of political trust between the two countries, Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov said on Wednesday.
Wednesday December 12, 2018
EMP Attack May Be Undeterrable, US Air Force Suggests
Electromagnetic Defense Task Force (EDTF) is traditional deterrence, based on threat of retaliation, may not work against nuclear EMP attack.
Such an EMP attack could be delivered by a balloon, an aircraft doing a zoom climb, or a short-range missile launched off a freighter. Any of these attack modes could be executed anonymously, thwarting deterrence.
Dec 12, 2018, 6:30am EST
Japan plans to purchase nearly 150 F-35 fighter jets from the US
The move is designed to make the country better able to defend itself against a more aggressive China and Russia.
The New York Times also reported on Tuesday that Japan plans to convert some of its biggest warships into aircraft carriers that could carry the new F-35s. That would add Japan to the small club of countries with an aircraft carrier — further adding to rising tensions with China.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 14 2018
PUBLISHED: 06:12, Thu, Dec 13, 2018 | UPDATED: 06:18, Thu, Dec 13, 2018
US accuses China of ESPIONAGE and state secrets THEFT - ‘We can’t sleep on this threat’
The explosive claim was made in a report submitted on Wednesday to the Senate Intelligence Committee. More than two thirds of the Department’s theft of trade secrets “have had a nexus to China”, the report stated. It came amid heightened scrutiny of China’s cyber capabilities after a Marriott Hotels cyber attack was reportedly linked to the superpower.
12/13/2018 05:05 AM EST
How U.S.-China tensions could get a lot worse
South China Sea is a flashpoint in military buildup as China asserts control.
Rising tensions over Beijing’s accelerating military buildup in the South China Sea are stoking fears of a major-power clash between China and the United States — fueling urgent calls for new security talks before the two nations stumble into a shooting war.
NI: in response to American missiles in Europe, Russia returns a “nuclear weapons of the Apocalypse”
Russia is able to design and create a weapon that “strikes fear”: for example, cruise missiles with nuclear engines or unmanned submarines with warheads of 100 megatons, writes The National Interest.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 15 2018
From: https://www.voanews.com/a/brazil-takes-step-toward-joining-nuclear-powered-sub-club-/4701246.html
December 14, 2018 2:48 PM
Brazil Takes Step Toward Joining Nuclear-powered Sub Club
ITAGUAI, BRAZIL — Brazil on Friday launched the first of five attack submarines built with French technology in a 35 billion-real ($8.9 billion) program planned to end in 2029 with delivery of a nuclear-powered submarine.
From: Nuclear submarine - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_submarine
How many countries own nuclear submarines?
Six countries own nuclear submarines?
Today, six countries deploy some form of nuclear-powered strategic submarines: the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, China, and India. Several other countries, including Argentina and Brazil, have ongoing projects in different phases to build nuclear-powered submarines.
December 13, 2018
India has 140 Nuclear Warheads – And More Are Coming
Pakistan "possess nuclear weapons, with the country having between 100 and 130 warheads."
Top secret report: North Korea keeps busting sanctions, evading U.S.-led sea patrols
U.S.-led naval patrols have prompted North Korea to shift tactics, but smuggled oil keeps flowing to the regime despite U.N. sanctions.
The U.S. Pacific Command assessment, labeled "Top Secret," found that the presence of warships and surveillance aircraft deployed by an eight-nation coalition since September has forced North Korea to adjust its tactics at sea, including transferring oil farther away from the Korean Peninsula and often in other countries' territorial waters.
As always I encourage everyone to keep up with what Grits Post's:
From: LGBT Nation Daily Brief
Man arrested for breaking a lesbian’s spine over a kiss on the cheek
The New York City Police Department announced that an arrest has been made in connection to a homophobic attack on a woman in the subway.
East Harlem resident was arraigned on charges of aggravated harassment and assault, both with hate crimes enhancements.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 16 2018
PUBLISHED: 13:01, Sat, Dec 15, 2018 | UPDATED: 13:27, Sat, Dec 15, 2018
World War 3: Satellite images show HUNDREDS of Russian tanks massing on Ukraine border
Iran’s NUCLEAR cooperation with North Korea EXPOSED - ‘Exact’ names and locations REVEALED
15 hours ago 12 15 2018\8:00AM
Audit finds cyber vulnerabilities in U.S. missile defense system
US officials pressure T-Mobile, Sprint parent companies to drop ...
SlashGear-15 hours ago 12 15 2018\8:00AM
On concerns that the brand Huawei is a sort of spy for the Chinese state, the US ... groups to get rid of Huawei networking gear in and around US military bases.
December 15, 2018
China refutes US official's smearing remarks on China-Africa cooperation
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 17 2018
PUBLISHED: 08:00, Sun, Dec 16, 2018 | UPDATED: 10:15, Sun, Dec 16, 2018
Japanese "Disputed islands could spark MAJOR crisis"
The Islands have "fishing grounds nearby and Japan is determined to defend them."
The Japanese have "aircraft carrier", "along with dozens of US-made F-35 fighter jets."
Updated: December 16, 2018 12:02 PM
Iranian hackers
Like the Russian hackers who have chased after America's drone, space and submarine secrets, the list indicates that Iranian spies were also interested in the world of US defense companies.
if EMP causes a protracted blackout, the reactors can “go Fukushima” and spread radioactivity across vast swaths of the United States.
PUBLISHED : Monday, 17 December, 2018, 3:31am
UPDATED : Monday, 17 December, 2018, 3:30am
China and Russia band together on controversial heating experiments to modify the atmosphere
There have been concerns that such facilities could be used to modify weather and even create natural disasters including hurricanes, cyclones and earthquakes.
The ultra-low frequency waves generated by these powerful facilities could even affect the operation of human brains, some critics have said.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 18 2018
December 17, 2018
US unable to defend against Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons, report warns
December 17, 2018
Russian forces to acquire ‘100’ new NUCLEAR missiles by (January 1st 2019) END OF YEAR
RUSSIA will receive roughly 100 new pieces of armament including thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missiles by the end of 2018, according to a senior Russian military official.
Russia completes building infrastructure for Sarmat ICBMs
Sarmat is Russia's advanced silo-based system with the heavy liquid propellant intercontinental ballistic missile
Guest contributor | December 17, 2018
Russian armed forces need only about 60 hours to occupy the Baltic States, and NATO allies would not physically have time to help Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 19 2018
PUBLISHED: 03:00, Tue, Dec 18, 2018 | UPDATED: 10:05, Tue, Dec 18, 2018
Putin set to FORCE US out of Syria
JAPAN will accelerate spending on jets and missiles to support US forces facing China's military in the Western Pacific, two new government papers said.
From: https://www.wearethemighty.com/gear-tech/russian-nuclear-submarine-attack
What Russia's deadliest nuclear sub could do to the US
it could send 96 warheads into American cities and military installations.
It's a real submarine that's in service right now, and it could annihilate American cities in a surprise attack.
‘No existing countermeasures’ to Russian hypersonic weapons, US govt. report admits
Dec, 18 2018 08:40
The US is currently unable to repel an attack from the hypersonic weapons that are being developed by Russia and China, as they can pierce most missile defense systems, a recent US government report has revealed.
December, 18 2018
Russia and China seem to have broken the strength of the U.S. military following a report released by Government Accountability Office (GAO) that the U.S. now lacks the defenses needed to protect against a new breed of highly sophisticated hypersonic weapons.
December 18, 2018
This Is the Chinese Fighter Jet America Should Fear
From: http://thefederalist.com/2018/12/18/china-can-ever-bully-united-states-like-canada-serious-trouble/
December 18, 2018
If China Can Ever Bully The United States Like It Is Canada, We’re In Serious Trouble
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 20 2018
From: https://news.antiwar.com/2018/12/18/russia-to-send-warplanes-to-crimea-citing-ukraine-provocation/
Posted on December 18, 2018
Russia to Send Warplanes “more than 10” to Crimea, Citing Ukraine ‘Provocation’
Russian DM says deployments will be permanent
December 19, 2018
New Video Shows Russia’s Mobile ICBMs Tackling the Snow
PLA bombers, fighters resume circumnavigation of Taiwan
Two PLA Navy vessels also appeared on Taiwan's radar by sailing outside the island's northeastern air defense identification zone
Military & Defense
December 19, 4:32 UTC+3
Nuclear submarine Knyaz Vladimir to fire with Bulava during tests
Over 30 Yars, Avangard ICBMs to assume combat duty in Russia next year
Military & Defense
December 18, 18:04 UTC+3
The first Avangard missile complexes armed with the hypersonic glide vehicle will assume combat duty in the Dombarovsky missile division in the Orenburg Region
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
cyber security
especially if the concept is more focused and extended to include the crippling threat from electromagnetic pulse or “EMP”.
Nothing matches our new hypersonic weapons President Vladimir Putin boasts
December 19, 2018
US admits it is POWERLESS to defend against Russia's 'game changer' hypersonic weapons
December 19, 2018 7:59 am
Russia won’t let U.S. inspect new missile that threatens nuclear treaty
would not let the United States inspect a new nuclear-capable cruise missile at the heart of a dispute between Washington and Moscow
Also please check out the new Grits multi post. There has got to one thing that people would agree with on the is blog page by this blogger that is a Texas staple and bragging rights.: http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2018/12/firststep-act-early-xmas-present-for.html
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 21 2018
From: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1061243/Russia-china-war-games-radio-blocking-tests-ww3
PUBLISHED: 14:17, Wed, Dec 19, 2018 | UPDATED: 14:24, Wed, Dec 19, 2018
Russia and China team up to test controversial RADIO-BLOCKING experiments
experiments which have altered a part of the Earth’s atmosphere so they can BLOCK their enemies’ radio signals.
US and China both refuse to back down over South China Sea
a major conflict igniting in the hotly disputed maritime region
WAR between the US and Chinese forces in the South China Sea could break out in 2019, leading experts fear.
Three Russian naval ships led by guided-missile cruiser Varyag arrive in Port of Colombo
its a strategic location in the Indian Ocean. from: Wikipedia
From: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/vladimir-putin-faces-questions-annual-press-conference-n950226
Vladimir Putin on nuclear war: U.S. is pushing world 'closer to a very dangerous line'
December 20, 2018
Japanese fighter jets scrambled to intercept a Russian strike attack aircraft over the Sea of Japan on December 19, 2018.
Harvard Researchers Begin Work on Bill Gates-Funded Project to Block Out the Sun with Geoengineering
These scientists contend that mimicking such an effect on a planet-wide scale could save the planet from global warming and stop sea ice from melting.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 22 2018
December 21, 2018
During the annual conference, Mr Putin also warned the threat of World War 3 is real and should not be "underestimated" as the president warned Donald Trump of a "global nuclear catastrophe".
December 21, 2018 at 18:35 JST
Putin uncertain Japan could stop U.S. bases if he returned islands
Fri 21st December 2018 | 08:27 AM
Russia Spotted 22 Foreign Spy Jets Near Border Over Past Week - Reports
Russian fighter jets have been scrambled six times to intercept the foreign aircraft
Russian missile frigate moves towards Azov Sea from Crimea - Reuters witness
From: http://infosurhoy.com/cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_GB/news-summary/proton-m-launches-with-blagovest-no-13l/
Designed to provide dedicated satellite links between the country’s military bases, Blagovest spacecraft are equipped with Ka and Q-band transponders.
20 December 2018
China makes ‘big progress’ on nuclear strike range with new submarine-launched missile
Published: 04:27 EST, 21 December 2018 | Updated: 04:32 EST, 21 December 2018
Russia declares it has successfully tested a hypersonic missile which covers TWO MILES a second days after Putin claimed there are 'no foreign equivalents' to his weapons
Major Chinese shipyard rapidly expands in size amid military buildup
21st December 2018, 6:09 pm
Updated: 21st December 2018, 6:13 pm
THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING How Russia’s empire is expanding around the globe as Putin warns of ‘catastrophic’ global war
The Russian bear is back as strongman Putin re-arms his country’s military and expands his powerbase across the globe
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 23 2018
There are only 4 ruling country's mentioned during the time of The Great Tribulation.
1 The King of the North Russia
2 The King of the West the revived Roman Empire
3. The King of the South African nations and tribes
4. King of the East the Assian races
America is not mentioned at all.
How long do we have till The Great Tribulation?
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
No one knows when the rapture will take place; therefore no one knows when The Great Tribulation will begin.
PUBLISHED: 03:53, Sat, Dec 22, 2018 | UPDATED: 06:05, Sat, Dec 22, 2018
Russia tests 'unstoppable' HYPERSONIC missile capable of outpacing US systems
A total of ten of the 3M22 Tsirkon anti-ship missiles were tested by the Russian Navy.
PUBLISHED: 00:54, Sat, Dec 22, 2018 | UPDATED: 01:02, Sat, Dec 22, 2018
Iran launches WAR GAMES as US BATTLE GROUP arrives off coast
Meanwhile the nuclear-powered supercarrier USS John C Stennis has entered the Persian Gulf with a US Navy strike group.
China Conducts First Test of Russian S-400 Air Defence Systems
China tests new submarine-launched ballistic missile powerful enough to deliver nukes to US targets
A range of more than 5,500 miles
Also please check out the new Grits multi post. There has got to be one thing that people would agree with; on the is blog page by the blogger, that is a Texas great:
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 24 2018
Since I started doing this research; it is as if I can not stop. It is my way of keeping my eyes wide open. If anything ever does transpire; at least I will not be ignorant of it. I must admit it makes me sad to post these kinds of atrocity's and complete waist of money's; that could be spent on the poor people of the world. It is especially dismal to post these kinds of articles during the holiday season.
December 23, 2018
Japan and Russia seek end to island dispute in China's shadow
Japan and Russia to put aside their decades-old territorial dispute,
December 22, 2018
Russia's Next Bomber Base: Venezuela?
December 23, 2018
India Successfully test-fires Nuclear-Capable missile Agni-IV
Military & Intelligence
16:57 23.12.2018
New Intercontinental Missile
PLA is a JL-3 submarine launched strategic missile, carry 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV). It is based on the ground-launched DF-41 intercontinental missile, Its range will allow it to reach US territories without a submarine even having to leave Chinese waters.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 25 2018
Like I said in my last post, it is a real bummer posting this on Christmas. It is not my fault this type of news comes out everyday. Merry Christmas though:
36 seconds ago Mon 24th December 2018 | 06:18 PM
Russian-Iranian working group on the implementation of the bilateral intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation, the ministry said in a statement Monday.
India is the leading importer of Iranian oil, and a significant investor in Iran
a $5.5 billion purchase of the Russian S-400 long-range air-defense system despite US objections
India is not the natural ally of the US; it is as clear as a midsummer sky. The sooner the White House understands this, the better.
IRAN has said Tehran is prepared to respond to any hostile US action after a navy ship entered the Gulf
PUBLISHED: 16:49, Mon, Dec 24, 2018 | UPDATED: 17:06, Mon, Dec 24, 2018
We will not allow this warship to come near our territorial waters in the Persian Gulf
Iranian navy commander, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 26 2018
December 25
Russia successfully tested its hypersonic Zircon antiship missile on December 10 for the 12th time, setting a speed record. A few weeks earlier on November 24, China successfully tested its JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile, which can strike anywhere in the United States from within Chinese waters. Both developments represent a major step forward in Russia and China’s capability to threaten American military dominance.
From: https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/Middle-East/Turkey-Stands-Firmly-Against-US-Sanctions-On-Iran.html
Turkey Stands Firmly Against U.S. Sanctions On Iran
Dec 25, 2018, 10:00 AM CST
"Turkish president Erdogan says Turkey won't support U.S. sanctions on Iran"
"pledges support to Iran in difficult times."
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 27 2018
13:16, Wed, Dec 26, 2018 | UPDATED: 13:42, Wed, Dec 26, 2018
Mr Putin remotely observed Wednesday's test from a Russian defence ministry building in Moscow.
Putin says HYPERSONIC nuclear-capable missiles just MONTHS AWAY
12:51 PM, December 26, 2018
US Increases Deployment of High-precision Military Equipment Near Russian Borders
Chinese missile force puts new Russian S-400 air defense system to the test
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 27 December, 2018, 4:03am
UPDATED : Thursday, 27 December, 2018, 4:02am
China – which has been equipped with Russia’s S-300 system for more than a decade – is the first country to import the next-generation S-400 air defence missile system.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 28 2018
27 Dec 2018
The Associated Press
Israeli Official Confirms Syria Airstrikes as Russia Objects
involved in Iranian arms transfers to the Hezbollah militant group.
Russia had criticized the airstrike
Middle East
11:55 27.12.2018(updated 12:18 27.12.2018)
Turkey Would Not Let US Inspect Russian S-400s - Source
December 26, 2018
Could North Korea’s armed forces sink an American aircraft carrier? Yes
December 27, 2018
The probability of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) in our lifetime is much higher than most Americans would assume
“90% of our population could starve to death, die from disease and societal chaos, and collapse.”
16:30, 27 December 2018
Russia intercepts U.S. military aircraft patrolling territory near annexed Crimea
UT: SOCIAL WORK EXPERT DISAGREES WITH FEDERAL LAW ENFORCERS ABOUT SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT
December 17, 2018
[deseretnews.com – 12/15/18]
A University of Utah social work professor and therapist disagrees with the state’s top federal law enforcement officials’ assessment that treatment for child sex offenders doesn’t work.
Rob Butters, who has also worked as a probation officer, said it’s unfortunate they made the statement in a public forum because “it’s simply not true.”
“We know that treatment works a lot better than incarceration,” he said. “Prison doesn’t make people better. It just keeps them incapacitated.”
U.S. Attorney John Huber and FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Barnhart said in a discussion with reporters Thursday that they are skeptical about the effectiveness of treatment for those who sexually exploit children.
Federal prosecutors have filed 54 cases of child pornography possession, distribution or production this year, 10 more than last year. Some had previous convictions in state court.
“In our career and our experience, rehabilitation — although a laudable goal — is unrealistic in dealing with these types of offenders,” Huber said. “Stiff justice is an appropriate remedy, first and foremost, for keeping people safe.”
Barnhart said he has not seen data to back up that treatment works.
“The compassionate part of us always wants to say a second chance should be given, but my experience is these people will victimize again,” he said.
MN: JUDGE STRIKES DOWN CITY ORDINANCE RESTRICTING SEX OFFENDER HOUSING
December 18, 2018
[startribune.com – 12/18/18]
A Hennepin County judge has struck down an ordinance in Dayton, Minn. that restricts where sex offenders can live in the community, saying the measure is trumped by state law.
The far-reaching ordinance barred convicted sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of any school, day care provider, park, playground or public bus stop — even a pumpkin patch or apple orchard — within the city of Dayton, a rural community of about 5,000 residents northwest of the Twin Cities.
The measure was hastily passed by the Dayton City Council in late 2016, after local residents raised alarm over plans by the state to move three convicted rapists from the state sex offender program to a group home in the city.
In a recent decision, Hennepin County District Judge Susan Robiner declared the Dayton ordinance “void and invalid” because it was expressly designed to conflict with a state law that establishes a legal process for releasing civilly committed sex offenders from the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP) and reintegrating them back into society. Such local ordinances, the judge added, would have a “devastating effect” on the MSOP’s ability to discharge offenders from the program.
ROGUE JUDGE DRIVEN OFF THE BENCH
December 27, 2018
A Pittsburgh criminal court judge has finally submitted her resignation. Judge Donna Jo McDaniel’s expected exit comes after repeated rebukes by a Pennsylvania appeals court, extensive news coverage, the ire of at least one editorial board, and talk of an investigation by the state’s judicial conduct commission. First elected to the bench in 1985, McDaniel was driven from office for failing to deliver fair and impartial justice – treating individuals charged with sex offenses (and their defense counsel) terribly, imposing excessive sentences and repeatedly abusing her discretion. McDaniel’s departure is a victory for reason and justice, even more so given the prevailing moral panic over sex offenses that makes getting a fair shake in court very difficult. Kudos to all those who fought McDaniel’s biased rulings including the Allegheny County Public Defender, the Pennsylvania Superior Court, and to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for keeping a spotlight on McDaniel. Details are below – news stories, a Post-Gazette editorial describing McDaniel as a “rogue judge,” a smart essay by Alexandra Stupple about “disgust” in court matters, and a compilation of headlines.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 29 2018
PUBLISHED: 06:04, Fri, Dec 28, 2018
US fears Russia 'doomsday device' that would unleash 300-ft RADIATION TSUNAMI
“doomsday device” that would create a 300-ft radiation tsunami wave - powerful enough to wipe out major US cities.
PUBLISHED: 06:04, Fri, Dec 28, 2018
How Iran wages ‘CYBER TERRORISM’ to secretly spy on MILLIONS and incite ‘CHAOS’
using “mass surveillance” to “actively disrupt the communication of protesters and dissidents” in Iran and “promote terrorism” across the globe
Fri, Dec 28, 2018
The race to claim the North Pole will heat up
Fri, Dec 28, 2018
The president’s precipitous decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria provided many Israelis with a rude awakening.
December 28, 2018 Brinkwire
Putin boasts he’ll ‘make the world sit back and think’ in chilling World War 3 missile threat
Putin made the comments / Defence Ministry’s / in Moscow yesterday
GPS based warfare has also reared its ugly head with NATO and Russian forces both apparently blocking signals during war games.
He also revealed his military’s combat readiness had vastly improved
Russian forces could be swiftly deployed to distances of up to 4,350 miles and reinforce groups in crucial strategic locations.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 30 2018
PUTIN'S FURY
PUBLISHED: 10:43, Sat, Dec 29, 2018 | UPDATED: 12:12, Sat, Dec 29, 2018
France and Germany’s demands to release the 24 Ukraine sailors Russia has been holding prisoners for more than a month
29th December 2018, 10:03 am
Updated: 29th December 2018, 10:04 am
SONIC ATTACKS Military called in to probe baffling ‘sonic health attacks’ on US diplomats in Cuba and China
Symptoms include hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, headaches and fatigue, which experts say is a pattern consistent with 'traumatic brain injury'
And an investigation by the FBI and the CIA has unearthed data that US officials say seems to point the finger of suspicion at Russia.
Russian weapon 27 times faster than speed of sound: official
MOSCOW: A top Russian official says the nation‘s new strategic weapon has made any missile defenses useless.
The Kremlin said it successfully hit a practice target on the Kura shooting range on Kamchatka, 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) away.
PUBLISHED: 02:46, Sat, Dec 29, 2018 | UPDATED: 10:23, Sat, Dec 29, 2018
Russia tests new NUCLEAR bomber for first time
conflict between major world powers surged after Russia tested a newly ungraded supersonic long-range bomber, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
December 29, 2018
China launches two more Long March rockets; another possible before end of year
With the two most recent Chinese rocket flights, the country has launched 38 missions to Earth's orbit or beyond this year, shattering a record for Chinese launch activity previously set in 2016, when China conducted 22 space launches.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 31 2018
US Air Force conducts HUGE drill to simulate foreign INVASION
December 30, 2018
The drill took place in the south-west region of the US, in Nevada. The drill’s purpose was to rehearse a foreign invasion scenario.
December 30, 2018 , 10:53 am
In response to an Israeli airstrike in Syria last Tuesday, Russia threatened to respond to further Israeli action in Syria with surface-to-surface missiles against targets inside Israel. An Israeli military intelligence website reported that one such missile was already fired last week.
2018-12-30
Russia conducts test launch of Avangard hypersonic missile (video)
released footage on Sunday showing the first ever public test
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 01 2019
Putin moves supersonic nuclear bombers to covert Caribbean base
PUBLISHED: 22:28, Sun, Dec 30, 2018 | UPDATED: 22:55, Sun, Dec 30, 2018
US Navy hoping for hypersonic missiles ‘by 2025’ as Putin WATCHES Russia's Avangard glider fly
Published time: 30 Dec, 2018 23:59
Edited time: 31 Dec, 2018 02:00
Hawkish Chinese Officer Suggests Sinking Aircraft Carriers to Intimidate U.S.
In widely circulated speech, well-known firebrand claims Americans will back down in face of heavy casualties
Epoch Times
December 31, 2018 Updated: December 31, 2018
China's Navy Now Has a Super Weapon America's Navy Lacks: A Railgun
December 30, 2018
China's futuristic electromagnetic railgun may already be the most powerful cannon to ever roam the high seas — ahead of schedule.
North Korea continues to develop its intercontinental ballistic missiles
Published:13:15 EST, 30 December 2018 | Updated:04:59 EST, 31 December 2018
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 02 2019
From: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/12/31/warming-arctic-heats-us-russian-military-rivalry.html
A Warming Arctic Heats Up US-Russian Military Rivalry
Strengthening training and preparation for war are among the top priorities for China’s military in 2019, its official newspaper said on Tuesday.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 03 2019
China just triggered a new conflict after threatening Taiwan with FORCE
Chinese president added China "do not promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option to use all necessary measures”
09:25, 02 January 2019
U.S. may impose new sanctions on Russia, arm Ukraine
Pakistan Procuring 'Most Advanced’ Naval Warships From China
PUBLISHED: 17:37, Wed, Jan 2, 2019 | UPDATED: 18:59, Wed, Jan 2, 2019
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday the island would not accept a "one country, two systems" political arrangement with China
22:26 02.01.2019
China’s Electromagnetic Railgun Ship Appears to Start Sea Trials
Don't forget to check out Grits; here is a link to a great multi subject post:
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 04 2019
PUBLISHED: 13:45, Thu, Jan 3, 2019 | UPDATED: 14:35, Thu, Jan 3, 2019
North Korean tourist guide admits 'we WANT to fight US' in secret video
Jan 03, 2019 | 3:05 AM
5 reasons why Trump is right about getting America out of Syria
First Published 3, Jan 2019, 5:24 PM IST
Russia to supply India with five S-400 missile regiments
By EurAsian Times -
January 3, 2019
US To Conduct Missile Drill at Okinawa Island in Japan
the drill would also involve the deployment of a mobile rocket launcher as a counter-measure against potential attacks from Chinese surface-to-sea ballistic missiles.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 05 2019
PUBLISHED: 08:29, Fri, Jan 4, 2019 | UPDATED: 10:26, Fri, Jan 4, 2019
China travel WARNING: US tells citizens DO NOT GO to China as tensions soar
04:45, Fri, Jan 4, 2019 | UPDATED: 04:47, Fri, Jan 4, 2019
US to 'act AGGRESSIVELY' in Latin America amid Russian and Chinese regional influence
01:51, Fri, Jan 4, 2019 | UPDATED: 10:47, Fri, Jan 4, 2019
Iran to launch DEVASTATING nuclear missiles claims Trump official
4 January 2019 14:54 (UTC+04:00)
Brazilian president says US military base may be established in Brazil
Jan 04, 2019 2:51PM
China has developed a massive bomb, said to be the country's answer to the US-built 'Mother of All Bombs', the most powerful non-nuclear weapon, as per a report by official media.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 05 2019
One of the main reason for having this blog is my patriotism to our country.:
New study finds nearly half of young Americans believe US is racist and not ‘greatest’ country
December 3, 2018
The polls findings found that younger Americans, those under 38 years old, are “becoming unmoored from the institutions, knowledge, and spirit traditionally associated with American patriotism.”
50% believe the county is sexist, and 49% believe it is racist. Furthermore, 47% of respondents think America should turn to socialism in the future rather than continue with capitalism. Furthermore the study found that 84% of Americans don’t know the specific rights enumerated in the First Amendment.
The First Amendment reads,
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The full survey can be read here: https://www.flagusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FLAG-Patriotism-Report-11.13.2018.pdf
I blame the teachers in schools; for swaying young people towards anti Americanism.
If I had my way I would make examples of anti American promoters in our country; by deporting them. After all they are practically begging for it.
All Americans have foreigners in their family ancestry. If people are anti American promoters; we should deport them, using their ancestry as a reference to where.
The only people that could be exempt from this would be Native Americans; with no non Native American's in their ancestry.
 |
| America Love It Or Leave It! |
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 06 2019
Published 5th January 2019
‘Prepare for battle’ WW3 fears as China’s president in WAR CRY
prepare for battle, President Xi Jinping has demanded.
The “paramount leader” of the communist nation made the battle cry at a meeting of top brass on Friday.
Published 5th January 2019
Russia boasts of 'impossible to detect' NUCLEAR drone which sends 1,640ft high WAVES
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 07 2019
I am reading a book on Revelation by Dwight Pentecost, and I have realized that Russia is doing exactly what they should be doing concerning the being Magog in the Bible. In fact the chapter I am reading now actually mention's the Caspian Sea.
Although there will be no Muslim Government controlling the earth. I think this is because Satan hates religions. Many middle eastern country's will be part of the African nation of the south. Russia is prophesied to rule over many middle eastern country's.
Here is a great link on the subject: https://walvoord.com/article/301 Read: The Rise Of Russia In The Twentieth Century
Sun Jan 6, 2019 10:44AM[Updated: Sun Jan 6, 2019 10:59AM ]
Iran, Russia to hold joint military drill in Caspian Sea
January 6, 2019
Three Russian Navy warships docked at the South Harbor in Manila on Sunday for a six-day visit to the Philippines
Also check this page out by a true internet hero:
SUNDAY, JANUARY 06, 2019
Innocence Project Math 101: Why it's certain eyewitnesses are still sending innocent people to prison in Texas
Our friends at the prosecutor association want to pretend Texas has solved its problem with eyewitnesses falsely identifying innocent suspects after the state passed non-binding guidelines for police lineups in 2011. Shannon Edmonds last night was crowing on Twitter that the last exoneration based a false ID in Texas was in 2010, and the state had solved the problem in 2011.
This is such a disingenuous claim I thought I'd dissect it without the 140 character limitations.
Read more click this link: http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2019/01/innocence-project-math-101-why-its.html
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 08 2019
PUBLISHED: 07:56, Mon, Jan 7, 2019 | UPDATED: 08:23, Mon, Jan 7, 2019
China confronts US with FURY after warship spotted in South China Sea
CHINA has reacted with fury after a US warship sailed through the disputed South China Sea earlier today to challenge Beijing's “excessive maritime challenge”.
Published 6th January 2019
US warship enters Black Sea amid Russia tensions with Ukraine
THE US Navy has sailed into the Black Sea amid escalating tensions with the Kremlin after Russia seized Ukrainian sailors and ships.
Jan 07, 2019 06:27 PM
Xi Tells People’s Liberation Army to Prepare for War
During a meeting over the weekend
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 09 2019
Check out Grits page here:
It's a gooden. TOP DEFINITION: Gooden The Idaho way of saying "good one". In some contexts it means "good people", or plural (good ones).
8th January 2019, 1:49 pm
Updated: 8th January 2019, 1:52 pm
STAR WARS China has ‘giant laser weapon that can cripple American satellites and blind the US fleet’
PUBLISHED: 09:35, Tue, Jan 8, 2019 | UPDATED: 14:06, Tue, Jan 8, 2019
China ENRAGES USA by courting madman Kim Jong Un with state visit
January 08, 2019 04:42
U.S. Warship Arrives At Romanian Port Amid Black Sea Tensions
By News Desk -
2019-01-08
New Kalibr-M cruise missile with range of over 4,500 km in development in Russia
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 10 2019
PUBLISHED: 10:48, Wed, Jan 9, 2019 | UPDATED: 10:52, Wed, Jan 9, 2019
Chinese strategist claims 'unrestricted war with US has STARTED'
Mr Xiangsui revealed it is a war on the internet, a fight for cyber domination
From: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/next-china-military-threat-worlds-biggest-mobile-icbm-40952
The Next China Military Threat: The World's Biggest Mobile ICBM?
Global Times Published: 2019/1/9 16:37:52
China’s ship-killer missiles mobilized to Northwest China plateau
written by Asia News International January 9, 2019 3:24 pm
Russia reiterates commitment to keep Iran nuclear deal afloat
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 11 2019
Some of these articles are just plan communist propaganda. I apologies for posting them. I am posting them to show how our enemy's are trying to justify itself on the verge of destroying us all. Fighting communism is a worthy fight and always has been during the course of our great country; sailing it's way through the sea's of country's and governments that are our enemies. Then there is Russia; not communism anymore but still seemingly our enemy. I suspect Russia of being just plane paranoid enough to start a war with us, then there is always the sin of man to blame.
Lets look at all of this for what it is, and what I have been saying all along and all these years online. Our dream country of The United States of America; where we live free, may not have been meant to be in the first place.Maybe the world let it be to see if we could keep the Great Tribulation from beginning, a while longer. Why hasn't the tribulation begun; with so many signs of it's beginnings all around us? Could be one answer, our country: America. Is that why The Bible had so much to do with the founding of our country. I say that is exactly why.
This is where I remind any Christians that we only have to wait for one sign (according to God's Word) and that is the rapture; where we are taken from earth to be with the Lord. So don't every believe in conspiracy theories like blood colored moons having anything to do with the tribulation.
I think our country is the one reason the tribulation has not begun. If you look at The Great Tribulation and the ruthless governments that rule the earth during The Great Tribulation it seems easy to see why our country is so focused on escaping reality through drugs and all of our other vises. To face what America is all about; makes us like the Angles, responsible for all the world and its very survival. That is a huge responsibility and burden.
So when it comes down to the us and them's and why we are enemies with the Russians and the Chinese:
I quote myself from: New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 23 2018 to explain:
"There are only 4 ruling country's mentioned during the time of The Great Tribulation.
1 The King of the North Russia
2 The King of the West the revived Roman Empire
3. The King of the South African nations and tribes
4. King of the East the Assian races
America is not mentioned at all.
How long do we have till The Great Tribulation?
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
No one knows when the rapture will take place; therefore no one knows when The Great Tribulation will begin."
When it comes right down to it the reason there are enemies in this world these days is because of what country's will fight during the tribulation on the side of Satan our not. Sounds like a worthy fight to me to fight against The Anti Christ's rule over earth; while there is still real time to do so.
If you really want to put it all into plane words; America has always fought on the side of good and right. That is the right thing to do and nothing has been more worthy a fight to fight.
I am putting this on the header of this page and every page like it from now on.
LOCKED AND LOADED China mobilises ‘war-ready’ supersonic nuclear missile that experts fear could hit US territory as rivals face off over South China Sea
State media says deployment is a response to the 'trespass' of a US destroyer
10th January 2019, 5:09 pm
Updated: 10th January 2019, 5:16 pm
Giant rocket launcher vehicles apparently carrying dozens of DF-26 supersonic missiles were seen driving into position in China's desert northwest plateau.
The state-run Global Times said the 20-ton rockets - said to be capable of reaching US territory in Guam - are being deployed to positions best suited at striking vessels in the East and South China Sea.
PUBLISHED: 07:15, Thu, Jan 10, 2019 | UPDATED: 07:15, Thu, Jan 10, 2019
Expert reveals US troops forming 'strategic encirclement' around China
THE United States' military presence in South Korea is part of a “strategic encirclement” of China and is not intended to defend the country from North Korea, claims former US diplomat Jim Jatras.
Upgraded Russian Bomber Takes First Flight
January 10
Warplane capable of carrying multiple nuclear hypersonic missiles
PUBLISHED: 16:35, Thu, Jan 10, 2019 | UPDATED: 16:36, Thu, Jan 10, 2019
CHINA has deployed a far-reaching anti-ship ballistic missile after a US warship was accused of operating in the disputed South China Sea.
The announcement of the deployment comes after a US warship sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea on Monday.
PUBLISHED: 14:38, Thu, Jan 10, 2019 | UPDATED: 14:53, Thu, Jan 10, 2019
TURKEY has reacted with outrage after the US tried to stop it from buying a high-tech missile system from Russia.
Thu, Jan 10, 2019
As Russia and China rise, U.S. bickers over non-issues
From:
‘US to blame for any imminent South China Sea clash’
Friday, January 11, 2019
BEIJING – US naval operations in the South China Sea could spark conflict and the United States would be to blame if a clash occurred, a Chinese military researcher said on Wednesday.
I had to make a new blog for this subject; because it a different political subject than this blog. I have been meaning to do this for a long time but like everything else time is of exigence.
If you want to see news like above any more you will have to go to my new blog I just created:
Click here to go to new blog: https://amnnow.blogspot.com/
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 12 2019
I am also adding another blog for non sex offender rights issues. Click here:
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 1 28 2019
Belleville man sues state's attorney, officials for $10M over sex offender registration
Jan 3, 2019
BELLEVILLE – A convicted sex offender who claims he was innocent is suing St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly and state officials for $5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, alleging his reputation within his community continues to be irreparably injured by his registration status.
Shane Allen Kitterman filed the complaint on Dec. 10 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Kelly, Assistant State’s Attorney Bernadette Schrempp and Supervisor of the Illinois State Police Sex Offender Registration Unit Tracie Newton, alleging deprivation of due process.
He claims the defendants conspired to use fabricated designations to deprive him of a hearing before the conclusion of a criminal court to cover up their alleged nefarious and unlawful actions.
According to the complaint, Kitterman alleges he entered into a contract with the people of Illinois on Jan. 10, 1996, which has been “memorialized in three documents created contemporaneously to the negotiations.”
Kitterman alleges that “in detrimental reliance upon promises” made by the State’s Attorney’s Office, he “agreed to forgo his right to prove he was innocent of a very serious crime, in exchange for the promise that his duties under the contract be governed by the Illinois Child Sex Offender Registration Act.”
Kitterman claims the State’s Attorney’s Office concealed a Jan. 1, 1996, amendment to the Illinois Child Sex Offender Registration Act, or CSORA, which increased duties and penalties. Kitterman claims he would not have entered into an agreement with the State’s Attorney’s Office if he had known about the amendment.
In accordance with the contract, Kitterman was obligated to respond to certain law enforcement agencies within the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Belleville Police Department, Shiloh Police Department, Swansea Police Department and the O’Fallon Police Department, the suit states.
In 2012, Kitterman alleges he discovered that the contract he entered into “was premised on fraud and deception and unconscionable and immediately attempted to protect his rights by enforcing the terms of the contract as they existed.”
Between 2012 and August 2015, Kitterman alleges Kelly and Schrempp conspired with Newton to conceal Kitterman’s rights by changing material information on a State Police website and within the Law Enforcement Agency Data System, or LEADS, to reflect that the plaintiff was convicted of a violation and must comply with CSORA for the rest of his life.
Kitterman claims that prior to contacting Kelly and Schrempp, he discovered that he was designated a child sex offender in violation of his contractual rights. He contacted the defendants in having his personal information removed from the website.
He alleges Kelly and Schrempp responded by contacting Newton “and conspired to fraudulently conceal Mr. Kitterman’s rights under the contract by altering or changing his designation on the State Police Website from a ‘Child Sex Offender’ to a “Sexual Predator’ required to register for the period of his natural life, and then to “Sexually Dangerous/Violent Person” subject to a 90 day reporting duties and possible civil commitment …”
Kitterman also claims the defendants contacted local law enforcement “and coordinated the destruction of forms memorializing information required by the Department of State Police to conceal the manufacturing of conviction information and other such false information contained in said forms.”
The complaint states that in 2013, Schrempp and Kelly sought to criminally prosecute Kitterman for failing to register as a sex offender and then contacted Newton to coordinate altering Kitterman’s registration status to a lifetime registration.
Kitterman alleges that he has submitted over 217 petitions to Newton to obtain a hearing before an administrative law judge to “reveal the conspiracy and unlawful abuse of her public office …”
Kitterman alleges the defendants obstructed justice by disseminating false information and proffering to former St. Clair County Chief Judge John Baricevic in an effort to prevent the plaintiff from revealing their violation of his due process and contractual rights.
As a result, Kitterman claims he has sustained severe and permanent injuries to his reputation in his community, continues to be deprived of his right to due process of law, continues to be deprived of his liberty and continues to be deprived of his right to associate with his wife and children. He also claims he suffers loss of employment and severe psychological and emotional trauma.
Kitterman seeks a judgment in his favor for $5 million in compensatory damages, $5 million in punitive damages, court costs and interests. He is representing himself pro se.
01.12.19 12:16 AM ET
CONTROVERSIAL
‘Untouchable’ Makes the Case for More Lenient Sex Offender Laws in America
A new documentary forwards the argument that our sex-offender laws are based largely on bogus stats and deserve to be reevaluated.
According to Untouchable, there’s a reason most Americans think sex offenders, and pedophiles in particular, are incurable, and thus destined to relapse: 2002’s McKune v. Lile, in which Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in a plurality opinion that there was a “frightening and high risk of recidivism” for such predators, and that “the rate of recidivism of untreated offenders has been estimated to be as high as 80 percent.” That statement has since been used in numerous legal verdicts as well as to support countless pieces of state and local legislation aimed at curbing the rights of those found guilty of crimes against kids. In doing so, it’s become de facto common wisdom, almost universally accepted as a bedrock truth about individuals who possess child pornography or abuse (or have improper relations with) a minor.
The problem? The sole piece of evidence that led Justice Kennedy to make such a bold claim came from a 1986 Psychology Today article written by Ronald Longo, a counselor who ran a treatment program in an Oregon prison—and there was absolutely no statistical basis for his “80 percent” assertion. Moreover, Longo himself has since rejected that figure.
Untouchable, a documentary about sex offenders written, directed and produced by David Feige—which arrives on home video and VOD on January 15, after winning the Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival—doesn’t drop that bombshell revelation until after its midway point, which in journalistic terms is akin to burying the lede. Nonetheless, Feige’s delay does little to neuter its impact, given that he spends the early portions of his non-fiction film incisively investigating multiple sides of the sex-offender issue. From victims and perpetrators, to activists who want to throw the convicted away and lose the key, it’s an eye-opening look at a thorny topic that, on the face of it, probably doesn’t strike many as very complex or controversial at all.
The reason the aforementioned McKune v. Lile decision is so stunning is that, by all accounts, actual sex-offender recidivism rates are low. In three-year studies done by Connecticut, Alaska, Nebraska, Maine, New York and California, recidivism figures are generally less than 4 percent—hardly a “frightening and high” figure. Furthermore, most conclude that there’s no correlation between recidivism rates and geographic proximity, meaning that laws passed to keep registered sex offenders from living close to schools, playgrounds, or other kid-centric areas generally have no impact; if wrongdoers are likely to seek prey nearby, it’s often in their own homes, or in churches or educational settings, where they know their intended targets. If Untouchable is to be believed—and its statistical case appears reasonably solid—then that’s a forceful repudiation of how we think about, and treat, sex offenders.
That’s not music to the ears of Ron Book, the powerhouse South Florida lobbyist who, compelled by his daughter Lauren’s horrifying sexual abuse at the hands of their nanny Waldina Flores (seen, hauntingly, in home movies), has made it his personal crusade to guarantee that his state has the strictest sex offender laws in the country. Those include mandatory 50-year minimum sentences for those convicted (and notations on their driver’s licenses), as well as ordinances that keep them from residing within 2,500 feet of any child-populated area. The result of the latter is that no sex offenders live in Miami Beach, and those that did before the law was passed have had to relocate—many to homeless tent encampments scattered around the metropolitan area. Book, a fiery gentleman whose eyes well up with teary rage when talking about the matter—understandably, given Lauren’s unthinkable ordeal—doesn’t care that he has no empirical evidence bolstering his measures, since he says that “some level of common sense” indicates that if you keep predators away from kids, you decrease risk.
Book’s zealous passion is moving, as are interviews with Lauren, who’s dedicated her life to making children safe from abuse. Untouchable doesn’t minimize their grief nor their contentions, and it’s hard to imagine that states with tougher laws aren’t more successful at combating the issue. Still, the film does complicate things via a series of snapshots of offenders: Shawna Baldwin, an Oklahoma mother of two whose teenage tryst with a younger boy landed her on the registry; Clyde Newton, an older man who was convicted of touching his stepdaughter; and 74-year-old John Cryar, a thrice-divorced individual caught with child pornography who admits that he’s lived his entire life as a “closet pedophile.”
As you can likely tell from those descriptions, these three individuals are not the same; Shawna belongs in a different category than the other (more deviant) two. Yet the American judicial system treats them as equals, restricting their travel, determining their residency, and slapping them with the same onerous label. Even sexting can now land teenagers on the registry, since nude photos of peers can technically be classified as child pornography. Through snapshots of this trio, as well as discussions with academic experts and Patty Wetterling, the mother of kidnapped-and-missing Jacob Wetterling, who helped create the registry in the 1990s with President Bill Clinton, Feige suggests that our sex-offender laws have shifted away from rehabilitation and toward punishment—which is a problem when those same laws cast a wide net, lumping in careless young adults with legitimately dangerous pedophiles.
This is why I am still a card carrying member of the ACLU and I will be till; I go to be with and rule and reign with the Lord; the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I have a brand new ACLU card in my wallet every year. In cases against the degradation and false judgments, and the taking of any human dignity and human rights; afforded to anyone on earth, against so called labeled for life, sex offenders; God himself is on the side of the ACLU.
Revelation 20:6 Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Matthew 7:1-3
7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, itshall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Published 12:01 a.m. ET Jan. 21, 2019 | Updated 10:33 a.m. ET Jan. 21, 2019
William Hetherington says he's still being punished after paying his debt for a crime he didn't commit.
Hetherington, 65, made national headlines after his 1986 conviction for a new Michigan crime, spousal rape. Innocence advocates raised questions about the conviction, and his case was highlighted in the 1990s by multiple media outlets, including the "Phil Donahue Show," ABC's "Prime Time Live" and CBS's "60 Minutes."
Despite his clean prison record, Hetherington served more than double the maximum sentence under Michigan guidelines for spousal rape because at parole hearings he refused to express remorse for a crime he insisted he hadn't committed. When he was released in 2009, his name was added to the Michigan State Police Sex Offender Registry, and he struggled to adjust to life after prison.
The Air Force veteran was in a federal program that provides housing and other services for honorably discharged homeless military veterans — but when the state changed the rules in 2011 requiring him to stay on the sex offender list for life, he was kicked out of the program, which bars anyone with lifetime reporting requirements on sex offender registries.
Civil rights advocates say Hetherington is an example of how thousands of people have been unfairly penalized by the Michigan Sex Offender Registry more than two years after the Sixth Circuit Court ruled the state's changes retroactively putting people on the list for life were unconstitutional.
"All the government has ever done is violate my rights," said Hetherington, who lives in a small apartment provided by a minister in Vassar, near Frankenmuth. "Now they're doing it again. It's the story of my life."
Hetherington is one of 40,000 convicted sex offenders in Michigan who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union in a federal class-action lawsuit against the state.
The lawsuit, filed in June in U.S. District Court, demands that the state lift the offenders' lifetime registry requirements. That would allow them access to benefits they're cut off from because they're on the list — including the program Hetherington was kicked out of, the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing initiative.
"The lifetime requirement is effectively lifetime parole, because you have to report even small things like getting an email address or phone number," said Miriam Aukerman, senior staff attorney at ACLU of Michigan.
"There are other reporting requirements, such as if you want to travel anywhere for more than seven days, you have to report that in person," Aukerman said. "The statue also says people on the registry can’t loiter within 100 feet of a school, which means parents can't watch their kids' sports games or graduations without being in violation."
State police spokeswoman Shanon Banner said the agency is in compliance.
"As a result of the 6th Circuit decision, the MSP informed law enforcement that similar retroactive enforcement of the requirements under the 2006 or 2011 amendments against other similarly situated offenders could likewise be unconstitutional," she said in a written statement.
"However, it needs to be noted that the court did not find the sex offender registry itself to be unconstitutional, nor did it find prospective enforcement of the 2006 or 2011 requirements against offenders with offense dates after such amendments to be unconstitutional."
Banner said state police are unable to take people off the list who had been retroactively required to report for life.
"Efforts to modify the registry as a whole require legislative changes to the (sex offender registry)," she said. "To this end, we have been engaged in discussion with the Legislature, Attorney General’s Office and other stakeholders for some time in regards to the offenders who were named in the lawsuit."
Phone calls to the Attorney General's Office were not returned.
Aukerman said the current system diverts police from monitoring potentially dangerous sex offenders because the list includes people convicted of less serious crimes.
"Our original lawsuit involved five people," she said. "One of our clients was a little older than the girl he was dating in high school, and she got pregnant at age 15. He got prosecuted. He's now married to the girl; they have kids together, but he's on the sex offender registry for life. That's not the kind of person law enforcement should be wasting resources monitoring."
Michigan passed the sex offender registration law in 1994 as a private law enforcement database. After initial registration, the only other requirement was for offenders to tell the state within 10 days of a change of address.
When the registry was set up, people convicted of one sex offense were to stay on the list for 25 years after the conviction; those convicted of multiple crimes were to be on the list for life.
Through the years, lawmakers amended the registry, including making the names public. A 2006 change retroactively barred most offenders from living, working or loitering within 1,000 feet of school property. In 2011, a rules change forced many offenders who would have been on the list only for 25 years to remain in the database for life.
The ACLU and the University of Michigan Clinical Law Program filed a lawsuit in 2012 on behalf of five offenders who were required under the new rules to be on the list for life. In 2016, the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that retroactively applying the changes to people already on the list was unconstitutional.
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2017 declined to hear an appeal, upholding the 6th Circuit Court decision — but despite the ruling, Hetherington and thousands of others remain on the sex offender list for life.
"The state isn't in compliance, so we filed a new lawsuit against the state in June," Aukerman said. "It's a class action on behalf of everyone on the registry."
As that case winds its way through the courts, Hetherington said he's struggling to make ends meet. He said his sole income is his Social Security check.
"My own government is screwing me over," he said. "But that's nothing new."
Hetherington had separated from his wife, Linda, and was in the middle of a custody battle for their three daughters when she twice accused him of raping her before asking prosecutors to drop the charges, according to Detroit News archives.
Linda Hetherington later made a third rape claim after she and her estranged husband had sex on Sept. 24, 1985. He said the sex was consensual; she claimed she was tied up and brutally raped.
Hetherington was arrested and became the first person charged under Michigan's spousal rape law. During his trial in Genesee County Circuit Court, the judge prohibited cross-examination of his wife, who died in 2012.
The rape charge was prosecuted at the same time as Hetherington's custody case, and the divorce court froze his assets so he was unable to hire an attorney or get out of jail on bond. But the judge in the criminal trial ruled he wasn't indigent and refused to provide him with a court-appointed lawyer.
Prosecutors produced no physical evidence of rape at the trial. Linda Hetherington had undergone a pelvic examination in a hospital three hours after the reported rape, and there was no evidence of injury or forced penetration.
The court-designated psychologist who examined Hetherington concluded: "This is not a man who would force himself sexually or hostilely on another individual," according to court records.
Two police officers testified they had seen tape marks on Linda's face. Two doctors who examined her said they saw no such marks, but the jury apparently believed the officers and returned a guilty verdict.
"There's something about you, Mr. Hetherington, that frightens me," Genesee County Circuit Judge Thomas Yeotis said before handing down his sentence.
The sentencing guideline for the new offense was 12 months to 10 years but Hetherington was sentenced to 15 to 30 years. Yeotis didn't explain why he deviated from the guidelines.
"The whole thing was a joke," Hetherington said. "There were so many holes in my case it wasn't funny. But I got convicted anyway."
Ten years after Hetherington's conviction, attorney Jeff Feldman accepted the case pro bono. He used the Freedom of Information Act to get copies of five photographs police took of Linda Hetherington hours after the alleged rape. Prosecutors never disclosed the photos to the defense.
Feldman took the photos to forensic photographer John Valor, who was the lead forensic photographer in the trial of serial killer Ted Bundy.
Valor swore in a 1998 affidavit that the pictures of Linda Hetherington showed no scratches, tape marks or abnormalities of any kind. He added such marks would have been clearly visible
Still, Hetherington's appeals were denied until he was released from prison in 2009. He said life hasn't been easy since then.
"It's just been one nightmare after another," he said.
Julie Hurwitz, a civil rights attorney who has consulted Hetherington, said he's been given a raw deal.
"He had four months left on the sex offender registry before his 25 years were going to be up," she said. "He was originally told he'd be on the registry for 25 years — then they changed the law and retroactively required him to stay on the list for life.
"That meant he was immediately kicked out of this housing program, and job training programs, and lost other benefits," Hurwitz said. "The real impact is this poor man is afraid to leave this one-room hovel he's living in, fearing he'll be picked up for violating the Sex Offender Registration Act. It's a shame."
January 12, 2019
Civil Regulation? The Registry & its Components are in fact Legislative Punishment.
The first thing that must be pointed out is that the sex offender registry came about because of the myth that people convicted of sexual related crimes were always going to reoffend. Some of the numbers that were tossed around at the time that the registry was conceived were 60 to 80% would reoffend. The registry was not originally designed to protect anyone, it was simply there to aid law-enforcement so that they would have suspects to look at because of this belief of high reoffense rates. As we now know, that belief is not only a myth, but it is an outright lie. There is no high reoffense rate of any kind for people convicted of a sexually related crime. The studies all show a reconviction rate in the single digits, and many studies show the rates in the fractions of a single-digit (why-are-the-reconviction-rates-so-important). So to start with, because there is no high reoffense rate, there is no compelling reason for the the existence of the sex offender registry at all (other than fear, bias, bigotry and hatred of a class of criminals). Secondly, because of the lack of a high reoffense rate, there is no use for law-enforcement to have this duplication of information that is already available under their normal investigative procedures. This is only wasting time and resources and leads to harassing people who have a low risk to reoffend while making them and their families’ lives miserable.
As for the components of the registry, such as community notification, residence restrictions, job research and housing restrictions, freedom of movement restrictions, freedom to cross state lines restrictions, plus the many other components of the registry that could not exist without the registry’s existence; for a person to say that any one of these components is not punishment shows the uneducated bias of the person speaking or else they have a fiduciary interest in perpetuating these lies.
According to our declaration of independence all men are created equal, and in our Constitution and Bill of Rights it is laid out that all people will be treated equally. It is very apparent that a person who is on the registry is not treated equally with other citizens. This becomes quite obvious when a person who is not a sex offender accidentally is placed upon the registry or one of its components such as having their driver’s license tagged. If there was no disparity between ordinary citizens and registered citizens than they would be treated exactly the same. Quite obviously they are not.
In a recent story in the Orlando Sentinel, (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/lake/os-drivers-license-sexual-predator-mistake-20150507-story.html) a woman’s drivers license was mistakenly marked, indicating that she was a sexual predator and a registered citizen. In the four days that she had that drivers license, she was:
-denied entry to Walt Disney World and held by Disney security in a room unable to leave for several hours
-denied a hotel room
-subjected to disdain by her bank
-subjected to bias at court
-suffered fear to leave her house.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/may/07/woman-drivers-license-mistakenly-idd-me-as-sex/
This was all in just 4 days. Another other man incorrectly labeled a sexual predator was almost arrested just trying to go on a naval base, man-wrongly-labeled-sex-offender-on-id . After his death his family was offered a settlement for him incorrectly being labeled of a paltry $20,000. After all the humiliation that he had suffered because he unknowingly carried an ID card, showing that he was a registered citizen.
man-awarded-20k-after-incorrectly-labeled-sex-offender
What would a lifetime of such treatment do a person? When ordinary citizens are stigmatized by being indicated that they are on a Government sanctioned registry, it is quite obvious that the stigma of being on the registry is in every way, a form of punishment. Make no mistake about it, in this country shaming a person is a form of punishment, People v. Meyer People v. Lowe, 606 N.E.2d. People v. Molz, 113 N.E.2d, People v. Johnson 528 N.E.2d, State v. Burdin 924 S.W.2d ,People v. Letterlough 655 N.E.2d, Lindsay v. State 606 So. 2D, and when that stigma is carried over to innocent family members including children through collateral damage, (/blog/2014/02/25/government-sanctioned-cruelty-to-over-half-1-million-american-children.html ) than there can be no doubt that these laws that are based not on facts, but rather fear, hate and bigotry are unconstitutional. For anyone who reads this and thinks otherwise I suggest you ask yourself this question, how would you feel if you or a close family member suddenly ended up on a registry and community notification with all the restrictions that it implies, would you consider it a violation of your constitutional rights and outright punishment?
New Blogs Part 12 Updated February 27 2019
PA: FAMILY OF PEDOPHILE PASTOR NOW SPREADS THE WORD ON HOW TO PREVENT ABUSE
January 28, 2019
[blackchristiannews.com – 1/28/19]
SOMERSET, Pa. – Jimmy and Clara Hinton don’t want others to miss what they didn’t see for years: their father and husband, a respected pastor for years in his rural community, was keeping his flock in the dark while he molested young children.
Today, the elders at Somerset Church of Christ have moved intentionally to protect children. Empty classrooms are locked. Adults working with children operate in teams of two or more. On Sundays, monitors conduct random building sweeps and each Sunday School room has a walkie-talkie in case of an emergency.
Protecting Children Top Priority
Church policy also protects children from potentially unwanted physical touch like a hug. “None of us can walk up to a kid, pull a kid in and initiate that physical contact,” says Pastor Jimmy, who has served as the pastor at Church of Christ since his father left in 2009.
He thinks that’s important because abusers often groom children to become used to them initiating.
If a registered sex offender wants to come to church, the elders will alert the congregation and provide a separate service to avoid contact with children.
Elder Bob Martin acknowledges that while controversial, the policy puts the safety of children first. “When someone is aware of that in their congregation and fails to notify them,” he said, “I think they have to answer to God for that and I don’t want to stand before Him and explain why I did not protect one of his children.”
Full Article: https://blackchristiannews.com/2019/01/family-of-pedophile-pastor-now-spreads-the-word-on-how-to-prevent-abuse/
CA: APPELLATE COURT RULES IN REGISTRANT’S FAVOR IN PROP. 57 CASE
January 29, 2019
An appellate court in California ruled today that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) must provide consideration for early parole to a registrant who is currently incarcerated for an offense that is not a sex offense in accordance with Proposition 57 (Prop. 57). The majority of the court specified, however, that its decision does not apply to those who are currently incarcerated because of a sex offense. In a concurring opinion, one of the three appellate judges stated that he believes CDCR is authorized to deny the benefits of Prop. 57 to anyone currently incarcerated because of a sex offense.
“Today’s decision will benefit thousands of individuals convicted of a sex offense long ago who are currently incarcerated,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Unfortunately, the same decision does not provide relief to many more individuals who are currently incarcerated because of a recent sex offense.”
In addition to this case, there are eight cases pending which challenge CDCR’s regulations that prohibit all registrants from receiving benefits from Prop. 57. The cases have been filed in six counties — Sacramento, Orange, Riverside, San Joaquin, Santa Clara and San Diego. Further, there is a Prop. 57 case pending before the California Supreme Court, In re Brown-Seals, Case No. S249019, in which a registrant is challenging CDCR’s denial of Prop. 57 benefits to him. The registrant filed an informal response with the court on Oct. 1, 2018, and the court is expected to issue an Order to Show Cause early this year that could require CDCR to justify its denial.
VA: HEARING THURSDAY: EFF TELLS COURT THAT CLICKING ON A URL ISN’T ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY A SEARCH WARRANT
January 30, 2019
[eff.org/ – 1/29/19]
Identifying IP Address That May Have Connected to a URL Doesn’t Amount to Probable Cause
Richmond, Virginia—On Thursday, January 31, at 8:30 am, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) will ask a federal appeals court to find that the act of clicking on a URL or weblink isn’t sufficient evidence for law enforcement to get a warrant to search someone’s home.
The hearing involves a child pornography prosecution in which law enforcement obtained a warrant to search a defendant’s home based on the attempted connection to a URL (or weblink) by an IP address that was mapped to his computer. The URL led to a password-protected file-sharing service portal that the government maintains contained child pornography.
FL: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING ANOTHER INMATE
January 30, 2019
[mypanhandle.com – 1/29/19]
JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. – On Monday, Rocky Ali Beamon was sentenced to death in Jackson County, Florida, for First Degree Premeditated Murder.
The conviction and sentence come from the 2012 murder of Bruce Hunsicker at the Apalachee Correctional Institution in Sneads, Florida.
Reports said Beamon and Hunsicker were both inmates at the prison, and subsequent confessions by Beamon revealed that the motive for the murder was primarily Hunsicker’s status as a sex offender. Reports also said that Hunsicker also owed Beamon money.
After watching the victim for several days to learn his schedule, Beamon killed Hunsicker in the shower area of the prison dormitory by approaching him from behind, choking him, and stabbing him 80 times with a homemade shank.
Reports said Beamon then rinsed himself off and flushed the shank, a towel, and a pair of boxers, after which he proceeded to dinner.
…the aggravating factors in this case outweighed the mitigating circumstances applicable to the Defendant…
CO: HUNDREDS OF SEX OFFENDERS GET THEIR NAMES TAKEN OFF THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY EVERY YEAR
February 5, 2019 ·18 Comments
A Contact7 investigation found that in the state of Colorado, hundreds of sex offenders are getting off the sex offender registry every year. In one case, a felony sex offender’s motion was granted even after his victim pleaded against it.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: SENATOR OBJECTS TO PUBLIC NAMING OF SEX CONVICTS
February 5, 2019
[guardian.co.tt – 2/5/19]
At least one Independent Senator is not in support of the names of sexual offenders going public.
Sophia Chote, SC, said that this has the potential of opening the floodgates for vigilante justice in T&T.
Chote made the comment in the Senate on Tuesday during her contribution on the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill to create a sexual offenders registry.
She said making the names of sexual offenders public will also stigmatise the name of the convicted person.
“So if the T&T Police Service has a list of sexual offenders, then, certainly that is going to help them identify who may have perpetrated a particular crime and bring that person to justice. To me, that is more in the public’s interest than putting something up on the web in a police station.”
She cited a 2007 US article entitled a “comparison of sexual offenders and the non-offending public” which showed that half of the sex offenders who were interviewed claimed they received “threats, had their property damaged and had been physically assaulted and ran out of town basically as a result of public disclosure.”
Chote said it meant that if vigilantes know someone had committed a sexual offence which goes public, they would not have any guilt of administering their own justice.
TN: CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST YOUTH FOOTBALL COACH WHO WAS ACCUSED OF VIOLATING SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY ACT
February 8, 2019
[fox13memphis.com – 2/8/19]
Charges were dismissed against a Memphis Youth football coach. He was wrongfully accused of violating the state’s sexual offender registration laws.
Police had arrested and charged Mykal Madision with Sexual Offender Registration and tracking on Wednesday.
It happened after a parent of one of Madison’s players said he was a registered sex offender.
Madison is currently listed on the Texas sex offender registry
MI: ATTORNEY GENERAL NESSEL WEIGHS IN ON SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION CASES BEFORE MI SUPREME COURT
February 8, 2019
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed amicus briefs in the Michigan Supreme Court today in Michigan v Snyder (Case number 153696) and People v Betts (Case number 148981), arguing that Michigan’s sex offender registration and notification requirements are punishment because they are so burdensome and fail to distinguish between dangerous offenders and those who are not a threat to the community.
CNMI: SEX REGISTRY’S CONSTITUTIONALITY QUESTIONED
February 11, 2019
Northern Mariana Islands – A registered sex offender, whose adult girlfriend is currently pregnant, is questioning the constitutionality of the law that created the CNMI Sex Offender Registry, as this prevents him from being around minors, including his own children. … Banes said, the statute is unconstitutional, under both the CNMI and the U.S. Constitutions as applicable in the CNMI under the Covenant.
AL: DISTRICT COURT DETERMINES ALABAMA LAWS TO BE PUNISHMENT
February 12, 2019
Doe v. Marshall – decided February 11, 2019
Conclusion: Alabama can prosecute sex offenses to the full extent of the law. It can also act to protect its citizens from recidivist sex offenders. But the State denies that ASORCNA is designed to “punish” offenders. And once a person serves his full sentence, he enjoys the full protection of the Constitution. Harris, 772 F.3d at 572; accord Packingham, 137 S. Ct. at 1737.
Sex offenders are not second-class citizens, and anyone who thinks otherwise would do well to remember Thomas Paine’s wisdom: “He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy *49 from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.”
CA: ACSOL SUPPORTS SENATE BILL TO TERMINATE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
February 14, 2019
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) has agreed to support Senate Bill 145 that would provide judges with the authority to terminate the requirement to register for individuals convicted of some sex offenses. The authority would be limited to circumstances in which the age difference between the offender and the victim is 10 years or less provided that the victim is at least 14 years old.
“Senator Scott Wiener, author of the Tiered Registry Law, is also author of Senate Bill 145,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “ACSOL supports Senate Bill 145 because it will allow judges discretion, when warranted, to end registration requirements for individuals whose age was within 10 years of their victims.”
Attached is a copy of the ACSOL letter. Members and supporters of ACSOL are encouraged to send their own personally worded letters of support to the Senate Public Safety Committee via FAX to 916-445-4688 or via U.S. mail to State Capitol, Room 2031, Sacramento, CA 95814.
NY: STATEMENT ON LANDMARK APPELLATE DECISION LIMITING THE REACH OF SORA RESIDENCY RESTRICTIONS
February 22, 2019
[legalaidnyc.org – 2/21/19]
The Legal Aid Society applauded a ruling rendered today by the New York State Appellate Division – Third Department, rejecting the New York State Department of Correction and Community Supervision’s (DOCCS) interpretation of the statutory residency restrictions faced by individuals with prior sex offense convictions.
Specifically, the court held that people whose sex offense sentences had already expired were not subject to the law’s harsh mandatory residency restrictions when they were released to parole following a subsequent non-sex offense conviction. The ruling represents the first such limitation imposed by an appellate tribunal on these restrictions since the law’s enactment.
These restrictions have garnered recent criticism – especially in New York City – for making it virtually impossible for individuals to locate compliant addresses.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 12 2019
I had to edit this. It has been on my mind all this time. I do not get paid for any of my posts online and get sloppy all the time. That is why I always say I can not be held accountable for editing mistakes and typos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A1ZU4UaDPA Disturbing Things In Sixteen Candles Only Adults Notice - YouTube.
This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that not only is 16 Candles; racist but it is full of sex offenses. I have been saying this type of thing for years here on this blog. Sex offences are played out in movies and television all the time; with never a mention of any wrong doing. I thought this example is worth pointing out.
I was checking my email this morning and read this headline:
A comedian licked a journalist’s ear while he was reporting. Is it assault?
I say it is most definitely a assault and everything and anything like it.
I am very happy our society is waking up to what sex offences are; but where are all the registered sex offenders as a result of all this new found knowledge. Sex offences are continually a pick and choose crime. We as a society pick and choose actors and directors and rich people and gay people and church people and minority's and especially politicians, just some examples of the most popular to be registered sex offenders. If everyone that committed a sex offence was a registered sex offender; the number would be a true force to recon with. Considering the population of America for example is about 330 million. My ruff guess would be at least one forth to one third of that number; may have committed a sex offence. That goes for just about every country in the world. I am not at all belittling someone licking someones ear on television; as a common event. Personally like rape; that is a type of behavior, I can not or will not, even try to understand. I have always believed that our lives go how we interact with each other; anything like this behavior does not compute with me.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 24 2019
I do not believe in any conspiracy theories, at all, and never did; my whole life.
I do not believe in chemtrails, freemasons, weather warfare, psychotronic weapons, gangstalking, flat earth, pizzagate, MK Ultra, DEWs, HAARP, smart meters, 5G, Agenda 21 & 2030, kill cities, social engineering, Rothschilds, Rockefellers, touchless torture, UFO's and the rest. I basically do not believe in conspiracy's at all. I think these things are tools to keep people from believing like the dollar bill say's: In God We Trust. I never believed in conspiracy theories, like UFO's all my life, I guess that is one of the most common.
I do not even believe in the biggest conspiracy theory our nation has ever had on it: all people caught committing a sex offence, especially registered sex offenders; are a danger to everyone because they could sexually molest people, at any moment. I can not help but laugh a little inside to think people actually believe this; it is that ridiculous.
If you are going to believe that a human being is capable of molesting another human being at any moment; you would have to put all your trust in man, especially men who are profiting from such bazaar claims.
To all them that put their trust in man this scripture is meant just for you; it should be the theme of their lives.:
Jeremiah 17:5 KJV
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
God extremely, rarely, pronounces a curse like this. To my knowledge it is the only scripture like it. Now you must see how important it is we have In God We Trust on our money.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 27 2019
I updated my last post and put it in bold and highlighted. From: it should be the theme of your life.: to: it should be the theme of their lives.: SOFAQ is for people who see through things to the basic rights of human beings not the others.
If you do not care who you give your mobile phone number this is a good petition to sign: https://secure.everyaction.com/_TsbUoLcy0iH1t_IazfVQQ2 I have limited minutes on mine and can not afford text messages and such. Here is a copy of the letter:
Freedom of religion is important to all of us, including LGBTQ people. It’s one of the founding values of our nation. That’s why it’s already protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.
But that freedom doesn’t mean imposing one’s religious beliefs onto others.
That’s why I am angered by bills like SB 17. Nobody should be granted a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
Just because a health care professional cares for a patient doesn’t mean they share or endorse all of that patient’s beliefs. Just because someone rents out an apartment or hires an employee doesn't mean they endorse every part of that person's life. We all have different beliefs. That’s what makes our country great. Nobody should be turned away by a health care or other service provider, fired from a job, or denied housing simply because of who they are.
As your constituent, I’m asking you to oppose Senate Bill 17 and to stop using religion to divide us.
CA: MANY CALIFORNIANS CAN CLEAR CRIMINAL RECORDS, BUT DON’T. THIS BILL WOULD MAKE IT AUTOMATIC
March 11, 2019
[sfchronicle.com – 3/7/19]
People arrested or convicted of crimes in California could have their criminal records automatically cleared under a proposed law announced Thursday by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón and Assemblyman Phil Ting.
AB1076 would wipe out eligible convictions for people who have completed local sentences and eliminate many arrest records that have not resulted in convictions. Offenders already are eligible to petition the courts for the relief, but less then 20 percent take advantage of the program, said Ting, D-San Francisco.
Under the law, people convicted of offenses ranging from petty theft to more serious felonies that resulted in jail sentences — such as robbery or assault — could begin putting their criminal pasts behind them.
The groundbreaking clean-slate initiative would keep background-check agencies from accessing and disseminating cleared criminal records to employers and licensing boards. However, it would not remove the records from law enforcement databases.
MI: ACLU LAWSUITS LOOK TO REFORM MICHIGAN SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
March 15, 2019
[wsbt.com – 3/15/19]
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A federal court ruled three years ago that parts of Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry laws were unconstitutional, but since then, nothing in the law has changed.
The ACLU is looking to reform, or even do away with the registry as part of an ongoing lawsuit.
“The law that we have now is broken, it’s bloated, its ineffective and it actually makes us less safe,” said Miriam Aukerman, an attorney with the ACLU of Michigan.
Aukerman said the state’s sex offender registry law is unconstitutional and ineffective, which was why the organization had ongoing lawsuits in both state and federal court.
“When someone has served their time and done their punishment, we say ‘go out and start your life over again,’” Aukerman said.
Michigan has one of the largest sex offender registries of any state, with 44,000 people.
The registry is easy to access, and searchable by location or name on the Michigan State Police website.
A search of the database shows 783 registered sex offenders in Kalamazoo, including 18 living within a half mile of Newschannel 3.
“I think people need to know where things are, where people are in their neighborhood,” said Calhoun County Prosecuting Attorney David Gilbert.
He said easy access to the database helps keep people safe.
In 2006 and 2011 the Michigan legislature toughened sex offender laws, requiring lifetime registration for certain offenses. Those registration requirements were implemented retroactively.
The toughened registration requirements meant people whose crimes occurred before the registry even existed had to register and were governed by strict standards.
A federal appeals court ruled the retroactive registration unconstitutional in 2016. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal a year later.
CT: TOWN REPEALS SEX OFFENDER RESTRICTIONS AMID LAWSUIT
March 25, 2019
[apnews.com – 3/24/19]
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (AP) — Residents of a Connecticut town have repealed a local ordinance that banned registered sex offenders from local parks, schools, the town library and other public places amid a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law.
The Windsor Locks law was approved 11 years ago amid concerns about threats to children’s safety by people listed on the state’s sex-offender registry. A federal lawsuit by an anonymous resident and an advocacy group alleges the ordinance violates sex offenders’ constitutional rights.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 02 2019
I liked Obama and I still believe in the Democratic Party. I will never believe all democrats are all Nazi Commies that want to destroy our country.
Another reason; I am so happy I have nothing to do with Facebook and Twitter.:
“You need to be raped...”
This is one of many messages sent to women worldwide on social media every day. I know because I’ve received plenty of these threats.
These intolerable comments are traumatic for me because I’ve been raped. I was drugged and brutally gang-raped by four men nearly 20 years ago. I still remember the fear and torment of being unable to take control of my own body or scream for help. I remember the intense pain I felt the next morning when I regained full consciousness. Not just physical pain, but intense mental and emotional pain that made me want to commit suicide. I would never wish that pain on anyone. Not even on my rapists.
In 2014, I went public with my story. As a public rape survivor and activist, I use Twitter as a platform to spread my anti-violence message, but that same platform is being used by others to bully, terrorize, and threaten me. Unfortunately, Twitter does not take threats of rape seriously. Women receive the same response over and over when they reach out to Twitter for help:
“Thank you for letting us know about your issue... the content doesn’t violate Twitter rules.”
This is unacceptable. Threats of rape are used intentionally to terrorize women into submission and silence. Twitter bullies use rape threats because they know it instills a level of fear in women that can only rival the threat of murder. We cannot as a global society accept this kind of behavior.
Twitter has block and mute features, but they’re not enough. They don't stop the threats, and they do nothing to stop Twitter from being a platform that fosters violence against women. We know that there are hundreds of thousands of users who have made these threats. I'm all for free speech, but threatening rape and the brutal violation of another's body is NOT something we should protect.
Please stand with me and urge Twitter to begin a large scale shutdown of accounts that tweet rape threats. It’s time for Twitter to send the message to their users that the platform will not be used to promote threats of rape. It’s time for Twitter to listen and care about the requests of their female user base. NO ONE “needs to be raped...”
Thank you to Chinmayi Sripada, whose petition in India inspired me to stand with her in solidarity and start the same petition in the United States. Join us and this global movement for this important change now.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 03 2019
If there is one thing I know is sex offences and all the different types that exist and how to avoid them. I never touch anyone unless it is only for a couple seconds like a hand shack or a pat on the back. I found a good page explaining about what I am talking about:
When used in a sexual context, groping or fondling is touching another person in an unwelcome sexual way. The term generally has a negative connotation in many societies, and the activity may be considered sexual assault. Toucherism, considered a paraphilia, describes the practice of a person touching another non-consenting person with their hands, typically in crowds, for their own sexual pleasure. Touching a consenting person's body during sexual activity, massage, or medical examination is not usually considered groping, though the term is sometimes used to include clumsy, selfish, or inappropriate sexual touching. Areas of the body most frequently groped include the buttocks, breasts, vulva and thighs on a woman, and the penis, testicles and buttocks on a man. Gropers might use their hands, but pressing any part of their body against another person can be considered groping.
Next thing I know is my SOFAQ blog is requiring my name to continue. I can say anything I want; but when I say something negative about a prominent democrat; I have problems on the internet. I have had whole web pages stop working the second I say something positive about President Trump. This page is proof of that (notice the last thing I added was a positive image I made for the president; after that, the page would not work) this is that page: http://sexoffenderfaq.blogspot.com/p/bible-bashing-sofaq-style-updated.html
Here is a screenshot copy of one of the responses:
New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 06 2019
About my last post:
I have had so many problems with this blog and using other Google feature's; that is why I made the above complaint. For instance I actually had my Google Plus account suspended for supposedly spamming inspirational Bible verses on images. If I spammed I did it without knowing because if you post to one page it automatically posts to other pages you are a member of. How was I supposed to know that? When they asked me for my name I immediately thought they were resetting my account here. Also I have never trusted to view count for this page.
Since my Google Plus problem about 3 months ago; Google Plus has been discontinued. I could care less about that. As far as I am concerned all Google Plus just jammed up my inbox with emails I never read. The reason I reacted the way I did with my SOFAQ blogs; was because when I was banned from Google Plus for a spam violation I did know I committed; the only way I could post, was to choose a new name for my account. When I could not log on here until I entered a name; it made me think they may have wanted to ban me here.
I shut all these blogs down for almost 2 weeks, because I thought it was giving me a reputation of a political blogger rather than what I want to be known as: a skilled and college graduated artist.
Google does way more for me than I could ever thank them enough for. It blows me away when I go to images and put my blog name in and all these great works of art I have created; are instantly staring me in the face. They got it down these days too. They automatically post things on Google I write the minute I post them. When I am writing a email to anyone; I can put a word in Google and my blog name and find the exact page it is on.
As long as Google keeps the emphasis on my art images; I will feel more reflected as a artist on the web verses a political blogger.
Why?:
"A picture is worth a thousand words" is an English language idiom. It refers to the notion that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single picture, this picture conveys its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 26 2019
AZ: Sex offenders get chance to end life-long registration under House proposal
March 30, 2019
[azcapitoltimes.com - 3/29/19] State lawmakers are weighing whether to give judges more leeway to eliminate the requirement that certain people register for life as sex offenders. A measure approved Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee would allow people convicted of certain sex crimes, when they turn 35, to petition to be absolved of the mandate. Not everyone would be eligible. The legislation pushed by...
read more here: https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2019/03/29/sex-offenders-get-chance-to-end-life-long-registration-under-house-proposal/
CT: Lawmakers Debate Changes in Sex Offender Registry
April 1, 2019
[courant.com - 4/1/19] State legislators are debating whether they should make changes in the state’s sex offender registry, which was established in 1998. Former Republican state legislator Bob Farr of West Hartford and other advocates called Monday for approving the recommendations of the state’s sentencing commission on changes to the registry, which is currently "based on the offense and not on the risk...
read more here: https://www.courant.com/politics/capitol-watch/hc-pol-lawmakers-sex-offender-changes-20190401-cccqp3wxj5hf7frfsakcyur3pm-story.html
CA: Judge Allows San Diego Sex Offender Lawsuit To Proceed
April 1, 2019
[kpbs.org - 4/1/19] San Diego City Council members are under more pressure to repeal an unenforceable law restricting where sex offenders can live in the city, after a federal judge allowed a lawsuit challenging the ordinance to proceed. Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz ruled in January against the city's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed in 2017 by a group of unnamed sex...
read more here: https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/apr/01/judge-san-diego-sex-offenders-lawsuit-proceed/
IL: Federal Judge Finds Illinois Rules On Sex Offenders Unconstitutional
April 2, 2019
[wbez.org - 4/1/19] A federal judge in Chicago has found the Illinois Department of Corrections is violating the constitutional rights of prisoners convicted of certain sex crimes by making the restrictions on where they can live so stringent that inmates are often locked up long beyond their sentences. In a ruling issued Sunday, Judge Virginia Kendall wrote that hundreds of offenders in the...
read more here: https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/federal-judge-finds-illinois-rules-on-sex-offenders-unconstitutional/fdea1372-1b00-44b1-b0e6-2501bc082378
Canada: Sex-offender registry laws discriminate against mentally ill, court rules
April 4, 2019
[theprovince.com - 4/4/19] Parts of federal and Ontario laws requiring sex-offender registration where an accused is granted an absolute discharge after being found not criminally responsible discriminate against the mentally ill and are therefore unconstitutional, Ontario’s top court ruled Thursday. While the court ordered information belonging to the man who brought the case to be deleted immediately from sex-offender registries, the justices also...
PA: High Court will again review sex offender registration
April 9, 2019
Two years ago, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court shook up long-settled orthodoxy by ruling that the state’s sex offender registration law, otherwise known as SORNA (Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act) was punishment. The case, Commonwealth v. Muniz, 164 A.3d 1189 (Pa. 2018), presented the Court with two questions: whether people who committed their crimes before the adoption of the law could continue to be...
read more here: https://ccresourcecenter.org/2019/04/09/pa-high-court-will-again-review-sex-offender-registration/
PA: Constitutional right or crime? Case of alleged harassment of sex offender’s family heads to court
April 11, 2019
[lehighvalleylive.com - 4/9/19] A father and son from Freemansburg accused of harassing the family of a sex offender are headed to Northampton County Court on their respective criminal charges. James Forte Sr. and James Forte Jr., who both live in 200 block of Juniata Street in the borough, had their preliminary hearings Tuesday in front of District Judge Nicholas Englesson. Following testimony from the...
CCA: Appeals court strikes down state law that banned early parole for youthful violent sex offenders
April 11, 2019 – 1 Reply
[sfchronicle.com - 4/10/19] Two men who received life sentences for a brutal sexual assault and robbery in Oakland when they were 19 must be given parole hearings during their 25th year in prison, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday, striking down a state law that made them ineligible. A California law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017, one of a series of...
read more here: https://all4consolaws.org/2019/04/ca-appeals-court-strikes-down-state-law-that-banned-early-parole-for-youthful-violent-sex-offenders/
WA: Washington Sexting Bill Aims to Shield Teens From Adult Law
April 11, 2019
[usnews.com - 4/11/19] Legislation aimed at keeping youth who send sexually explicit texts from being charged under adult sex crime laws has cleared the Legislature in Washington state. The bill , which passed late Wednesday night, would create a new group of crimes reserved specifically for minors who are caught with explicit images of other minors, attempting to solve what lawmakers described as a...
read more here:
CT: Low-risk sex offenders could come off CT registry
April 15, 2019
HARTFORD — The Judiciary Committee advanced a bill that would allow some low-risk offenders to come off the state’s public sex offender registry — a move that proponents said would make it easier for law enforcement to focus on high-risk offenders.
read more here: https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Low-risk-sex-offenders-could-come-off-CT-registry-13768559.php
This is a example of why, for the past 20 years; I have had a annual up to date ACLU card in my wallet.
This is a example of why, for the past 20 years; I wear my ACLU t-shirts, when ever I get a chance.
This is a example of why, for the past 20 years; I implore people to support the ACLU online and in person.
MI: ACLU pushes for removal of sex offender registry
April 25, 2019
[abc57.com - 4/25/19] Could the sex offender registry soon be a thing of the past? The American Civil Liberties Union wants to possibly get rid of it, saying the registry doesn't work. Right now, there are two cases out of Michigan, including a class action lawsuit, claiming several parts of the registry are unconstitutional. “In August 2016, the federal court of appeals held that...
read more here:
New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 28 2019
From: https://thepointeruwsp.com/2019/04/26/five-films-to-check-out-for-sexual-assault-awareness-month/
Five Films to Check Out for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Posted by: Cameron Cieszki April 26, 2019
While film can be used to entertain and provide an escape for viewers, it can also be used to serve social causes, including bringing awareness to relevant social issues. April is nationally regarded as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, with college campuses, community organizations, and state coalitions working to raise awareness surrounding sexual violence. With April coming to a close, here are five films to check out before the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
1. The Hunting Ground (2015)
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material involving sexual assault, and for language.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 20-25% of college women and 15% of college men are victims of forced sex during their time in higher education. Director Kirby Dick and Producer Amy Ziering tackle this pervasive issue in their 2015 documentary “The Hunting Ground,” which follows students’ experiences with sexual assault on campus and the lack of action taken by college administrators. “The Hunting Ground” specifically sheds light on two of these students – Andrea E. Pino and Annie Clark – who became advocates for victims of sexual assault, filed a Title IX complaint against The University of North Carolina, and created the End Rape on Campus organization. The film shares the stories of male sexual assault victims as well, aiming to combat the stigma and shame that surrounds men who come forward about being assaulted. The documentary features the song “Til It Happens to You,” penned by Lady Gaga and Diane Warren for the film. In the song, Gaga poses the listener to put themselves in the shoes of those who are victims of sexual assault, and the pain these traumatic acts of violence brings.
2. Teeth (2007)
MPAA Rating: Rated R for disturbing sequences involving sexuality and violence, language, and some drug use.
Although many may not be able to get over the absurd premise, “Teeth” is an assertation of feminine power and a takedown of non-consensual sex. The film is a contemporary examination of the vagina dentata (toothed vagina) folk tale that has been used around the world to dictate the “danger” of women’s sexuality. The story centers on Dawn, a teenager involved in an abstinence group called The Promise. After being the subject of male sexual violence, Dawn discovers she has a unique physical adaptation. “Teeth” deconstructs its source folk tale and spins the narrative into a feminist horror-comedy. This grisly film is definitely not for everyone and some aspects of the film haven’t aged well in 2019, but its commentary on male entitlement and sexual violence are still as poignant today as it was in 2007.
3. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
MPAA Rating: Rated R for violence including an intense brutal rape scene, sexuality, language and drug use.
“Boys Don’t Cry” is a biopic centered on the life of Brandon Teena, a transgender man living in 1990s Nebraska who becomes the victim of an appalling hate crime. The film isn’t perfect; the portrayal of Teena by cisgender actress Hilary Swank doesn’t fly in today’s era, especially when the advocacy for marginalized groups to portray themselves onscreen has become a relevant concern. With that said, “Boys Don’t Cry” has the audience reckon with the sexual violence enacted against trans people. The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that 47% of transgender people are sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime, and among that group, trans people of color are even more susceptible to sexual violence. In lieu of Sexual Assault Awareness month, I believe the film initiates a necessary conversation surrounding sexual assault against the LGBTQ+ community.
4. Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire (2009)
MPAA Rating: Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.
Led by gravitas performances from both Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique (who won Best Supporting Actress for her role at the 82nd Academy Awards), “Precious” is a raw and rich portrait of a young woman surviving poverty and sexual assault. The film explores another avenue of assault in the subject of incest; Precious navigates two pregnancies as a result of sexual abuse within her household. After it is revealed that Precious is pregnant for a second-time, her principal organizes her to attend an alternative school for a brighter future. The story certainly isn’t light, but Director Lee Daniels creates the film could provide help for those who have experienced sexual assault and abuse.
5. The Invisible War (2012)
MPAA Rating: NR
With such a notable visibility of the Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) program on campus, it felt necessary to include the critically-acclaimed documentary “The Invisible War” to our list. “The Invisible War” won a Peabody Award and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards for its investigation into a prevailing culture of sexual assault and sexual harassment within the United States Armed Forces. Featuring interviews from victims, military officials, mental health professionals, and advocates, this documentary is a call to action to revise the way we handle cases of sexual assault within our military.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 28 2019
IN: 7th Circuit rules DOC sex offender program violates Constitution April 29, 2019 – [theindianalawyer.com - 4/26/19] Finding the disclosures provide information that any law enforcement agent “would love to have,” the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled Indiana’s requirement that sex offender inmates give detailed accounts of their past actions violates the Constitution’s protections against self-incrimination. Donald Lacy, a sex offender inmate in the Indiana Department of Correction, filed a class action on behalf of all...https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/50120-th-circuit-rules-doc-sex-offender-program-violates-constitution?v=preview
ME: Maine Senate backs bill to extend statute of limitations on sex crimes May 2, 2019 – [timesrecord.com - 5/1/19] The Maine Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would extend the state’s statute of limitations on sexual assaults from eight years to 20 years. The measure, if approved by the House and signed by Gov. Janet Mills, would put Maine more in line with other states’ sex crimes statutes. The Senate passed the bill without debate. “Only three other states...https://www.timesrecord.com/articles/maine-1/maine-senate-backs-bill-to-extend-statute-of-limitations-on-sex-crimes/
NY: Animal-abuser registry plan advances in Oneida County May 4, 2019 – [romesentinel.com - 5/3/19] A plan to start a registry of convicted animal abusers in Oneida County advanced through a legislative committee this week but not without questions. The Board of Legislators’ Health and Human Services Committee passed the proposal on to the full board Wednesday. The measure would establish an website similar to that of sex offenders, with offender’s names, residence, birth dates, photo..https://romesentinel.com/stories/animal-abuser-registry-plan-advances-in-oneida-county,76029
ID: Sex offenders ask court to revive Idaho registry lawsuit May 7, 2019 – [washingtontimes.com - 5/6/19] A group of 134 sex offenders have asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court to revive their lawsuit against the state of Idaho because they say they were denied their constitutional rights when they were forced to register as sex offenders.
The group, referred to only as John Does 1 through 134 in the lawsuit, notified U.S. District Judge David Nye on...https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/6/sex-offenders-ask-appellate-court-to-revive-regist/
FL: Approves Database to Publish Details of People Who Pay for Sex May 7, 2019 – The Florida legislature passed legislation within the past week, Senate Bill 540 and House Bill 851, to establish a public database that tracks people convicted of, or who have pleaded guilty to, soliciting paid sex.
While the legislation’s bipartisan authors consider it to be a step toward ending human trafficking, critics call it a means to publicly shame clients and others associated with people...https://filtermag.org/2019/05/07/florida-legislators-database-track-people-soliciting-paid-sex/
UT: Lawmaker calls for study in taking some convicts off sex offender registry May 16, 2019 – It’s a sensitive issues at the Utah Capitol — maybe close to alcohol policy, marijuana and Medicaid expansion — who goes off Utah’s Sex Offender Registry. Depending on the sex crime, convicts now can stay on for ten years, or for the rest of their lives. “We tend to kind of group those sex offenders together in the same broad brush category,“ said Sen....https://kutv.com/news/local/utah-lawmaker-calls-for-study-in-taking-some-convicts-off-sex-offender-registry
MA: State’s Highest Court Orders Release Of Sex Offender Held Since 1970s May 16, 2019 – Massachusetts' highest court ruled Thursday that a 71-year-old convicted sex offender held for more than 40 years as a sexually dangerous person can be released, after two mental health professionals ruled that he was no longer a risk. The court essentially upheld an earlier decision from 2009 in ruling that ___ ___ can't continue to be held at the Massachusetts Treatment Center. Full Article...https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/05/16/states-highest-court-orders-release-of-sex-offender-held-since-1970s
The YMCA bans persons required to register as sex offenders, but how has that worked out for them? May 22, 2019 – [floridaactioncommittee.org - 5/22/19] The Fulton County YMCA, in Johnstown, New York was just hit with a $10,000,000.00 lawsuit. A 19 year old former employee was charged with raping an underage girl in the locker room In Wichita, Kansas a 31 year old former employee allegedly sexually assaulted three teenage girls this month. The same Y had another instance of sexual assault last year. The...https://floridaactioncommittee.org/the-ymca-bans-persons-required-to-register-as-sex-offenders-but-how-has-that-worked-out-for-them/
NY: Anthony Weiner complained about sex offenders in district before scandal May 27, 2019 – [nypost.com - 5/27/19] Here’s another thing that gets a rise out of Anthony Weiner: other perverts. Long before the former Queens congressman earned himself a rap sheet for trading X-rated messages with a 15-year-old girl, he was getting hot and bothered about sex offenders living in the congressional district he represented. Weiner’s office repeatedly called the NYPD’s Sex Offender Monitoring Unit to gripe about...https://nypost.com/2019/05/27/anthony-weiner-complained-about-sex-offenders-in-district-before-scandal/
Sex Offense Recidivism Rates LOWER than Previous Estimates According to Recent Bureau of Justice Study May 31, 2019 – Recently, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a report entitled, “Recidivism of Sex Offenders Released from State Prison: A 9-Year Follow Up (2005-2014).” “Notwithstanding the sensationalist headline (“three times as likely”), the statistics reported are actually quite favorable.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated June 3 2019
Sentencing Commission Makes Last-Minute Plea To Senate by Lisa Backus | May 28, 2019 5:00am
HARTFORD, CT — With less than two weeks to the end of the legislative session, the state Sentencing Commission is asking Senate leaders to bring two potentially controversial proposals to a vote. SB 1113 would create a new sex offender registry board, which would set the length of time a person could be on the registry based on their risk of reoffending and not just the offenses they committed.
The bill would also create two registries, one that is public, which would contain the information on high-risk offenders that the public can see and one that can only be seen by law enforcement, which would contain all offenders that the board deems necessary.
The commission made up of judges and department heads dealing with criminal justice issues including the Office of the Victim Advocate and Chief State’s Attorney is also asking for a vote on SB 948, a bill that would allow defendants to seek a 364-day sentence rather than a one-year sentence, which in some cases would prevent deportation according to federal immigration laws.
“We realize that these bills address difficult issues and that you have other competing priorities,” Commission Chair Judge Robert Devlin and Commission Executive Director Alex Tsarkkov said in a letter to Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven.
“We ask that you review these two bills and bring them up for a vote this legislative session,” the two added.
Read More here: https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20190528_sentencing_commission_makes_last-minute_plea_to_senate/
New Blogs Part 12 Updated June 14 2019
Chick-fil-A owner arrested after admitting she repeatedly molested an underage girl She was a church youth group leader at the time and the girl was under her care. Friday, June 14, 2019
Heather Matuszek, a Chick-fil-A franchise owner-operator and former church youth group leader, has been arrested in Florida on two felony charges for “lewd and lascivious molestation” of an underage girl. Matuszek was serving in her role of a church authority at the time of the incidents. Matuszek was 28 at the time, and the victim was 15. She has already admitted her guilt. The victim told authorities that Matuszek climbed into bed with her on two separate occasions, kissing her and rubbing her hands over the victim’s breasts. Police say other incidents occurred outside their jurisdiction. Matuszek has not been charged yet for those incidents, but local authorities where the crimes are alleged to have happened are investigating the allegations. Chick-fil-A, the controversial fast food chain best known for waffle fries served with a side of homophobia, quickly distanced themselves from their hand-picked owner. Related: Pete Buttigieg wants to negotiate a ‘peace deal’ between Chick-fil-A & LGBTQ people “This is deeply disturbing news,” the company said in a statement after Matuszek was arrested. “No one should ever be subjected to this sort of abuse and we are shocked and saddened by the report. Law enforcement has jurisdiction over this matter and we are awaiting full facts to inform our actions. Chick-fil-A, Inc. is sending company representatives to the location for restaurant support.” Would-be franchise owners go through an extensive background check and must abide by the company’s strict “Christian” stances. The company’s corporate mission is to “glorify God” and the nationwide chain is closed on Sundays so their operators and employees can attend church. Company retreats include prayers and the company pushes franchisees to market their chicken sandwiches to church groups and other conservative organizations. The backlash to the chain’s admitted opposition to LGBTQ rights has resulted in the chain being denied permission to open stores in some places. The San Antonio city council recently voted to authorize a vendor to open restaurants in the local airport, but stipulated that Chick-fil-A could not be one of them, saying the group’s outspoken stance against LGBTQ rights flew in the face of the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance. In response, Texas legislators passed a “Save Chick-fil-A” law, signed by Governor Greg Abbott, meant to prevent local governments from exercising their authority to decide where or not to grant local approval for the franchise. While the GOP framed it as a matter of “religious freedom,” the law is widely seen as a way for Republicans to attack the LGBTQ community again in a state with a history of extreme reactions to advancements in civil rights for minorities. The company has continued to donate to anti-LGBTQ organizations despite saying that would stop. Earlier this year, the company described the donations as “a higher calling.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated June 19 2019
Extremist pastor who wanted to ‘save the children’ arrested for repeatedly molesting a child He was a major supporter of a law that would have punished abortion with the death penalty while forcing "sexual intercourse multiple times a day or several times a week" on a teenaged relative.
Monday, June 17, 2019
endolyn Smith Monday, June 17, 2019 Stephen Bratton Photo: Harris County Sheriff's Department Stephen Bratton was a successful pastor at Grace Family Baptist Church in Cypress Station Texas, but he harbored a dark and sinister side, according to his family and friends. Now he finds himself charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child after he admitted the crime to church elders and his wife. Bratton 43, has been accused of inappropriately touching a teenaged relative, actions that escalated into “sexual intercourse multiple times a day or several times a week” according to Senior Harris County Deputy Thomas Gilliland. quoted by the Associated Press. Bratton was known for his extreme right-wing views, including arguing in favor of House Bill 896, a strict abortion ban that would have made abortion a crime punishable by the death penalty under Texas law. “Whoever authorizes or commits murder is guilty,” Bratton said in a hearing in support of the bill on April 8, as quoted by the Associated Press. “They’re guilty already in a court that is far more weighty than what is here in Texas.” Related: This pastor allegedly drugged & brutally raped two men before going home to his wife His former church released a statement about Bratton, and their own involvement in his arrest. “Stephen Bratton confessed to Erin Frye and Aaron Wright, both pastors at the church, of sexually abusing a minor in an ongoing way for a number of years on May 16th,” reads the statement. “This activity is wrong according to Biblical and civil law and the church condemns the behavior as abhorrent.” “The elders immediately filed a police report with Harris County Sheriff’s Office the same day, May 16th,” continues the statement. “As the weeks followed the pastors continued to make contact with the detective because they desired the case to be brought forward so that justice would be served.” Bratton was removed from his job with the church and excommunicated from same. Others moved swiftly again Bratton: Sermon Audio removed over 2over 200 sermons by Bratton as news grown about his arrest. Bratton’s crimes are, unfortunately, not uncommon. An investigation by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News uncovered more than 700 victims of sexual misconduct by members of the Southern Baptist Church over a 20-year periods. Bratton is currently out of jail on a $50,000 bond.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated July 3 2019
FL: FORT LAUDERDALE OPENING MORE NEIGHBORHOODS TO SEX OFFENDERS WITH CHANGE IN STRICT LAW
June 7, 2019
[sun-sentinel.com – 6/7/19]
There are no homes at 2700 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. Although the only buildings standing are a McDonald’s and a Chick-fil-A, 110 people have registered it as an address.
All of them are convicted sex offenders.
This hot spot for sexual criminals is one of several along Federal Highway in northeast Fort Lauderdale, one of the few slivers in the city where a registered sex offender or sexual predator — rapists, molesters, child porn addicts — can legally reside.
That will change soon. The city tentatively has agreed to relax its restrictive sex offender laws, opening up more of the city where offenders can legally live.
The current law leaves just 1.4 percent of Fort Lauderdale for legal residence. Sex offenders and the more dangerous sexual predators can’t live within 1,400 feet of a school bus stop, park, day care, playground or school.
The law is so restrictive, it’s not legally defensible, City Attorney Alain Boileau told commissioners Tuesday. One Broward County judge already has ruled against the city in a challenge.
“It makes it very difficult for our law enforcement to go out and enforce it with any meaningful punch,” Boileau said.
…
The city’s northeast is home to upscale neighborhoods, whose residents have grown concerned about homeless people in the area. Occasionally they see small encampments: clothes on an outdoor line behind a business, people sleeping, garbage strewn about.
As of this month, 201 sex offenders are registered as transients along the stretch of Federal Highway from Oakland Park Boulevard south to Northeast 26th Street, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Mary Peloquin, president of the Coral Ridge Association, said the issue first came to her attention in 2017, after a registered sex offender was accused of raping a woman just east of Federal Highway. She wondered about other sex offenders in the area and was dismayed at what she found on the state’s searchable database.
Peloquin noticed an increase in transients after a homeless camp in downtown Fort Lauderdale was emptied in November. She supports the relaxing of the law, to give people more housing options.
Peloquin said she found it strangely unfair that offenders “be given such a slim chance to get their feet back on the ground and start a good life.”
Commissioner Heather Moraitis, who represents and lives in the part of the city with the cluster of offenders, said the current law led to homelessness of sex offenders, a dangerous proposition.
“My goal isn’t necessarily to disperse them throughout the city as much as to get them into housing, whatever that may be,” Moraitis said. “I think that’s really the goal. I’m not saying I don’t want them in my backyard.”
…
Of the homeless sex offenders, nearly 80 percent of them are registered to Fort Lauderdale addresses, according to the Florida Action Committee. The city attracts more homeless people because of its easier access to food kitchens, the courthouse and mass transit, among other reasons. The Main Jail also is in Fort Lauderdale.
But Moraitis said none of the city-funded services to help homeless people, including shelters and a day respite center, can be used by convicted sex offenders. Federal law also bans them from subsidized housing and requires them to make early accommodations if they think they will need to use an emergency shelter.
The state Legislature’s research arm, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, points to residency restrictions as the biggest factor leading to an increase in offender homelessness.
…
Mayor Dean Trantalis said he didn’t want the city’s pending action to be misinterpreted. The city has no choice because its current law is unconstitutional, he said.
“We don’t want to open the door to sexual offenders, or predators thinking that Fort Lauderdale is a welcoming place,” Trantalis argued.
Read the full article: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-ne-sex-offenders-lauderdale-20190607-epjquklmy5c3fge7jfusond7f4-story.html
A LIMITED STUDY DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE STILL PROVES THAT REGISTRANTS HAVE THE LOWEST RE-OFFENSE RATE
June 10, 2019
[sosen.org – 6/7/19]
The Department of Justice Bureau of statistics has put out another report “Recidivism of sex offenders released from state prison a nine-year follow-up 2005-14.” This is another attempt to muddy the waters by the Department of Justice in relation to the re-offense rate of people on the registry. First of all, this is not a valid study for evaluating the amount of recidivism by the 900,000+ people that are registered citizens. This is in fact a limited study of a small group of people that were released from prisons in 2005 and when I say a small group it is limited to rapists and sexual abusers, it does not take into account all the other types of sexual misconduct that will result in a criminal conviction and may or may not spend prison time as well as resulting in a listing on the registry. Although the authors of this 35 page long “study” attempted to conceal the truth with its all kinds of extraneous information that is unrelated to the underlying title of the document, the true information about registrants’ conviction rates is still there, you just have to dig for it.
Read more: https://sosen.org/blog/2019/06/07/a-limited-study-done-by-the-department-of-justice-still-proves-that-registrants-have-the-lowest-re-offense-rate.html
AK: SUPREME COURT DECLARES LAW REQUIRING ALL SEX OFFENDERS TO REGISTER UNCONSTITUTIONAL
June 14, 2019
The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s sex offender registry law violates offenders’ right to due process.
In an opinion handed down Friday, the court — voting 3-2 — found the law requiring all offenders to register unconstitutional unless offenders are first given the opportunity to demonstrate they aren’t a danger to the public.
Full Article: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/06/14/alaska-supreme-court-declares-law-requiring-all-sex-offenders-to-register-unconstitutional/
Justices Nix Heavy Sentences for Repeat Sex Offenders
June 26, 2019 MEGAN MINEIRO and BRAD KUTNER
WASHINGTON (CN) — In an opinion that aligns Justice Neil Gorsuch with his liberal colleagues, the Supreme Court overturned a law that imposes heightened punishments on sex offenders who are caught with child pornography.
“Only a jury, acting on proof beyond a reasonable doubt, may take a person’s liberty. That promise stands as one of the Constitution’s most vital protections against arbitrary government,” Gorsuch wrote for the plurality Wednesday. “Yet in this case a congressional statute compelled a federal judge to send a man to prison for a minimum of five years without empaneling a jury of his peers or requiring the government to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. As applied here, we do not hesitate to hold that the statute violates the Fifth and Sixth Amendments.”
In the underlying case, a federal judge sentenced Andre Haymond to an additional five years in prison, the mandatory minimum, after finding that Haymond had violated his parole by possessing child porn.
Probation officers caught Haymond with the images in a surprise 2015 search of his apartment while Haymond was two years into a 10-year term of supervised release for an earlier child-porn conviction.
On appeal, however, the 10th Circuit found it unconstitutional that the mandatory-minimum law, codified at Section 3583(K) of Title 18 “imposes heightened punishment on sex offenders based, not on their original crimes of conviction, but on new conduct for which they have not been convicted by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The Justice Department urged the Supreme Court to reverse, saying that supervised release is by its nature conditional and includes “the prospect of reimprisonment if the defendant proves unable to comply.”
Declining to do so, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined Gorsuch’s opinion in full, and Justice Stephen Breyer concurred in the judgment.
The rest of the court’s conservative members meanwhile joined a stinging dissent by Justice Samuel Alito that calls the plurality opinion “irreconcilable with precedent, and sports rhetoric with potentially revolutionary implications.”
Touting the more narrow Breyer opinion as having “saved our jurisprudence,” Alito said “the plurality opinion appears to have been carefully crafted for the purpose of laying the groundwork for later decisions of much broader scope.” (Emphasis in original.)
“In short, under the plurality opinion, the whole system of supervised release would be like a 40-ton truck speeding down a steep mountain road with no brakes,” the dissent continues later.
Breyer noted that he agrees with Alito’s argument “that the role of the judge in a supervised-release proceeding is consistent with traditional parole.”
Still, the justice found this stance unable to resolve concerns with the post-sentencing program.
“The consequences for violation of conditions of supervised release under §3583(e), which governs most revocations, are limited by the severity of the original crime of conviction, not the conduct that results in revocation,” Breyer wrote.
Chief Justice John Roberts joined the dissent in full as did Justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh.
Neither the Department of Justice nor Haymond’s attorney, William Dixon Lunn Jr., returned requests for comment by press time.
Rakesh Kilaru, an attorney with the firm Wilkinson Walsh + Eskovitz, said he was pleased with the high court’s decision.
“Regardless how this statute describes the additional punishment it imposes, the triggering of a new mandatory minimum prison term requires both factfinding by a jury and proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Kilaru, whose firm filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums.
The Supreme Court Is One Vote Away from Changing How the U.S. Is Governed
11:18 A.M.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh had not yet been confirmed when the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Gundy v. United States; his vote could have changed the outcome.Photograph by Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty
Had Brett Kavanaugh not been accused of sexual assault, one of the first cases he would have heard as a Supreme Court Justice would have been that of Herman Gundy, a convicted sex offender. When nominated, last July, Kavanaugh was expected to be confirmed in time for the term that started last October. But the emergence of sexual assault allegations against him delayed his confirmation vote until October 6th, just after the Court’s first set of oral arguments—which included Gundy’s request to invalidate his federal conviction for failure to register as a sex offender. In June, the Court denied Gundy’s petition. As it turns out, Kavanaugh’s absence from the case likely changed its outcome.
Gundy v. United States was about the “Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act,” known as sorna, which Congress enacted in 2006. The statute made it a crime, punishable by ten years in prison, for individuals convicted of a sex offense involving a minor to fail to register in each state where they live, work, or study. But Congress gave the Attorney General “the authority to specify the applicability” of these requirements to people convicted before sorna took effect. In 2007 and in 2011, Attorneys General Alberto Gonzales and Eric Holder said the requirements do apply to such people.
That group encompassed half a million people, including Gundy, who was convicted of sexual assault of a minor in 2005. After serving prison time for the crime, he went to live in a halfway house in New York in 2012. After he failed to register there, he was rearrested and convicted of the new federal crime. Gundy claimed that sorna violated the non-delegation doctrine, wherein it is unconstitutional for Congress to delegate its legislative power to the executive branch. He argued that letting the Attorney General determine whether the law applied to people like him left too much to be decided by an agency rather than by Congress.
For the better part of a century, the Court has permitted Congress to delegate broad policymaking authority to federal agencies. The Court has not struck down a statute under the non-delegation doctrine since 1935, when a conservative majority was hostile to progressive New Deal measures aimed at protecting workers and consumers. Since then, the increasing complexity of modern industrialized society has made it obvious that—even when Congress is not as dysfunctional as it is now—it’s not possible for Congress to legislate the technical details necessary to regulate the environment, health, safety, labor, education, energy, elections, discrimination, housing, and the economy.
As a result, executive agencies create regulations and implement binding policies. That has long been understood as both necessary for the country to function and consistent with the Constitution. The Court has applied a test: if a statute gives an agency discretion that is sufficiently constrained by an “intelligible principle,” then Congress is not unconstitutionally delegating legislative power. But many conservatives complain that that test has been applied in a lax way, so that any statute delegating any scope of authority appears to satisfy it. For example, the Court has repeatedly upheld statutes that give agencies only general guidance, such as to regulate in the “public interest,” or issue air quality standards “requisite to protect the public health.”
In Gundy, all four liberal Justices, in a plurality opinion by Justice Elena Kagan, hewed to the prevailing approach, finding that Congress provided enough guidance limiting the agency’s discretion to pass constitutional muster. Three conservative Justices, in a dissent by Justice Neil Gorsuch, said that the law impermissibly gave the Attorney General “free rein to write the rules,” and was unconstitutional. Justice Samuel Alito cast the deciding vote that enabled the liberals to prevail this time, but his three-paragraph concurrence made clear that the victory may be short-lived. He said that if the majority “were willing to reconsider the approach we have taken for the past 84 years, I would support that effort.” A conservative majority was lacking here because of the absence of Justice Kavanaugh. Next time there’s a similar case before the Court, his vote will make for a different result.
We are now explicitly on notice that the Court will likely abandon its longstanding tolerance of Congress delegating broadly to agencies. What’s at stake is the potential upending of the constitutional foundations of the so-called “administrative state.” Today’s reality is that agencies, not Congress, make most federal laws. As Justice Kagan put it, if the delegation in Gundy were unconstitutional, “then most of Government is unconstitutional.”
What will happen then, when the conservative bloc prevails? The alarmist view is that the E.P.A. couldn’t have the power to decide how stringent pollution standards should be. The F.D.A. couldn’t have the authority to approve or deny applications to sell new medical drugs. The Department of Education couldn’t make rules for colleges and universities. The Department of the Interior couldn’t govern snow mobiles in national parks. The S.E.C. couldn’t regulate financial firms or securities. The F.C.C. couldn’t issue rules on net neutrality or Internet service providers. In sum, we would dwell in a world without the federal law that governs our lives.
The reason this parade of horribles is not quite right is that very few of us actually want to live in that world, and what the public, Congress, and the President all want over time, the Court is unlikely to stop. And to say that there are constitutional constraints on the scope and structure of congressional delegation to agencies is not to say that no delegation is allowed at all.
An irony of the conservative majority’s insistence on returning to the Constitution’s requirements is that non-delegation is not mentioned in the Constitution. It is a set of judicially crafted elaborations on the principles of separation of powers and good governance. Article I simply grants all “legislative powers” to Congress, Article II similarly gives the “Executive power” to the President, and the text says nothing about delegation, nor does it define legislative or executive power. The meaning of these terms, of course, has been subject to many pages of argument and judicial interpretation since.
read more here: https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-supreme-court-is-one-vote-away-from-changing-how-the-us-is-governed
New Blogs Part 12 Updated July 6 2019
From: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/07/anti-gay-church-pastor-confessed-sexually-abusing-underage-boys/
An anti-gay church pastor confessed to sexually abusing underage boys
He led a church that compares homosexuality to bestiality. Now prosecutors are saying they don't know how many victims will come forward.
Friday, July 5, 2019
A pastor in Alabama at an anti-LGBTQ church was arrested after confessing to molesting an underage boy.
John Martin, 41, was the lead pastor of the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Florence, Alabama, until he resigned on June 23 amid allegations of sexual abuse.
When he resigned, he confessed to his congregation that he had sexually abused a boy under the age of 16, which he referred to as an “affair.” He said that he had confessed to his wife already.
He checked himself into a psychiatric unit and turned over his guns, and then he was arrested.
Related: Anti-LGBT pastor arrested for making little boys sit on his face
According to court records, he is accused of molesting one boy several times, both at his home and on a road trip. He also sent the victim explicit text messages.
Court records also say that he admitted to molesting another boy when he confessed to his congregation.
Assistant district attorney Angie Hamilton said that she believes there were other victims.
“We have identified several potential victims,” she said. “We believe other charges are forthcoming.”
The Lighthouse Baptist Church doesn’t hide its anti-LGBTQ stance. On its website, it compares being LGB to bestiality.
“We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex,” the website reads.
“We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman,” it continues.
The website also expresses hatred of transgender people: “We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance.”
The church doesn’t allow women to take on leadership positions because “The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church.”
Martin has been charged with four counts of first-degree sexual abuse. He faces up to 40 years in prison on those charges.
News Alabama, Angie Hamilton, Florence, homophobic child molesters, John Martin, Lighthouse Baptist Church
New Blogs Part 12 Updated July 10 2019
From: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/07/anti-gay-church-pastor-confessed-sexually-abusing-underage-boys/Another; (Judge not, that ye be not judged.) post.
Matt.7. [1] Judge not, that ye be not judged. [2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. [3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Matt.7 - Bible, King James Version
Christian school teacher who scolded girls to be modest was molesting male students
She was a moral scold who told girls they were dressing like sluts & the entire time she was sending naked photos of herself to male students.
Monday, July 8, 2019
A Christian school kindergarten teacher in the Chicago suburbs is facing charges related to sexual assault and child pornography after investigators say that she sent explicit material to minors for years.
Shannon Griffin is the wife of the pastor of Jordan Baptist Church and is a teacher at the associated Jordan Baptist school in Oak Lawn, a suburb of Chicago.
She is now facing five counts of criminal sexual assault, one count solicitation of child pornography, one count of distribution of harmful materials, and one count of grooming, which the Cook County Sheriff’s Office says come from her alleged sexual molestation of one underage student at the school and sending nude photos and videos of herself to that student and another one.
A months-long investigation found “that Griffin sent nude pictures and videos of herself to and requested nude pictures from the minor and another juvenile victim, also enrolled at the school,” said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart in a statement. They believe that the molestation started in 2013 and continued until earlier this year.
Related: Conservative Christian leader accused of using Bible study to molest a teenage boy
The pictures were circulated among students until they reached one mother, whose name has not been made public.
One student, Yhaneera Aparicio-Armas, said that she remembered Griffin for being really strict when it came to dress code violations.
“She would write me up and other girls and, like, how ironic that you’re telling us how to dress, us how to be modest, and be Christian women, and you turn around doing the exact opposite,” said Aparicio-Aramas.
Parents of students at the school say they feel betrayed by the school, like Mike Mollo, who said that he immediately pulled his kids from the school when he found out about Griffin and called the pastor.
“I called the pastor, and I said to him, ‘You better get in front of this.’ I said, ‘All these kids are passing videos around of your wife,’” Mollo told CBS Chicago.
“And he said, ‘It’s not my wife. It’s not her. We’re just going to pray about it. Let the Lord take care of us.”
He said that he found out when his son showed him naked videos and pictures of Griffin.
“He said, ‘Dad, you got to see this,’” Mollo said. “He pulls his phone out, and it’s a bunch of pornographic videos of her doing things to herself.”
“You pay that kind of money to send your kids to a school to where you can trust these people, and they go and do this?” he said. “Betrayed is an understatement. Violated, betrayed, angry. There’s no words to describe what I was feeling.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated July 23 2019
Police demand access to sexual assault survivors’ phones — or have their case dropped
Jul 23, 2019 - 7 hours ago at 2:12 Central Time
For the ongoing series, Code Word, we’re exploring if — and how — technology can protect individuals against sexual assault and harassment, and how it can help and support survivors.
In April 2019, police in the UK introduced new consent forms asking sexual assault survivors for permission to access their personal information stored on their phones. If survivors refuse to hand over phone data in this “digital strip search,” police will allegedly stop investigating their rape case.
These consent forms, which have been rolled out by all 43 forces in England and Wales, ask the permission of survivors to pick apart seven years worth of text messages, photographs, email, and social media content.
“If you refuse permission for the police to investigate, or for the prosecution to disclose material which would enable the defendant to have a fair trial then it may not be possible for the investigation or prosecution to continue,” the consent form outlines, according to the Associated Press.
According to Big Brother Watch, a non-profit privacy campaigning organization, the police and Crown Prosecution Service are already facing backlash over the gross invasion of privacy and concerns around data protection.
According to a petition addressed to Nick Hurd MP (Minister for Policing, National Police Chiefs’ Council, and CPS), this “digital strip search” is ‘unlawful’ and ‘makes survivors feel as if they’re the ones on trial.’ The petition against the practice has been signed by just shy of 36,000 people at the time of writing this — only 4,000 away from its goal. It has also been endorsed by 10 campaign groups, including Big Brother Watch, Amnesty International, the Centre for Women’s Justice, and End Violence Against Women.
“My phone documents [have] many of the most personal moments in my life, and the thought of strangers combing through it to try to use it against me makes me feel like I’m being violated once again,” one survivor who spoke to the campaigners said.
Since its introduction, police have attempted to reassure survivors that only material relevant to the potential prosecution will be taken into consideration. Soon after the new protocol for sexual assault survivors was rolled out, the NPCC tweeted:
We are sensitive to the concerns about privacy when asking for access to digital data to pursue a reasonable line of enquiry. Officers will only ask for access to private data when necessary and proportionate, and advice will be given so victims can make an informed decision.
But the form itself states even information of a separate criminal offense “may be retained and investigated,” as reported by The New York Times.
Whilst it’s not unreasonable for police to request additional information to confirm a crime has taken place, in the case of rape, the legal system has all too often failed survivors of assault. When it comes to sexual assault, police often disbelieve survivors, something that doesn’t seem to happen as often with other crimes — simply having a one-size-fits-all criminal justice system won’t work.
This procedure only makes it harder for survivors to come forward with their story. Because of the fear of not being believed in court, according to RAINN, The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, out of 1,000 sexual assaults, just 230 are reported to the police. And out of 1,000 sexual assaults reported, 995 perpetrators will walk free.
This “digital strip search” is just another hurdle for survivors to consider when reporting their attacker — as if it isn’t challenging enough.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated July 27 2019
Siri ‘regularly’ records sex encounters, sends ‘countless’ private moments to Apple contractors
Published time: 27 Jul, 2019 03:53
Edited time: 27 Jul, 2019 04:42
Apple’s Siri AI assistant sends audio of sexual encounters, embarrassing medical information, drug deals, and other private moments recorded without users’ knowledge to human ‘graders’ for evaluation, a whistleblower has revealed.
Recordings from Apple’s Siri voice assistant are fed to human contractors around the world, who grade the AI based on the quality of its response and whether its activation was deliberate, according to an anonymous contractor who spoke to the Guardian. They claimed accidental activations are much more frequent than Apple lets on, especially with Apple Watch users – and wants the company to own up to the problem.
“There have been countless instances of recordings featuring private discussions between doctors and patients, business deals, seemingly criminal dealings, sexual encounters and so on. These recordings are accompanied by user data showing location, contact details, and app data,” the whistleblower revealed.
“Apple is subcontracting out, there’s a high turnover. It’s not like people are being encouraged to have consideration for people’s privacy, or even consider it,” the whistleblower said, explaining that they are concerned these recordings, produced when Siri thinks it hears its “wake word,” could be used against the people who (accidentally) made them – especially given the “broad” amount of user data they claim contractors are “free to look through.” In what sounds like a sick joke on the part of some programmer, the sound of a zipper unzipping often triggers Siri to wake up.
If there were someone with nefarious intentions, it wouldn’t be hard to identify [people on the recordings].
While Apple does not explicitly mention any human involvement in Siri’s training in the AI’s documentation, it acknowledged when asked about its practices that “a small portion of Siri requests are analyzed to improve Siri and dictation.” The company insisted that this amounted to less than one percent of all daily activations of the AI and that the recordings were “typically only a few seconds long.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated July 30 2019
My father was a police officer so I strongly support the police where ever I live. We have a great bunch of Police here in Texas. In one of my searches I must have gotten on this sex offender watch list. I like it over the years because it always has pictures of our local sheriff leaders; so I have not unsubscribed. Last year I noticed what the email said and was shocked to see such uneducated comment's on it. Here is a copy of it with my words in bold.:
What should you do?
This notification will assist you and your family in avoiding situations that may make you vulnerable. Please remember that these people have served their sentences and are not wanted by the Sheriff’s office at this time (at this time? that seems disrespectful in a way). Citizen abuse of this information such as threats, intimidation, or harassment of these offenders is prohibited by law (what does that mean? prohibited but not discouraged?).
Children are particularly vulnerable to offenders (they think all sex offenders are a danger to children automatically, no matter what the offence). Open communications between parents and children are vital to family safety. If a picture is available from your government Web site, show it to your family. (Stuff like this has got to hurt kid's mentally. Of course if you are like most irresponsible parents; you have to tell them things like this because you do not spend enough time watching over your kids.) In general terms, tell your children that this person has hurt someone before. Explain to them they should stay away from this individual. Avoid scary details. (Yet the problem behind all this is fear.) The purpose behind community notification is to reduce the chance of future victimization by better informing the public. (this sounds like every single person that has violated a sex offence law is unable to function in society without being held under constant supervision of the public.) Nearly 80% of all sex crimes are committed by someone known to the victim. (yet the term predator in constantly used to describe a committer of a sex crime.)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q. Is it just a matter of time before the offender commits another crime? (why is this even a question your average citizen would ask?)
A. While there is no way that anyone can accurately predict the future behavior of another person, (no; really?) past behaviors are an indication of whether an individual, or group, poses a higher risk to the public. (only if that person is uneducated enough not to learn from their mistakes) For example, if a driver has speeding tickets, they pose a greater risk to be in a traffic accident than drivers who do not; thus, they pay more for their insurance because they are more likely to get into an accident than non-speeders. Not all speeders get into accidents. In fact, most will not have an accident; it's just that they are statistically more likely to have an accident than are other drivers. (This is the worst explanation of whether or not a sex offender will commit another sex offence; I have ever read. It seems more to prove that a sex offender will commit another sex crime than will not.) Similarly, not all offenders will commit another crime; (what does that mean? Does this mean they are still condemned no matter what? Why is there no mention; in even the smallest of ways, that some offenders may be completely reformed and a respectable people, positively contributing to society?) however, knowledge of a potential risk should assist you and your family in avoiding situations that allow for easy access to victims. (You don't let your children around adults unless they are professional bonded child care professionals. That would be my motto if I had kids.)
Q. There is an offender in our area that I believe is coming in contact with children. What should I do?
A. First of all, do not confront the individual. Contact us and inform us of your suspicion. We will inquire whether or not contact with children is being made.
Q. What do I tell my children about this offender? (You see it is always about children. This cause people too suspect things that are not true; feeding the typical paranoia and automatic hatred of those guilty of sex crimes.)
A. DON'T accept a ride from this person, DON'T go into their home or yard. TELL your parents if this person offers you toys, money or gifts. (You have to be mentally challenged not to know this through commonsense.)
Other safety tips to discuss with your children:
There are certain kinds of strangers that can assist you when you need help - others with children, other children, police in uniform or store clerks in the mall.
Teach your children to dial 911 and to use a pay phone without money.
Teach your children to trust their feelings and say NO and run away from a situation that doesn't feel right. (I do feel bad for parents like this; pulled into this, by the ratings starved media/internet fiend's. How do you described all of this to a kid without damaging them mentally?)
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 02 2019
This is a good example of what me and the ACLU and other's have been warning you about all these years. I hate animal abuse and am glad updates on laws punish people like this. This is a example of how laws that are used on sex offenders could be used on others in the future. :
NC: ANIMAL ABUSERS COULD APPEAR ON REGISTRY — LIKE SEX OFFENDERS IN NORTH CAROLINA
July 12, 2019
[abc30.com – 7/10/19]
RALEIGH, N..C — A new bill introduced in the North Carolina legislature would require the names and photos of convicted animal abusers to appear in an online registry for at least two years.
The legislation is called the North Carolina Animal Abuser Registry Act and it was introduced by North Carolina state Sens. Floyd McKissick, a Democrat, and Danny Britt, a Republican.
First-time offenders would be put on the registry “for two years following the date of conviction.” After two years, the individual would be removed from the list.
“If you are a second offender, you have to actually go out there and be convicted in court, then your image would stay up there for up to five years,” McKissick said. “In the event of a second event, you would not be able to own any type of pet.”
Read more here: https://abc30.com/pets-animals/animal-abusers-could-appear-on-registry----like-sex-offenders-in-north-carolina/5388368/
ANOTHER federal district court that has found the registry is PUNISHMENT!
Stevens was spot on in his dissent in Smith – “No matter how often the Court may repeat and manipulate multifactor tests . . . it will never persuade me that the registration and reporting obligations that are imposed on convicted sex offenders and on no one else as a result of their convictions are not part of their punishment.” (Also quoted in this opinion)
Let us hope the state of IN does not appeal and this will be a other case we can use in support. Other than being on the registry for a offenses before we had one here in FL what is more bafflingis how it is ruled ex post facto punishment in other states. The US Constitution governs us all. It seems like things are getting better everywhere but Florida. Hats off to FAC and the legal team for fighting for fighting for us.
IL: WAYSIDE RESIDENTS SUE CITY OF AURORA, CHALLENGE STATE’S RESIDENCY LAWS FOR REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS
July 21, 2019
The 19 child sex offenders who were told they must leave Wayside Cross Ministries by July 26 have filed a civil federal lawsuit against the city of Aurora, arguing the men should not have to move and challenging the state’s residency laws for registered sex offenders. Read more here: https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/ct-wayside-sex-offenders-lawsuit-st-0721-20190719-wtuoermhwbdczi35g6is5o5q7u-story.html
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 03 2019
DPS intelligence chief who briefed Trump on immigrant rapists himself accused, arrested, jailed for sexual assault: He ran the state's fusion centers gathering intelligence on millions of Texans
This seems self evidently awful, so rather than opine on the subject in prose, here's the short version of how I feel about this story: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/texas-dps-chief-of-intelligence-and-counterterrorism-fired-accused-of-sexual-assault
High-ranking Texas DPS chief fired, accused of raping female party guest
by CBS AustinWednesday, July 31st 2019
John Jones, who was the Chief of the Texas Department of Public Safety Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division, has been fired and arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman who was a guest at a party in his home
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety says the chief of their Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division has been fired after being charged with sexual assault.
John Jones was terminated by DPS on Tuesday, the same day he was arrested by investigators from the Travis County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers and booked in the Travis County Jail on the charge of sexual assault.
According to an affidavit, Travis County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call for a sexual assault at Jones' home in Leander on July 21st.
The victim, a woman in her 40s who was a friend of his wife, told investigators she had attended a party at Jones' residence the night before with 10 to 15 other people in attendance, and described Jones as a "pillar of the community" because he had met President Trump.
She told deputies she arrived at the home around 1 p.m. on July 20th and that Jones had been drinking all day to the point of him passing out. She said he woke up in the evening and began drinking again and around 9 p.m. offered to take her for a ride on his ATV.
Court documents state that the woman drove the ATV while Jones sat behind her as they traveled along trails and streets near his home. She said he then instructed her to go off road.
According to deputies, Jones then asked her when she last had sex. She thought the question was odd given Jones' position in the law enforcement community, but answered the question anyway.
She told investigators Jones then reached around her and aggressively grabbed the handlebars, pushing her forward and demanding he steer the ATV. The victim says they went off road and into a brushy clearing, where deputies say he sexually assaulted her.
CBS Austin has learned that Jones took part in a round table discussion with President Trump at the White House in January on border security, where he specifically mentioned his concern about the number of undocumented immigrants in Texas jails for sexual assault. You can see that video here: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/texas-dps-chief-of-intelligence-and-counterterrorism-fired-accused-of-sexual-assault
Christian group accuses ‘filthy’ Whole Foods of supporting pedophilia
One Million Moms (OMM) — the boycott-happy anti-LGBTQ hate group with only 93,000 social media followers — has launched its latest campaign against Whole Foods for supporting Drag Queen Story Hour, the delightfully queer children’s library program where volunteer performers dress up and read books to kids.
And this time, they’re encouraging violence against everyone involved by basically saying that the program facilitates child rape.
In its usual overwrought and alarmist style, OMM writes:
A retailer that once promoted organics and clean food is now saturated in absolute filth, exploiting America’s children to be “groomed” by drag queens. Whole Foods Market is now sponsoring a Drag Queen Story Hour event to indoctrinate children into transgenderism and homosexuality. Their goal is to normalize the LGBTQ lifestyle.
Whole Foods Market was one of the primary sponsors of the Drag Queen Story Hour held in Atlanta, GA…
The disturbing events involve men dressed up as garishly adorned women who read LGBTQ-themed books to young children under the guise of performing a public service. Some drag queens have admitted their goal is to “groom” the next generation.
If you shop at Whole Foods Market, you are also supporting child exploitation…
In none-too-subtle language, OMM is basically implying that gay, trans people and drag performers want to have sex with children. “Grooming” is a noun defined as “the action by a pedophile of preparing a child with the intention of committing a sexual offense.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 10 2019
Many police officer's kill themselves immediately after that are accused of a sex offence. I tried to find some statistic's on the subject but was unable. I know I have reported this on this blog before and seen stories like this on several occasion. This is a testimony on how in large amounts the media\internet is ruining our country. The police know what they will face as a sex offender and quickly choose death instead; like coward's and murderer's. I am sorry for being so coarse; I just hate when people commit suicide. This police officer could have helped allot of people by living his life instead of murdering himself. This is a example of how inhumane and Nazi like our perverted justice system has become concerning sex crimes. This type of unconstitutional behavior, on the part of out justice system; will be the downfall of our country.
San Diego police sergeant accused of soliciting minor for sex found dead from apparent suicide
Aug. 5, 2019 |9:14 PM
SAN DIEGO — A San Diego police sergeant accused of soliciting a minor for sex was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday afternoon inside his Carmel Valley home after failing to appear in court earlier in the day, police Chief David Nisleit said.
Since a man with that much money is the same as a police officer I think this goes good with the story above. I can not help but feel bad for Jeffrey Epstein. I feel sorry in a way of seeing through all the emotion to all the fact's and true to life statistics of all life's good and evil judged by God not man. He without sin throw the first stone kind of way of looking at it all. If you can do to other's how they would do to you; not condemn with prejudice, huge populations of human's at a time you are in the true majority, not the internet/media's fantasy majority. I must do what anyone that would support this blog should do; keep your head up and press on. Press on like you have a big stone around your neck if you have too. Just toe the line and press on.
Say what you want about the Jewish people. I see nothing in the Bible prophesying their demise. They have a short time during the Great Tribulation. Even the Anti Christ is smart enough to make peace with the Jewish people. They may just increase in power.
Ehud Bark on Jeffrey Epstein’s death: I wish I’d never met him
Former prime minister had business dealings with the disgraced billionaire and was a frequent visitor to his homes, but denies he ever knew of any his sex trafficking activities
By TOI staff
Today, 9:31 pm |
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, who has been dogged over his ties to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, reacted Saturday to his death, saying he wished he had never met him.
“On this day, I am thinking of his victims, the price (they paid) and the terrible things he did,” Barak told Channel 13 news.
“Like many respectable people in the US, in retrospect, I would have preferred never to have made contact with him. But from the moment things became clear, that contact was immediately severed,” said Barak.
Barak’s ties to Epstein, which go back over 15 years, have become an unexpected hot-button issue in the election campaign in Israel, after Epstein was arrested last month.
Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday morning at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Fire officials received a call at 6:39 a.m. Saturday that Epstein was in cardiac arrest, and he was pronounced dead at New York Presbyterian-Lower Manhattan Hospital.
Epstein, 66, had been denied bail and faced up to 45 years behind bars on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges unsealed last month. He had pleaded not guilty and was awaiting trial on accusations of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls.
Barak, who entered a business deal with Epstein in 2015, years after the American financier served time for solicitation, has called long-rumored allegations of sex trafficking by Epstein “abhorrent” and announced that he had officially cut off all business ties with him.
But he has also been linked as a frequent visitor to Epstein’s properties.
Neighbors in a building owned by Epstein’s brother said that Barak was a “frequent presence” in their New York apartment building, The Daily Beast reported Monday.
Residents told the outlet that they knew when the politician was in the building because there were “flashy cars” outside and his security detail in the lobby.
One resident said they saw Barak in the building and recognized him, and another said they were told about his presence by a doorman or another resident. Five other current or former residents said they saw his security detail around the building.
“When he wasn’t in his apartment, [the security guards] would hang out in the lobby as if it was their own living room,” a resident of 301 East 66th St. said. “They would sprawl out, they’d put all their shit on the couches, and sometimes they ate on the table there.”
“On this day, I am thinking of his victims, the price (they paid) and the terrible things he did,” Barak told Channel 13 news.
“Like many respectable people in the US, in retrospect, I would have preferred never to have made contact with him. But from the moment things became clear, that contact was immediately severed,” said Barak.
Barak’s ties to Epstein, which go back over 15 years, have become an unexpected hot-button issue in the election campaign in Israel, after Epstein was arrested last month.
Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday morning at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Fire officials received a call at 6:39 a.m. Saturday that Epstein was in cardiac arrest, and he was pronounced dead at New York Presbyterian-Lower Manhattan Hospital.
Epstein, 66, had been denied bail and faced up to 45 years behind bars on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges unsealed last month. He had pleaded not guilty and was awaiting trial on accusations of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls.
Barak, who entered a business deal with Epstein in 2015, years after the American financier served time for solicitation, has called long-rumored allegations of sex trafficking by Epstein “abhorrent” and announced that he had officially cut off all business ties with him.
But he has also been linked as a frequent visitor to Epstein’s properties.
Neighbors in a building owned by Epstein’s brother said that Barak was a “frequent presence” in their New York apartment building, The Daily Beast reported Monday.
Residents told the outlet that they knew when the politician was in the building because there were “flashy cars” outside and his security detail in the lobby.
One resident said they saw Barak in the building and recognized him, and another said they were told about his presence by a doorman or another resident. Five other current or former residents said they saw his security detail around the building.
“When he wasn’t in his apartment, [the security guards] would hang out in the lobby as if it was their own living room,” a resident of 301 East 66th St. said. “They would sprawl out, they’d put all their shit on the couches, and sometimes they ate on the table there.”
A resident told the outlet they were in the elevator with Hebrew-speaking security guards and another said she regularly saw a guard posted outside an 11th-floor apartment. A further resident said they saw a security detail in the lobby on at least a dozen occasions.
The report did not clarify how the residents knew that the security detail belonged to Barak.
The building has been tied to the financier’s alleged New York trafficking ring, The Daily Beast reported.
Asked about his stays by The Daily Beast, Barak said: “Despite the fact that there was no wrongdoing on my part, and that there is not even the faintest suspicion of wrongdoing on my part, I’m not going to address these questions because in the current political environment in Israel, the mere fact of my response to such a question is churned up as spin in the political game.
“As a former prime minister I’m accompanied by bodyguards everywhere I go,” he added.
The Daily Mail’s online news site has rejected an ultimatum by Barak to retract a “libelous” article insinuating he socialized with young women at the home of Epstein.
The US-based DailyMail.com said it stood by the story “100 percent,” and denied as “absurd” Barak’s claim that the decision to re-publish the three-year-old photos of him entering the New York mansion of the disgraced billionaire was a bid to help his political rivals ahead of the elections. (The article has not appeared in the main Daily Mail tabloid newspaper in Britain.)
At a campaign launch event for his new party, Barak asserted the report was a result of the “poisoned atmosphere” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fostered over the past two decades.
The tabloid noted in its article that the women photographed also entering Epstein’s home did so “on the same day” as Barak and “within hours.” However, the Mail did not provide a clear timeline of the photos, and it was not clear whether they were taken before Barak entered, during his time there, or after he left.
If he was in the house at the same time as the women, it could contradict Barak’s earlier assertions that he “never met Epstein in the company of women or young girls.”
Barak confirmed it was him in the photos, and has admitted to visiting Epstein’s mansions and private Caribbean island, but insists he never attended parties of a sexual nature there.
Barak has also said that he was looking into dissolving his limited partnership with Epstein after it emerged that the US financier was a major investor in the Reporty startup headed by Barak in 2015, seven years after Epstein served time for solicitation.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 15 2019
Autopsy results add to questions surrounding Epstein's death
Thursday August 15, 2019 · 8:47 AM CDT 8:47 AM CDT
The autopsy conducted on the body of pedophile and rapist Jeffrey Epstein revealed he had multiple breaks in his neck. Epstein's hyoid bone, which is near the Adam's apple in men, was broken along with other bones. That injury is more common in strangulation homicides than in hanging, forensic experts told The Washington Post, but can occur in hanging suicides as well, particularly in older people.
Jonathan L. Arden, president of the National Association of Medical Examiners, told the Post that in general a broken hyoid in a death requires a more extensive investigation by pathologists. "If, hypothetically, the hyoid bone is broken, that would generally raise questions about strangulation, but it is not definitive and does not exclude suicidal hanging," he said.
Read more here: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8/15/1879188/-Autopsy-results-add-to-questions-surrounding-Epstein-s-death
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 20 2019
Another case of the pot calling the kettle black.: "The pot calling the kettle black" a person who is guilty of the very thing of which they accuse another and is thus an example of psychological projection. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_pot_calling_the_kettle_black
I am not saying that the preacher being a sex offender makes him the same as a LGBTQ person. I have said many times on this blog that I am not like most people who are extremely prejudice of LGBTQ people; that believe all LGBTQ people are sex offenders. This type of conspiracy type demented thinking; is why the constitution does not apply to those unfairly labeled as sex offenders. The wrongly labeled registered sex offender; is a victim of our country, like the Jewish people were during the Nazi's. This type of treatment of our citizen's will surely contribute to our demise; just like believing all LGBTQ folks are sex offenders.
No the preacher was a casualty of the old; judge not lest ye be judged adage.: ( Matthew 7:1-3 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ) Don't forget how God says he will judge them that judge false judgments way worse than is normally judged: Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
When you judge those labeled as registered sex offender's or LGBTQ people or people of color falsely; that judgement will be so great against you, you may end up a sex offender yourself as Singer found out in the following article:
I am not saying that the preacher being a sex offender makes him the same as a LGBTQ person. I have said many times on this blog that I am not like most people who are extremely prejudice of LGBTQ people; that believe all LGBTQ people are sex offenders. This type of conspiracy type demented thinking; is why the constitution does not apply to those unfairly labeled as sex offenders. The wrongly labeled registered sex offender; is a victim of our country, like the Jewish people were during the Nazi's. This type of treatment of our citizen's will surely contribute to our demise; just like believing all LGBTQ folks are sex offenders.
No the preacher was a casualty of the old; judge not lest ye be judged adage.: ( Matthew 7:1-3 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ) Don't forget how God says he will judge them that judge false judgments way worse than is normally judged: Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
When you judge those labeled as registered sex offender's or LGBTQ people or people of color falsely; that judgement will be so great against you, you may end up a sex offender yourself as Singer found out in the following article:
Anti-LGBTQ minister charged with sexually exploiting an underage boy Three other teen boys also say the youth minister made advances towards them.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Investigators believe that Singer has been making inappropriate advances toward an unnamed 16-year-old boy.
Singer allegedly told the boy that the two should spend a weekend alone together. He asked the boy invasive questions about his sexual habits and asked him for naked pictures.
Police believe that he met the boy at a church event in 2016. Afterwards, he sent the kid sexually charged text messages from October 2016 and August 2017.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 21 2019
From: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/08/christian-rock-singer-arrested-allegedly-sexually-assaulting-pre-teen-girls/
Christian rock singer arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting pre-teen girls
The pastor is charged with multiple counts of third degree sexual assault of a child. The band "is always and all for Jesus!!!"
August 19, 2019
A pastor who is a member of a Christian rock band was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two girls under the age of 14.
Emanuel J. Rodriguez of the group 70xForgiven was set to play a gig at the Wood City Music Festival in Minnesota this past Saturday when he was arrested. Police in Omaha, Nebraska, had a warrant for Rodriguez and they asked police in Minnesota for help since he was going to play there.
The warrant for his arrest was issued in September 2016. Police believe that he was known to the alleged victims.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 29 2019
I had this on my other blog page but it fit's better here I think:
If you are a wayward Christian; there is no better way to learn not to do things like this, than to read all the articles I post like this.:
Major charismatic evangelical Todd Bentley has been publicly accused of being “not fit for public ministry” because he has a “perverse sexual addiction” to both men and women. And Bentley, who founded Fresh Fire USA, responded by admitting that many of the accusations are true.
Stephen Powell of Lion of Light Ministries in North Carolina accused his former mentor in a Facebook post last week of a long list of sexual misdeeds, including hitting on interns and assistants, asking for naked pictures from people in his congregation, and having sex outside of marriage. Powell said that he has spent time gathering proof of the accusations, although he did not hire a professional investigator or otherwise seek help.
In the post, Powell said that he had proof of many of the accusations, like screenshots of conversations. One student told Powell that she was asked by Bentley to send him pictures of herself, that he would hug her too long, and that he made inappropriate comments.
A male intern said that Bentley offered him $1000 to perform oral sex on the younger man. “I was like, ‘What the fuck is your freaking problem… are you fucking retarded?” the intern said, according to Powell.
Related: This notoriously homophobic pastor has been caught running a hellish private school
The intern said that Bentley sent him naked pictures of his wife.
Another male intern said that Bentley offered him $500 for a video of him masturbating. Yet another male intern said that Bentley sent him naked pictures and video of him and his wife.
One person allegedly said that Bentley spent 30 minutes in a hotel room with a female assistant. Another person accused the evangelical of smoking pot and then trying to hook up with a male intern.
Others accused Bentley of drinking too much, partying, having porn on his phone, and using crude language.
Powell said that he has been aware for some time of rumors about Bentley, but it wasn’t before this summer that he had anything more than rumors to go public about.
“I believe that Todd was preyed on sexually as a child, and I believe that that same demonic entity uses Todd to prey on others that have come into Todd’s ministry with their guard down because they felt all was safe being in the presence of an anointed man of God,” Powell wrote in the Facebook post.
He also blamed Bentley’s wife Jessa Bentley, whose marriage, Powell said, “began in sexual sin.”
Bentley’s response to the accusations came several days later. In a rambling Facebook video, Bentley said that many of the accusations Powell made were false and that many of the others are in the past and that people around him have already forgiven him.
He said that he has had no sex outside of marriage “connected to this incident” and that he has not had an affair in the past six years.
But he admitted that he sent “sexually suggestive” and “inappropriate” text messages to people. He said that his behavior was “despicable.”
Powell’s accusations also included Christian author Rick Joyner. He said that Joyner, who helped create Fresh Fire USA with Bentley, knew about the accusations for years and did not do enough to stop Bentley.
“I believe that Rick Joyner, along with other Senior leaders who have had oversight over Todd through the years, have failed the body of Christ in this regard,” Powell wrote.
Joyner responded with his own Facebook video, accusing Powell of “witchcraft.”
“When people come to me with pressuring, manipulating, especially threatening if I don’t do something their way, or in their time, I know that’s the devil,” he said. “That’s in Scripture, counterfeit spiritual authority which is called witchcraft. That is not the Holy Spirit. We’ve got to start recognizing what is from the Holy Spirit and what is not.”
Both Joyner and Bentley made it appear that Bentley had done some inappropriate things in the past, in 2013. But Powell said that many of the accusations are more recent.
“They are current, as current as a few months ago, and they show a disturbing ongoing pattern of unrepented sin as well as a cover-up from leadership,” he wrote.
Major charismatic evangelical Todd Bentley has been publicly accused of being “not fit for public ministry” because he has a “perverse sexual addiction” to both men and women. And Bentley, who founded Fresh Fire USA, responded by admitting that many of the accusations are true.
Stephen Powell of Lion of Light Ministries in North Carolina accused his former mentor in a Facebook post last week of a long list of sexual misdeeds, including hitting on interns and assistants, asking for naked pictures from people in his congregation, and having sex outside of marriage. Powell said that he has spent time gathering proof of the accusations, although he did not hire a professional investigator or otherwise seek help.
In the post, Powell said that he had proof of many of the accusations, like screenshots of conversations. One student told Powell that she was asked by Bentley to send him pictures of herself, that he would hug her too long, and that he made inappropriate comments.
A male intern said that Bentley offered him $1000 to perform oral sex on the younger man. “I was like, ‘What the fuck is your freaking problem… are you fucking retarded?” the intern said, according to Powell.
Related: This notoriously homophobic pastor has been caught running a hellish private school
The intern said that Bentley sent him naked pictures of his wife.
Another male intern said that Bentley offered him $500 for a video of him masturbating. Yet another male intern said that Bentley sent him naked pictures and video of him and his wife.
One person allegedly said that Bentley spent 30 minutes in a hotel room with a female assistant. Another person accused the evangelical of smoking pot and then trying to hook up with a male intern.
Others accused Bentley of drinking too much, partying, having porn on his phone, and using crude language.
Powell said that he has been aware for some time of rumors about Bentley, but it wasn’t before this summer that he had anything more than rumors to go public about.
“I believe that Todd was preyed on sexually as a child, and I believe that that same demonic entity uses Todd to prey on others that have come into Todd’s ministry with their guard down because they felt all was safe being in the presence of an anointed man of God,” Powell wrote in the Facebook post.
He also blamed Bentley’s wife Jessa Bentley, whose marriage, Powell said, “began in sexual sin.”
Bentley’s response to the accusations came several days later. In a rambling Facebook video, Bentley said that many of the accusations Powell made were false and that many of the others are in the past and that people around him have already forgiven him.
He said that he has had no sex outside of marriage “connected to this incident” and that he has not had an affair in the past six years.
But he admitted that he sent “sexually suggestive” and “inappropriate” text messages to people. He said that his behavior was “despicable.”
Powell’s accusations also included Christian author Rick Joyner. He said that Joyner, who helped create Fresh Fire USA with Bentley, knew about the accusations for years and did not do enough to stop Bentley.
“I believe that Rick Joyner, along with other Senior leaders who have had oversight over Todd through the years, have failed the body of Christ in this regard,” Powell wrote.
Joyner responded with his own Facebook video, accusing Powell of “witchcraft.”
“When people come to me with pressuring, manipulating, especially threatening if I don’t do something their way, or in their time, I know that’s the devil,” he said. “That’s in Scripture, counterfeit spiritual authority which is called witchcraft. That is not the Holy Spirit. We’ve got to start recognizing what is from the Holy Spirit and what is not.”
Both Joyner and Bentley made it appear that Bentley had done some inappropriate things in the past, in 2013. But Powell said that many of the accusations are more recent.
“They are current, as current as a few months ago, and they show a disturbing ongoing pattern of unrepented sin as well as a cover-up from leadership,” he wrote.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 30 2019
A cop forced a trans women to have sex with him. He pled guilty to paying a prostitute.
He'll serve no jail time and the charges will be dismissed in six months. He still has his job.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Nine months ago, two police officers were accused of forcing transgender women to have sex with them by threatening to take them to jail if the women didn’t comply. Now one of them has pled guilty – to “sexual solicitation” of a prostitute.
Officer Ian G Lucas from the Prince George’s County Police Department and an unnamed officer from the Washington DC police force have been accused by multiple women of sexual assault. The officers allegedly would target transgender prostitutes and threaten to to take them to jail unless they gave the officers oral sex.
One woman went to DC’s FOX station with her story, providing photos and video proof of her accusation. In one, the officer is shown having sex inside of his squad car. Another photo shows a veteran police lieutenant wearing a DC Police polo shirt, naked from the waist down and having sex with one of the women.
Read more here: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/08/cop-forced-trans-women-sex-pled-guilty-paying-prostitute/
New Blogs Part 12 Updated September 4 2019
From: https://cpa.ds.npr.org/michigan/audio/2019/08/SS_20190829_Aukerman_Sex_Offend_Registry_Update.mp3
MI: ACLU Michigan Attorney Advocates End of Registry; Provides Update on 6th Circuit Decision
August 30, 2019
In a recent NPR interview, ACLU Michigan attorney Miriam Aukerman stated she believes that sex offender registries should be abolished. In support of that belief, Aukerman stated that registries are ineffective and make society less safe. Aukerman criticized both legislators and law enforcement for the current challenges now facing registrants. Legislators have passed and keep passing new laws because they believe doing so will...
From: https://washingtonstatewire.com/why-a-sex-offender-would-run-for-office-willie-russells-story/
WA: Why a sex offender would run for office: Willie Russell’s story
August 20, 2019
[washingtonstatewire.com - 8/20/19] Willie Russell is running for the Snohomish County Council this year. He squeaked through the August primary, and will face Stephanie Wright in November for Council position 3. He is also a Level III sex offender. You can read the narrative from the sheriff’s office database here. I recently spoke with Russell in an extended conversation. I wanted to ask him...
10th Circuit Rules Special Conditions Allowing Probation Complete Discretion over Internet Use is Excessive
August 16, 2019
[floridaactioncommittee.org - 8/16/19] The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in US v. Blair, ruled that a special condition on the Defendant’s Internet use that was “limited to those the defendant requests to use, and which the probation officer authorizes” involved a greater deprivation of liberty than is reasonably necessary for deterring criminal activity because it allows the probation office to completely ban the defendant’s...
FL: Congratulations Derek!!! Appellate Court Voids Lauren Book’s Injunction
August 14, 2019
[floridaactioncommittee.org - 8/14/19] The order was issued by the 4th District Court of Appeals today so it’s being posted prior to our adding commentary in an effort to share this as quickly as possible. The court voided Senator Lauren Book’s restraining order against Once Fallen’s Derek Logue. We all knew it was bogus, now the court’s agree! Logue v. Book UPDATE: All the credit...
A Critical (Non-Dershowitz) Look at Statutory Rape Laws
August 13, 2019
[verdict.justia.com - 8/13/19] Last week, Jeffrey Epstein died in jail, apparently a suicide. The prior month, he was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges related to his and other men’s conduct with girls as young as fourteen. Most spectators to the very public humiliation that might have driven him to suicide, judged him very harshly. Epstein, in his mid-60s, had apparently slept with young...
[psychologytoday.com - 8/9/19] Sex offender registries have been in the news lately as media outlets have been questioning why billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a minor female, was able to largely elude the penalty of being on a sex offender registry by maintaining residences in states that did not require him to register. This then begs the bigger question –...
Sex Offender Registries: Are they keeping our children safe?
August 10, 2019
AK: Without guidance, Alaska judges to ‘muddle through’ sex offender registry removal decisions
August 10, 2019
[ktuu.com - 8/9/19] ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - Without guidance, Alaska Superior Court judges will have to “muddle their way through” decisions over how a person can apply to be removed from the sex offender registry, says John Skidmore, the director of the criminal division with the Department of Law. In June, the Alaska Supreme Court determined that people on the sex offender registry had a...
New Blogs Part 12 Updated September 19 2019
It is so easy for people to sit on their high horses making railing accusations against everything and everyone except for themselves! It is so easy to say thing's like: all sex offenders are scumbags, or all LGBTQ folks should not have constitutional rights. These many examples like Mike Folmer; are a way to remind us all of how we are judged, twice as much; as those we wrongfully condemn. People who point their finger of ignorance; ruining people and community's, as a part of their uneducated demented beliefs; do so to shield themselves from the judgement's they so essentially deserve. These are all example's; of how that shield can and should, turn into the self destruction, of them that wield it.
Read and learn:
Republican state senator who blocked LGBTQ rights charged with sexual abuse of a minor
As a powerful committee chair, he had blocked LGBTQ rights legislation for years.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 91 Comments
Pennsylvania Republican state senator Mike Folmer has been arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a minor, possessing child pornography, and criminal use of a communications facility. Police were tipped off by the micro-blogging platform Tumblr after Folmer uploaded an incriminating photo to the site.
In 2016 Folmer, a powerful committee chair, has blocked passage of LGBTQ rights legislation for years.
Folmer blocked the Pennsylvania Fairness Act in committee, saying he supported LGBTQ rights, but was worried about “religious freedom” implications. “No one should be fired because they are gay,” he said at the time, before saying he didn’t see any urgency to pass the legislation.
In 2018, Folmer blocked the bill again despite bipartisan support. “Everyone is in agreement that we don’t want to discriminate against LGBT people, but we don’t want to step on the rights of people with religious objections,” Fred Sembach, Folmer’s chief of staff, told the Philly Gay News at the time.
Folmer, a married father and grandfather, uploaded a pornographic image to Tumblr that was caught by the site’s security measures. The site contacted the authorities who identified the disgraced politician as the person responsible. Other images were found on his phone when he was arrested.
Folmer told authorities he was having “some personal problems” when he was arrested. He has been removed as the chair of the committee by Republican leadership while Democrats, including Governor Tom Wolf, have called for his immediate resignation from office.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated October 4 2019
AL: SPLC SUES ALABAMA OFFICIALS FOR OVERLY SEVERE SEX-OFFENDER LAW THAT PUNISHES CHILDREN FOR LIFE
September 19, 2019
____ ____ met ____ ____ when their mutual friends introduced them at a local skating rink. He was 14 and she was 12.
Over time, the two became a young couple, going out on movie dates, hanging out with friends at each other’s houses, and attending school dances together.
Eventually, the high school sweethearts got married, bought a house, and had three children. They’ve been married now for 20 years.
But this otherwise happy love story has a sad twist: When Herbert was 17 and Candi was 15, her mother – on the advice of her stepfather, who did not approve of the budding relationship – called police and had Herbert arrested for statutory rape.
Under an extremely restrictive Alabama state law that does not recognize the teen romance, Herbert was tried and convicted – as an adult – of second-degree rape because Candi was also a minor.
The arrest led Herbert down a spiral of legal consequences that landed him in prison for over 15 years and forced him to register as a sex offender.
Full Article: https://www.splcenter.org/news/2019/09/19/splc-sues-alabama-officials-overly-severe-sex-offender-law-punishes-children-life
NE: NEBRASKA SEX OFFENDERS TESTIFY FOR CHANGE IN REGISTRY LAW
September 28, 2019
[journalstar.com – 9/27/19]
Twenty-eight people who were registered sex offenders, or the wife, mother, father, brother or counselor of sex offenders, lined up to give testimony to the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee on Friday, asking for changes to the Nebraska registry law.
The Judiciary Committee embarked on a study of the sex offender registry law over the interim to determine if changes are needed and, if so, what they should be.
The registered offenders told the committee about how the registry created life-altering situations in which they couldn’t get jobs, or only the lowest-paying jobs, or were denied housing. Spouses and children were punished along with them, and in some cases their inclusion on the registry led to divorce because of the limitations it placed on their lives.
One man said he had been shot in the back because of his presence on the registry.
“Almost 6,000 Nebraska families live under discrimination and paranoia created by the registry,” said Deborah Whitt.
Families are deeply and negatively affected by the unintended burdens of this law, she said. It is unjust, and does not protect people, but rather creates in communities climates of suspicion, anxiety, hate, bullying and fear.
If offenders have served their sentences, done all the programming and therapy, why continue to discriminate against them, Whitt asked.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 4 2019
McDonald's boss Steve Easterbrook fired after dating employee
4 November 2019
McDonald's has fired its chief executive Steve Easterbrook after he had a relationship with an employee.
The US fast food giant said the relationship was consensual, but Mr Easterbrook had "violated company policy" and shown "poor judgement".
In an email to staff, the British businessman acknowledged the relationship and said it was a mistake.
"Given the values of the company, I agree with the board that it is time for me to move on," he said.
Mr Easterbrook, 52, who is divorced, first worked for McDonald's in 1993 as a manager in London before working his way up the company.
Read more here: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50283720
25 New Sexual Harassment Complaints Brought Against McDonald’s
May 22, 2019
McDonald’s Corp. was accused on Tuesday in 25 new lawsuits and regulatory charges of condoning sexual harassment in the workplace and retaliating against employees who speak up.
The cases announced by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the labor group Fight for $15, and the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund cover alleged misconduct at McDonald’s locations in 20 U.S. cities, including groping, indecent exposure, propositions for sex, and lewd comments.
Read more here: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2019/05/22/527171.htm
IL: Former Sex Offenders can Proceed with Lawsuit Challenging Restrictions on Internet Use
October 5, 2019
A group of former sex offenders may continue with their lawsuit, challenging the constitutionality of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC’s) restrictive policy on internet access for those convicted of sex crimes. A federal district court has ruled that it is premature at this early stage of the litigation to dismiss the lawsuit. Full Article: https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/2019/10/04/former-sex-offenders-can-proceed-with-lawsuit-challenging-restrictions-on-internet-use/
NY: Sex offenders form PAC to try and gain political voice
October 14, 2019
[timesunion.com - 10/14/19] Voting blocs, where people support candidates on specific issues, have long played an outsized role in New York politics – from labor unions that focus on workplace rules, to environmentalists who place clean air and water at the top of the list. But now an unusual bloc is emerging from an unexpected place: the locked sex offenders unit at one of... Read more here: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Sex-offenders-form-PAC-to-try-and-gain-political-14515657.php
WA: Tarra Simmons Looks To Become 1st Former Inmate Elected To Washington Legislature
October 21, 2019
[opb.org - 10/21/19] A Washington attorney and criminal justice reform advocate who previously served time in prison is seeking to become the first formerly incarcerated person elected to the Washington Legislature, at least in modern times. Tarra Simmons, of Bremerton, who in 2017 won a Supreme Court fight to sit for the state bar exam, despite her prior criminal conviction, plans to formally announce her candidacy for... Read more here: https://www.opb.org/news/article/tarra-simmons-washington-legislature-incarceration/
JPMorgan Chase Hired 2,100 People With Criminal Records In 2018 (And Will Hire More)
October 22, 2019
[forbes.com - 10/21/19] Topline: JPMorgan Chase announced an expansion of its efforts to hire people with criminal backgrounds Monday, continuing the trend of big companies “banning the box” and giving people second chances. JPMorgan Chase hired 2,100 people with criminal records in 2018, which equals about 10% of their total hires last year. The bank knows those people have records, because they conduct background... Read more here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/10/21/jpmorgan-chase-hired-2100-people-with-criminal-records-in-2018-and-will-hire-more/#63fa0f2538f2
WI: Nonprofit trying to find homes for those living in ‘Tent City’
October 22, 2019
[wisn.com - 10/22/19] The homeless in Milwaukee’s Tent City have less than two weeks to clear out after the Wisconsin Department of Transportation ordered them out by Oct. 31 to make way for a construction project. A federally funded nonprofit is taking on the mission of finding everyone a home to avoid forcing people out at the end of the month. ... ______ is... Read more here: https://www.wisn.com/article/nonprofit-trying-to-find-homes-for-those-living-in-tent-city/29554808
PA: Internet dissemination provision of SORNA II violates the federal prohibition against ex post facto laws
October 23, 2019
Summary from FAC: A Pennsylvania Appeals Court has found that the dissemination of persons who have been convicted of sexual offenses’ information on the internet (Megan’s Law) violates the ex post facto clause of the Constitution for individuals whose offenses pre-date the ordinance. Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court had a prior landmark decision (Commonwealth v. Muniz, 164 A.3d 1189 (Pa.2017)) finding similarly, so this new opinion... Read more here: http://www.pacourts.us/assets/opinions/Superior/out/J-A12038-19oA.pdf?cb=1
KY: Louisville launches a registry for animal abusers
October 24, 2019
[wave3.com - 10/23/19] A new Animal Abuser Registry in Louisville is expected to prevent pets from falling into the hands of people with a history of animal abuse. Approved by Louisville Metro Council and administered by Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS), the registry is similar to a sex offender registry. Anyone who lives in the Louisville Metro and is guilty of animal cruelty is.. Read more here: https://www.wave3.com/2019/10/23/louisville-launches-registry-animal-abusers/
LA: Teen beat up a stranger he recognized as a sex offender, now faces hate crime count, NOPD says
October 25, 2019
A 17-year-old boy who realized he was at the same convenience store as a man whose picture had appeared on a mailed sex-offender notice followed the man away from the shop and beat him up, New Orleans police said this week. Now, besides facing a count of misdemeanor battery, Tyrin Calloway stands accused of a hate crime, apparently on the theory that he targeted... Read more here: https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_8b0b2784-f744-11e9-9e16-4370b10664e3.html
Army sex offender argues that prison’s ban on contact with his children violated rights
October 29, 2019
A soldier convicted of a sex crime involving a child will argue in the military’s top court next week that a prison policy preventing him from contact with his own children violated his rights and unduly punished him. Full Article:
https://www.stripes.com/news/us/army-sex-offender-argues-that-prison-s-ban-on-contact-with-his-children-violated-rights-1.605080
NM: Sex offenders suing New Mexico sheriffs, DPS
October 31, 2019
ALBUQUERQUE, NM (KRQE) – More than a half dozen sex offenders who committed their crimes in other states say they’re being treated unfairly in New Mexico. Now, eight out-of-state sex offenders now living in New Mexico, calling themselves John Does, are suing the Department of Public Safety and various sheriffs to get their fair shot at a hearing. Full Article: https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/sex-offenders-suing-new-mexico-sheriffs-dps/
IL: Former Sex Offenders can Proceed with Lawsuit Challenging Restrictions on Internet Use
October 5, 2019
A group of former sex offenders may continue with their lawsuit, challenging the constitutionality of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC’s) restrictive policy on internet access for those convicted of sex crimes. A federal district court has ruled that it is premature at this early stage of the litigation to dismiss the lawsuit. Full Article: https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/2019/10/04/former-sex-offenders-can-proceed-with-lawsuit-challenging-restrictions-on-internet-use/
NY: Sex offenders form PAC to try and gain political voice
October 14, 2019
[timesunion.com - 10/14/19] Voting blocs, where people support candidates on specific issues, have long played an outsized role in New York politics – from labor unions that focus on workplace rules, to environmentalists who place clean air and water at the top of the list. But now an unusual bloc is emerging from an unexpected place: the locked sex offenders unit at one of... Read more here: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Sex-offenders-form-PAC-to-try-and-gain-political-14515657.php
WA: Tarra Simmons Looks To Become 1st Former Inmate Elected To Washington Legislature
October 21, 2019
[opb.org - 10/21/19] A Washington attorney and criminal justice reform advocate who previously served time in prison is seeking to become the first formerly incarcerated person elected to the Washington Legislature, at least in modern times. Tarra Simmons, of Bremerton, who in 2017 won a Supreme Court fight to sit for the state bar exam, despite her prior criminal conviction, plans to formally announce her candidacy for... Read more here: https://www.opb.org/news/article/tarra-simmons-washington-legislature-incarceration/
JPMorgan Chase Hired 2,100 People With Criminal Records In 2018 (And Will Hire More)
October 22, 2019
[forbes.com - 10/21/19] Topline: JPMorgan Chase announced an expansion of its efforts to hire people with criminal backgrounds Monday, continuing the trend of big companies “banning the box” and giving people second chances. JPMorgan Chase hired 2,100 people with criminal records in 2018, which equals about 10% of their total hires last year. The bank knows those people have records, because they conduct background... Read more here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/10/21/jpmorgan-chase-hired-2100-people-with-criminal-records-in-2018-and-will-hire-more/#63fa0f2538f2
WI: Nonprofit trying to find homes for those living in ‘Tent City’
October 22, 2019
[wisn.com - 10/22/19] The homeless in Milwaukee’s Tent City have less than two weeks to clear out after the Wisconsin Department of Transportation ordered them out by Oct. 31 to make way for a construction project. A federally funded nonprofit is taking on the mission of finding everyone a home to avoid forcing people out at the end of the month. ... ______ is... Read more here: https://www.wisn.com/article/nonprofit-trying-to-find-homes-for-those-living-in-tent-city/29554808
PA: Internet dissemination provision of SORNA II violates the federal prohibition against ex post facto laws
October 23, 2019
Summary from FAC: A Pennsylvania Appeals Court has found that the dissemination of persons who have been convicted of sexual offenses’ information on the internet (Megan’s Law) violates the ex post facto clause of the Constitution for individuals whose offenses pre-date the ordinance. Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court had a prior landmark decision (Commonwealth v. Muniz, 164 A.3d 1189 (Pa.2017)) finding similarly, so this new opinion... Read more here: http://www.pacourts.us/assets/opinions/Superior/out/J-A12038-19oA.pdf?cb=1
KY: Louisville launches a registry for animal abusers
October 24, 2019
[wave3.com - 10/23/19] A new Animal Abuser Registry in Louisville is expected to prevent pets from falling into the hands of people with a history of animal abuse. Approved by Louisville Metro Council and administered by Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS), the registry is similar to a sex offender registry. Anyone who lives in the Louisville Metro and is guilty of animal cruelty is.. Read more here: https://www.wave3.com/2019/10/23/louisville-launches-registry-animal-abusers/
LA: Teen beat up a stranger he recognized as a sex offender, now faces hate crime count, NOPD says
October 25, 2019
A 17-year-old boy who realized he was at the same convenience store as a man whose picture had appeared on a mailed sex-offender notice followed the man away from the shop and beat him up, New Orleans police said this week. Now, besides facing a count of misdemeanor battery, Tyrin Calloway stands accused of a hate crime, apparently on the theory that he targeted... Read more here: https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_8b0b2784-f744-11e9-9e16-4370b10664e3.html
Army sex offender argues that prison’s ban on contact with his children violated rights
October 29, 2019
A soldier convicted of a sex crime involving a child will argue in the military’s top court next week that a prison policy preventing him from contact with his own children violated his rights and unduly punished him. Full Article:
https://www.stripes.com/news/us/army-sex-offender-argues-that-prison-s-ban-on-contact-with-his-children-violated-rights-1.605080
NM: Sex offenders suing New Mexico sheriffs, DPS
October 31, 2019
ALBUQUERQUE, NM (KRQE) – More than a half dozen sex offenders who committed their crimes in other states say they’re being treated unfairly in New Mexico. Now, eight out-of-state sex offenders now living in New Mexico, calling themselves John Does, are suing the Department of Public Safety and various sheriffs to get their fair shot at a hearing. Full Article: https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/sex-offenders-suing-new-mexico-sheriffs-dps/
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 6 2019
Meanwhile, the State Police won’t talk about this, citing litigation
November 5, 2019
A state Court of Appeals panel ruled likewise against his prosecution for breaking guidelines for tier 3 offenders, discovering that “the injury to (Spencer) is not simply the minute criminal prosecution (for possibly breaking the 2006 and 2011 guidelines), however the threat of arrest and prosecution at the next time or destination. in a choice final November involving William Sim Spencer of Thompsonville up against the Benzie County prosecutor in northwest Michigan”
“Easily put, (he) must stay glued to a significant limitation on their freedom in relation to statutory conditions that don’t connect with him, and live underneath the specter of arrest and prosecution for the 15-year offense should he neglect to do this. This is certainly an ongoing damage and it is irreparable,” the court stated.
This past year, on Nov. 20, a lot more than a dozen situations brought within the Michigan Court of Claims, all challenging retroactive application regarding the registry legislation, had been closed, the court choosing when it comes to registrants, noting the Supreme Court’s declining to know a challenge towards the 6th Circuit’s ruling.
And all sorts of of the instances cost cash: within one situation by which Oakland County didn’t also bring a prosecution — the scenario relating to the medical manager — it nevertheless paid funds to her to get rid of the outcome as well as its involvement, agreeing never to prosecute her retroactively.
This has delivered circulars off to local authorities, saying officers could face civil obligation for almost any retroactive application of this rules. Nonetheless it’s perhaps maybe not within its capacity to scrub the registry, or move individuals off it, or purchase police never to arrest individuals, lacking a judge especially telling them to take action or even the Legislature agreeing to rewrite what the law states.
And there’s absolutely nothing saying police can’t still charge individuals they perceive as violators.
In Oakland County, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Paul Walton stated police nevertheless generate some instances which can be dubious underneath the courts’ rulings, however the county — after reviewing every one carefully — does not prosecute.
“People think we’re in control of the SORA (the Intercourse Offender Registry Act), that we’re in control of the registry. We’re perhaps perhaps not in control of the registry. We are able to simply review the costs us,” Walton said as they’re brought to. “I want their state would turn out and simplify the positioning for the State Police because we don’t understand what it really is. All I am able to let you know is, whenever (fees are) presented to your workplace m.chaturbate, we review each instance separately.”
Do offenders nevertheless pose a danger?
Meanwhile, its definately not clear exactly how effective sex offender registries are in reducing intercourse offenses: within the ACLU instance that led to the 6th Circuit’s choice, specialists testified that while many intercourse offenders pose a substantial risk, many try not to — nor do many commit intercourse offenses once again after their beliefs.
As one specialist, Janet Fay-Dumaine, a psychologist at Michigan’s Center for Forensic Psychiatry, place it if so, “It’s exceptionally contrary to our social assumptions. . Yes, there was a team of sex offenders which can be at high risk of recidivating, but that is a really number that is small of offenders. Many intercourse offenders try not to.”
As instances like those Michigan that is engulfing State and United States Of America Gymnastics involving previous recreations medical practitioner Larry Nassar appear to suggest, intercourse offenses tend to be about possibility, involving perhaps not complete stranger but somebody near the survivor.
In the past, the Justice Department stated that just about 5% of intercourse offenders had been re-arrested for the next intercourse criminal activity within 3 years of the launch — and that the portion went down after that as former offenders got older. In a 2015 evaluation of adult sex offender management, the Justice Department stated in terms of intercourse offender enrollment and notification while the effect on rates of intercourse crimes, the data is “mixed . with several studies showing no noticeable modification.”
Even though research reports have discovered that police views value within the registries with regards to understanding the place of past offenders and information that is sharing other authorities, in a 2016 research posted in Criminal Justice Policy Review, also they raised issues, having a bulk surveyed expressing issues that registries could produce “a false feeling of protection.” Almost three-quarters of these surveyed additionally stated challenges associated with homelessness and transience among offenders possibly brought on by residence limitations like Michigan’s — that are not element of federal law — had been a problem.
“those who have never ever been in the registry, that is whom commits the crimes,” stated Sandy Rozek, communications manager for the nationwide Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL), a business that contends in support of restricting use of intercourse offender information to authorities therefore the period of time a registrant must stick to record, and also other reforms to regulations which have sprung up in current years, thinking they are doing more damage than good. “We’re investing millions watching and monitoring, placing limitations on this massive band of people.”
In line with the Michigan ACLU, state taxpayers spend a lot more than $1 million a to maintain the sex offender registration database year. And presumably so much more — during the state and levels that are local to examine prospective violations also to fight lawsuits more than a concept already determined by federal and state courts.
Stated Miriam Aukerman, senior staff lawyer when it comes to ACLU in Michigan, “their state, despite a definite ruling it is unconstitutional to put on these conditions retroactively, continues to use them retroactively to lots of people.”
Also it renders numerous being unsure of what direction to go.
Carrick, in Montcalm County, stated he has had officers arrive at his house, “just to be sure i am residing here.” The construction subcontractor said he has had to take a quick job close to a school, knowing it will only be for a day or two, hoping he won’t get stopped, knowing he has to work from time to time.
Often he wonders if it is well worth the time and effort.
“we view my p’s and q’s,” he stated. But he included, often, he believes, “I’d instead return back (to jail). I’m sick and tired of dealing utilizing the anxiety.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 20 2019
Two jail guards charged in connection with Jeffrey Epstein's death, sources say
The guards face charges tied to falsifying records. The case will have no bearing on the determination that Epstein died by suicide.
Nov. 18, 2019, 8:48 PM CST / Updated Nov. 19, 2019, 12:09 PM CST
Two guards at a federal prison in Manhattan have been indicted in connection with the investigation into accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, a senior law enforcement official said.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 21 2019
Prince Andrew under pressure amid sex allegations | Hong Kong university a ghost town: WATCH the top world news videos for today
2019-11-21 07:01
Prince Andrew to step back from public duties
Prince Andrew will step back from public duties after his interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sparked a major backlash.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 24 2019
Nothing we as a community can do or say will ever bring back Molly Jane Matheson, 22, or Megan Leigh Getrum, 36, the two vibrant and much-loved Dallas-Fort Worth-area women police say Reginald Kimbro brutally raped and murdered just four days apart in April 2017.
And nothing will ever change the fact that more than 40 days before Matheson and Getrum were raped, strangled and murdered, the Texas Department of Public Safety had officially notified the Allen Police Department that Kimbro’s DNA was found in a sexual assault forensic exam — also called a “rape kit” — taken in January 2014 by a local woman who survived a similar rape, strangulation and attempted murder after attending a party at which Kimbro was present.
In other words, nothing will ever change the fact that the Allen Police Department failed to arrest Kimbro for well over a month after the authorities there knew that DNA found on the January 2014 rape victim’s body was Kimbro’s, who was, from the onset of the case, the primary suspect.
In fact, as WFAA-TV (Channel 8) uncovered in a Nov. 15 investigative report, “One-hundred-and-five days would elapse between the time that the DNA results came back in the Allen rape case and when an Allen police detective obtained a warrant for Kimbro, who by that time was being held in the Tarrant County jail in the murders of Matheson and Getrum.” That, clearly, is inexcusable.
With Kimbro’s trial for capital murder in Tarrant County scheduled to begin soon, we reached out to Allen police this past week to ask why it took years for DPS to process the 2014 rape kit and report Kimbro’s DNA match to them, as well as why it took over 100 days to obtain a warrant for Kimbro’s arrest. They responded to our inquiry by saying they’ve been instructed by both the Tarrant County district attorney and the Collin County district attorney not to comment on any case involving Kimbro until both capital murder trials have ended.
That is perhaps understandable from a legal standpoint, given what appears to be at the very least undue delays and the possible mishandling of the 2014 rape kit and its DNA results linking Kimbro to a brutal sexual assault and attempted murder three years before Molly Jane Matheson and Megan Leigh Getrum were similarly raped and murdered. But from a moral standpoint, and from the standpoint of Matheson’s and Gertrum’s friends and family, it is, again, inexcusable.
Sadly, as Amy Jones, CEO of the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center, told us this past week, it’s also far too common. “Very often when survivors do have the forensic exam — the ‘rape kit’ — it takes a very, very long time for them to hear anything back, and often they never hear anything.”
But, she continued, due to legislation signed into law in June 2017, just two months after the murders of Matheson and Getrum, “there are now going to be tracking numbers attached to every single rape kit that is performed in the state of Texas, so the survivors will actually know where these kits are in the process.”
Another piece of legislation, she said, will help the state come up with the funding to chip away at the backlog of rape kits that have failed to be processed.
Jones was referring to H.B. 281, which mandates the tracking of rape kits throughout the state and matches DNA results with national databases; and H.B. 1729, which gives Texans renewing their driver’s license the opportunity to donate $1 to the Department of Public Safety to help fund the costs of the equipment, training and personnel to tackle the cost of eliminating the rape-kit backlog.
“Making sure that there are enough labs available to test this information, making sure there are enough folks who are qualified to process the evidence, is absolutely crucial,” Jones told us, “because there are so many bottlenecks all along the way.”
How bad is the rape-kit backlog problem? According to the Joyful Heart Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to healing and empowering survivors of sexual assault, Texas was the first state to enact all six pillars of reform recommended to address the rape-kit backlog problem. Yet there are still more than 2,000 rape kits awaiting testing in Texas alone.
As Ilse Knecht, Joyful Heart’s director of policy and advocacy, said when H.B. 281 and H.B. 1729 were enacted, “Only after law enforcement agencies track and account for the untested kits in their custody can communities begin to take steps to test those kits, hold offenders accountable and bring justice to sexual assault survivors whose cases have languished, often for years — or even decades.”
Tragically, these reforms were enacted too late to save the lives of Molly Jane Matheson or Megan Leigh Getrum. But that hasn’t stopped advocates such as Jones, Knecht, or Molly Jane Matheson’s mother, Tracy Matheson, from pushing for still more reforms to prevent future rapes and murders by repeat offenders.
This spring, H.B. 3106 — better known as “Molly Jane’s Law”—mandating that all state law-enforcement officials enter information into an FBI database for every sex offense they investigate — was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.
“This will enable law enforcement access to information on potential serial rapists and sexual offenders in the future,” Abbott said at the signing ceremony. “No more should we ever again have a Molly Jane Matheson.”
We can only hope — and yes, pray — that these reforms do just that. And that the families of both Molly Jane Matheson and Megan Leigh Getrum find, if not peace, then some degree of comfort in the fact that their beloved did not die in vain.
We also encourage all readers to visit www.projectbeloved.org , which is part of the Matheson family’s Molly Jane Mission, which “strives to educate, advocate and collaborate to change the conversation about sexual assault and empower survivors to find their voices.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 28 2019
I love posting these stories. If you think it is acceptable to stand up for human rights but are against everyone's rights, even African Americans or LGBTQ folks; than you are a in a dangerous place. Stories like this are proof. People can learn allot from stories like this.
From: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/11/minister-railed-gay-people-caught-sexually-harassing-young-men/
Minister who railed against gay people caught sexually harassing young men
"This can’t be happening. Eric is known as the guy who hates gay people. We’re the church that built our church based on anti-homosexuality."
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
An anti-gay Anglican minister in Florida resigned last year after admitting to sexual harassment and “undesired physical displays of affection.” Now an investigative report found that many of his victims were young men and aspiring priests he had power over.
Father Eric Dudley – married, the father of three – is the founder of St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Tallahassee and was the leader of that church until he resigned in disgrace.
Related: Imprisoned, anti-LGBTQ Oklahoma senator has to pay $125,000 to the teen male prostitute he hired
Dudley was a pastor at a different Episcopal church for ten years. In 2005, he left that church to found his own, citing the Episcopalians’ increasingly pro-LGBTQ stances, and his new church – St. Peter’s – was associated with the Anglican Church of Uganda.
The independent group Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) investigated the circumstances that led to Dudley resigning, and their report, released yesterday, says that Dudley would lavish attention on “attractive young men.” He would give them gifts and jobs at the church, even while he raged against homosexuality and marriage equality from the pulpit.
GRACE spoke with 51 alleged victims and witnesses and reviewed text messages and emails, concluding that it’s “significant that the reported victims’ accounts often corroborated each other, even though they were not aware of other reported victims at the time.”
One of Dudley’s alleged victims said that he went on an out-of-state trip with Dudley, and he booked a hotel room with a single large bed and blamed it on a front desk error.
The victim woke up to Dudley rubbing his back and chest.
“Part of me is going like, ‘This is super strange,’” the victim told investigators. “And another part is going, ‘This can’t be happening.’”
“Eric is known as the guy who hates gay people. We’re the church that built our church based on anti-homosexuality. He kind of has a caricature out there, so no way this guy is coming on to me. I’m misreading him.”
According to GRACE’s report, Dudley used the “oops, they accidentally gave us only one bed” trick multiple times with young men he traveled with for work. One victim said that Dudley went to bed in only his underwear and then reached under the victim’s clothes to grope him.
Another victim said that Dudley lay on top of him and became physically aroused.
A victim identified as John Doe in the report said that he met Dudley in Tallahassee when he was in seminary. Dudley gave Doe a job, took him on a $700 shopping spree, said that he wanted Doe to succeed him one day, and the two became friends.
After Dudley booked a hotel room with only one bed for the two of them and groped Doe, he made several passes at Doe when they were alone in his house.
Doe showed Dudley his new bed and Dudley asked him to lie down in it. Dudley got on top of him and started kissing him, taking off off both of their shirts. Dudley got aroused.
That’s when Doe pushed him off and said he didn’t want to have sex. Dudley got mad and stormed out.
The next day, Dudley had an excuse. “I don’t want to run away to California,” he allegedly said, implying that he believed that gay men have to live in California. “I’m not gay. I’m not into that. I just, I need your, I’m an affectionate person. I need to be touched by you.”
Another victim said that he got “incessant” text messaged from Dudley. If he didn’t answer immediately, he said that Dudley would show up at his house.
“It was so bizarre,” he said. “I think he thought we were in some kind of romantic, intimate relationship or something.”
That victim was so weirded out that he emailed an associate priest at the church and CC’d Dudley. Dudley tried to call the victim, and when he didn’t pick up Dudley showed up at his house, banging on the door and shouting “I know you’re in there!”
He said that he was worried that Dudley would break the glass on the door so he opened it, and Dudley was crying and said that the victim shouldn’t report him “after everything I’ve done for you.”
“It’s over,” Dudley said. “You screwed up. How dare you contact my employee.” The victim said he apologized.
The victims weren’t the only ones who saw this side of Dudley. One witness told GRACE that she noticed “a pattern of young males that seemed to have captured our rector’s eye.”
Another witness said that Dudley really liked “good-looking, thin, and fit young men,” according to the Tallahassee Democrat, describing the men as the kind “that women notice when they walk into a room.”
GRACE said that Dudley went far beyond giving attention to the young men, though.
“Once Father Eric developed enough trust in his relationships with the reported victims, he would use abusive tactics to further manipulate them,” the report said. “Again, Father Eric followed a pattern, exploiting his reported victims emotionally, financially, spiritually and physically.”
The report said that he also had anger issues and would bang on the desk and yell when criticized. His outbursts weren’t limited to his victims or to reports of sexual misconduct, like when he made workers uncomfortable walking around shirtless at a church retreat.
Dudley resigned last year and was given one year’s severance pay. A letter from a bishop at the time said that he was stepping down due to “inappropriate treatment of others, abuse of alcohol, and anger issues,” but it did not say that the victims were men.
This detail is significant because Dudley’s homophobia ran deep. He left the Episcopal Church in 2005 to start another church because Gene Robinson, a gay man, became bishop in New Hampshire. Afterwards, Dudley continued to speak against LGBTQ rights.
In 2015, he wrote an editorial criticizing the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which expanded marriage equality to all 50 states. He said the decision was a “tragic event.”
“We believe [marriage equality] stands in direct contradiction of God’s creative purposes,” he wrote. “We do not believe that we can be faithful to God’s word and at the same time support an ethic that articulates not only marriage within the same gender, but an affirmation of bisexual expression, and the blurring of clear lines in gender identity.”
In a sermon he was more direct, calling the decision “shocking, sad [and] infuriating” and said it was the result of a “well-oiled political scheme involving the media and Hollywood” that caused people to accept bisexuality, polyamory, and identification as “any gender.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 29 2019
My wife reads me the top news stories that are retentive almost everyday. She read me this sickening sex offence story; yesterday.:
A College Student Was Killed by a Man Whose Catcalls She Tried to Ignore, Prosecutors Say
Ruth George’s attacker grew angry, prosecutors said, when she ignored his remarks. “She was just trying to go home,” a fellow college student said.
Nov. 27, 2019
CHICAGO — The young college student was walking to her car. The man catcalled her. She ignored him. What happened next could have been lifted from any woman’s most vivid nightmare: The man, Donald Thurman, followed the 19-year-old student, Ruth George, as she entered a parking garage, prosecutors said on Tuesday. He followed her from behind and put her in a chokehold, they said. “The defendant was angry that he was being ignored,” prosecutors said in a statement. Ms. George’s family became worried when she did not return home on Friday night, and on Saturday morning, the police tracked the pings of her cellphone to the parking garage, where her body was discovered, face down in the back seat of her car. Mr. Thurman, 26, was identified by the police from surveillance video at the scene, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. They arrested him when he was spotted again in the area on Sunday; he was charged with first-degree murder and criminal sexual assault. Mr. Thurman’s lawyer, a public defender, did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Mr. Thurman had previously been convicted of armed robbery and was released on parole in 2018 after serving two years for the crime.
I think our perverted, unconstitutional, Nazi like, justice system, publicly torturing with cruel and unusual punishment, so called registered sex offenders; causes this kind of crime to take place. If this barbaric, inhuman, grotesque, shameful, treatment of our fellow citizens, is meant to deter sex offences, let it be to no surprise if it has a opposite effect; if not cause the ruin of us all.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 4 2019
Teaching assistant accused of sexually abusing student to turn him straight
The 51-year-old woman met the student at school - and they attended the same church.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
A teaching assistant who is accused of having sex with a student on four occasions may have been trying to turn him straight, according to statements she made to police and the victim.
Tedria Fluellen, 51, was a teaching assistant in Houston, and she met the victim while working at Worthing High School. The victim said that they both attended the same church as well.
The victim said that he knew Fluellen for a few years and that he would sometimes help her out with tasks at her home or moving things out of her storage unit.
Court documents state that the victim was 16 in 2018 when the sexual abuse started. Fluellen allegedly told the victim: “You don’t have to be gay,” and then proceeded to sexually abuse him.
The victim said that he was at her home and she performed oral sex on him.
After the first time, she gave the victim a cell phone and started sending him sexually explicit text messages. She called him “my secret lover.”
Investigators believe that she molested him three more times: once at his house, once in her car before school started, and once at her storage unit.
The victim lived with his grandmother, and when she was out of town once Fluellen came to visit. She allegedly gave the victim’s cousin a drink that contained alcohol and an unknown medication and said, “It’s going to knock him out.”
The grandmother eventually suspected something was wrong and she checked the victim’s phone, finding the graphic text messages. She called 911 and reported the abuse to Houston Independent School District police.
Fluellen admitted to police that she had had oral sex with the victim, but she said that they never had vaginal or anal sex. She said that his life was “not the lifestyle” for him and that another student was trying to “turn him out,” slang for having sex with another man.
She said that the text messages were intended for her boyfriend, not for the victim. She gave police consent to search her phone, where they found the sexually explicit messages that she had sent the victim.
Fluellen was arrested and is being held on a $40,000 bond. She is being charged with sexual assault of a child under 17.
The Houston Independent School District said in a statement that they “are cooperating fully with the Harris County District Attorney’s office.”
“Keeping our students and campuses safe so that productive instruction can take place remains the district’s top priority,” the statement said.
NJ: NEW JERSEY COULD SOON COMPENSATE THOSE WRONGFULLY PUT ON SEX OFFENDER LIST
November 8, 2019
[nj.com – 11/7/19]
Dion Harrell spent two decades on New Jersey’s sex offender registry.
He had trouble finding a job. He couldn’t be alone with his kids. For a time, he was homeless.
But when a DNA test finally proved his innocence, the state had nothing to offer him for those years.
“I was surprised I wouldn’t get compensation,” Harrell said at a hearing in Trenton Thursday.
If you can prove that you were wrongfully imprisoned in New Jersey, you can receive up to $50,000 for every year spent behind bars. But you’re out of luck if you were forced into treatment or supervision for a sex crime you didn’t commit, or if you falsely pled guilty to any crime.
State lawmakers could change that. A bipartisan bill (A1037) would allow people to receive $25,000 for every year spent under the state’s supervision, which includes sex offender lists and parole.
Read more: https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/11/new-jersey-could-soon-compensate-those-wrongfully-put-on-sex-offender-list.html
LA: MAN REMOVED ‘SEX OFFENDER’ FROM HIS ID, AND A JUDGE DISMISSED THE CASE. WHY?
November 8, 2019
When a Lafayette Parish man removed the words “sex offender” from his state-issued ID, law enforcement officers said Louisiana law had been broken. A local judge saw things differently. Full Article: https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/courts/article_1d1f2698-0177-11ea-8cee-fff345768dca.html
VA: CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER ELECTED TO VIRGINIA SENATE
November 10, 2019
[theohiostar.com – 11/11/19]
One of the many Democrats elected to the Virginia Senate on Tuesday is a convicted sex offender and disbarred lawyer, according to Breitbart.
Joe Morrissey was jailed and lost his license to practice law after being convicted of having sex with his 17-year-old secretary. He pled guilty to a misdemeanor in the ensuing court case and served for only three months in a “work-release term.” He was also forced to resign from his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, but then ran again in the special election to retake the seat and was re-elected.
Morrissey then went on to marry the girl in 2016, and she gave birth to their first child at 19. They now have three children together. Morrissey is 62.
Read more: https://theohiostar.com/2019/11/11/convicted-sex-offender-elected-to-virginia-senate/
SEX CRIMES BY COPS AN OUTGROWTH OF THEIR ‘POWER AND COERCIVE AUTHORITY,’ EXPERT SAYS
November 12, 2019
[ocregister.com – 11/12/19]
LAPD officers who took advantage of their power imbalance to commit sexual assaults fit national trends, says prominent criminologist.
LAPD officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols sexually assaulted a woman at this McDonald’s parking lot, located at 405 N Alvarado St. at W. Temple St. in Los Angeles. They were on duty using a black Jetta. Photographed on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By Olga Grigoryants | ogrigoryants@scng.com and Sarah Favot | Los Angeles Daily News
PUBLISHED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am | UPDATED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am
Criminologist Philip Stinson has spent more than a decade studying bad cops and oversees a national database that often explains exactly how they came to violate their sworn duty.
Often, Stinson says, the power imbalance between a police officer and the civilians they encounter leads some astray.
Police officers regularly come in contact with vulnerable people who are “subject to the power and coercive authority granted to police,” said the criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, who is a nationally recognized expert on police behavior and misconduct.
Prominent among such criminal activity are sex-related crimes, he says.
“There’s a lot of power and control that comes with the gun and the badge in terms of being able to coerce people, specifically women and girls,” said Stinson, himself a former police officer in Virginia and New Hampshire.
Additionally, circumstances related to police work make it conducive to committing sex-related crimes.
Many police officers, Stinson says, are free from direct supervision while they are on patrol and sometimes work alone. Also, many police interactions occur late at night outside public view.
Read more: https://www.ocregister.com/2019/11/12/sex-crimes-by-cops-an-outgrowth-of-their-power-and-coercive-authority-expert-says/
From: https://www.ocregister.com/2019/11/12/sex-crimes-by-cops-an-outgrowth-of-their-power-and-coercive-authority-expert-says/
Sex crimes by cops an outgrowth of their ‘power and coercive authority,’ expert says:
Officers who took advantage of their power imbalance to commit sexual assaults fit national trends, says prominent criminologist
LAPD officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols sexually assaulted a woman at this McDonald’s parking lot, located at 405 N Alvarado St. at W. Temple St. in Los Angeles. They were on duty using a black Jetta. Photographed on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By OLGA GRIGORYANTS | ogrigoryants@scng.com and SARAH FAVOT | Los Angeles Daily News
PUBLISHED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am | UPDATED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am
Criminologist Philip Stinson has spent more than a decade studying bad cops and oversees a national database that often explains exactly how they came to violate their sworn duty.
Often, Stinson says, the power imbalance between a police officer and the civilians they encounter leads some astray.
Police officers regularly come in contact with vulnerable people who are “subject to the power and coercive authority granted to police,” said the criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, who is a nationally recognized expert on police behavior and misconduct.
Prominent among such criminal activity are sex-related crimes, he says.
“There’s a lot of power and control that comes with the gun and the badge in terms of being able to coerce people, specifically women and girls,” said Stinson, himself a former police officer in Virginia and New Hampshire.
Additionally, circumstances related to police work make it conducive to committing sex-related crimes.
Many police officers, Stinson says, are free from direct supervision while they are on patrol and sometimes work alone. Also, many police interactions occur late at night outside public view.
Los Angeles is typical of statewide trends for officers convicted of crimes.
New data obtained by the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley, and analyzed over six months in partnership with the Southern California News Group and other news outlets across the state, reveals that 21 Los Angeles police officers were convicted of crimes committed from 2007 to 2017.
About half of those convictions were for felony sex crimes, domestic violence or other assaults, according to an analysis of the data. Many of them were crimes of opportunity, in which the officers took advantage of their power over vulnerable victims.
Officer ‘groomed’ 15-year-old cadet
One such sexual abuse case that grabbed headlines in 2017 involved an officer in South Los Angeles who was a supervisor of the LAPD cadet program.
For several months, Officer Robert Cain was gaining the trust of a teenager in the program, sending her gifts, and letting her drive his car and sit at his desk, according to a civil lawsuit filed against the city in 2018.
The 15-year-old girl, who was not identified in the suit, was enrolled in the cadet program at the 77th Division from January to June 2017, according to court documents. Cain, a 10-year veteran of the department who was 31 at the time, was a supervisor and mentor of the girl.
On June 14, 2017, Cain invited her to Six Flags Magic Mountain as a reward for participation in the program. There, he sexually assaulted her in the parking lot, according to the girl’s lawsuit.
Attorney Luis Carrillo, who represented the victim, said Cain was gaining the victim’s trust for months before he assaulted her.
“Grooming takes different forms, such as being nice, letting her sit at the desk, bringing her to his car,” Carrillo said. “Things like that break barriers for the child who is 15 or 16 years old.”
Cain was assigned to “supervise, train and advise” the victim. Instead, he “used his position to groom and sexually molest and sexually abuse” her, the lawsuit claims.
Details of the assault were discovered after the LAPD began investigating the theft of police cruisers, ballistic vests and other equipment from the 77th Street Division. The girl was one of seven cadets arrested in connection with the thefts. During the probe, police detectives discovered text messages between the girl and Cain revealing the details of their unlawful sexual contact.
Then-LAPD Chief Charlie Beck personally arrested Cain in 2017. The officer was later charged with oral copulation of a person under 16 and unlawful sexual intercourse.
The victim’s lawsuit said the department and city “failed to take reasonable steps and implement reasonable safeguards to avoid and/or prevent the unlawful sexual conduct” by Cain.
His attorney did not return multiple requests for comment.
In the days following Cain’s arrest, investigators seized more than 100 firearms, including assault rifles and inert grenades, when they searched his home in Rancho Cucamonga, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Cain resigned from the Police Department following his arrest. In August 2018, he entered a no contest plea to two felony sexual abuse charges in exchange for a two-year prison sentence. The judge also ordered him to register as a sex offender and stay away from the victim for 10 years.
Lewd act with a 5-year-old
Another LAPD officer, Miguel Angel Schiappapietra Jr., also was sentenced to prison for a disturbing case involving the child of a neighbor in Castaic.
Schiappapietra had developed a friendship with his new neighbor after moving to the community in the far reaches of northern L.A. County. Both were fathers of young children.
But a month after they met, Schiappapietra invited his neighbor’s daughters — 5 and 8 years old — from their yard into his bedroom and exposed himself to them. Then Schiappapietra asked the 5-year-old to touch him. And she did as the 8-year-old left the room.
Schiappapietra, a six-year veteran of the LAPD, was charged in 2013 with felony lewd act upon a child and attempted lewd act upon a child.
“It will be the responsibility of the prosecution to overcome the overwhelming evidence of Mr. Schiappapietra’s strong community and family ties, lack of any criminal history, and an overall history of success and superior citizenship,” Schiappapietra’s attorney, David Diamond, wrote in a motion to reduce the officer’s $200,000 bail at the time.
However, Schiappapietra resigned from the LAPD, eventually pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to three years in state prison. He also must register as a sex offender.
Officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols entered the pleas to counts of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation; they were sentenced to 25 years in prison https://t.co/a1h6W0qW09
— KTLA (@KTLA) February 26, 2018
Narcotics officers prey on informants
The LAPD case that most illustrates Stinson’s warnings involved two undercover narcotics officers who preyed on informants who were abusing drugs.
Officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols were arrested in February 2016 and charged with more than a dozen felony counts for sexually assaulting four women under color of authority during a period from 2008 to 2011.
Valenzuela and Nichols pleaded no contest to charges of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation. Both men were handed 25-year state prison terms and ordered to register as sex offenders.
One of the victims, identified in court proceedings as Jane Doe No. 1, was picked up by the officers in the Echo Park area and driven to a McDonald’s parking lot near Temple and Alvarado streets in December 2008.
Valenzuela stepped out of the car and Nichols stayed behind with the woman, ordering her to perform oral sex.
According to a preliminary hearing transcript, the woman — who was in her 20s and had served as an informant for the officers — said she followed the Nichols’ orders because she was “scared” and felt she “would get in trouble” or be arrested if she didn’t cooperate.
After Valenzuela returned to the car, the officers drove the woman to her home and gave her $40.
County prosecutors said in court that the two officers threatened their victims, saying they would be sent to jail if they didn’t have sex with them.
Attorneys who represented the two officers in court did not return multiple requests for comment.
Dennis Chang, an attorney who represented two of the victims, said the power the two officers had over the women was “enormous.”
“They would say, ‘You haven’t given us enough,’ ” Chang said. “ ‘I need more arrests. I need more sex. I need more blowjobs. You need to do this and you need to do that. If you don’t, you’re going back to jail.’ ”
On one occasion, the officers threatened a victim that they would spread the word she was a “snitch” if she told anybody about the sexual assaults, according to a civil lawsuit filed in 2016.
Stinson points out that police officers who commit crimes obviously is not the norm in law enforcement. But there are officers who commit sexual misconduct and believe they can get away with it, he said.
“Because they can. Because they don’t think they’ll get caught. Law enforcement is generally exempt from law enforcement. Police officers don’t typically like to arrest other police officers.”
Click here to read all of the articles in this series.: https://www.ocregister.com/tag/criminal-cops/
TX: ‘WEPT LIKE BABIES THAT DAY’: MAN RECALLS FAMILY’S REACTION AFTER CHILD SEX ABUSE CONVICTION OVERTURNED
November 18, 2019
[kvue.com – 11/15/19]
GEORGETOWN, Texas — For more than 20 years, Troy Mansfield was branded a “registered sex offender,” a shameful asterisk by his name that followed him everywhere.
“I took my stepdad’s name and I wanted it to be a good name,” Mansfield said. “And I felt like somehow or another it got trashed by me, and I didn’t mean for it to.”
The father of two sons struggled to support his family from a cleaning business, purposely in his wife’s name, Amy Mansfield.
“We lived between $16,000 and $19,000 a year, for a family of four – so very tight and very hard – because I’m trying to make a living but everywhere we go we get the door slammed on it because of this,” Troy Mansfield said.
One of his worst days came when he was kicked out of his church.
“They came in that Sunday they said, ‘We want y’all to get out. You haven’t done anything wrong, we don’t have a problem with you but public opinion is killing us in this church and you’ve got to leave,'” he said.
But Williamson County prosecutors and a judge now agree Troy Mansfield should have never been a registered sex offender or convicted of a crime.
Read more: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/williamson-county-registered-sex-offender-innocent-troy-mansfield-michael-morton-ken-anderson-district-attorney/269-bc79d30e-0d88-4548-a7b1-962a01b9540a
This is a great example of why I am against the death penalty. The life in prison is a much harsher sentence than the death penalty. I have been saying this for years. I have been actively fighting against the death penalty for over 20 years. EXODUS 20:13 "Thou shalt not kill."
FL: INMATE GETS WISH, SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR THIRD FLORIDA MURDER
November 19, 2019
[newsherald.com – 11/18/19]
Rocky Ali Beamon, a three-time killer who publicly professed his hatred for sex offenders, had his wish granted Friday when he was sentenced to death for the 2017 murder of 27-year-old Nicholas Anderson.
Beamon had been previously sentenced to die on Jan. 28 for killing a fellow inmate in 2012 at Apalachee Correctional Institution in Jackson County. He had pleaded guilty to the crime and waived his right to trial.
In May of 2018, Beamon wrote a letter to 14th District Judicial Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson in which he professed that killing sex offenders “was the best feeling I’ve had in a long time.”
He pledged to continue targeting victims if he was not sentenced to death.
“I’ll do my best to eliminate every single one until one of three things happens: (1) someone kills me, (2) I run out of people to kill, or (3) they put me where I can kill no more, death row,” the letter said.
He told Judge Patterson “if you don’t send me to death row, I vow to dedicate my next (killing) to you.”
Read more: https://all4consolaws.org/2019/11/fl-inmate-gets-wish-sentenced-to-death-for-third-florida-murder/
NJ: REGISTERED FOREVER: NJ OFFENDERS FIGHT FOR REPRIEVE
November 19, 2019
[courthousenews.com – 11/18/19]
TRENTON, N.J. (CN) — A lawyer for New Jersey urged the state Supreme Court on Monday for a strict reading of a law that lets registered sex offenders off the registry so long as they keep a clean record for 15 years. Read more here: https://www.courthousenews.com/registered-forever-nj-offenders-fight-for-reprieve/
FL: JUDGE RULES PINELLAS DETECTIVE, PROSECUTORS LIED IN CHILD PORN CASE. DEFENDANT COULD GO FREE
November 21, 2019
[tampabay.com – 11/21/19]
A 63-year-old man facing charges of lewd and lascivious molestation and possession of child pornography could go free after a judge found that Pinellas sheriff’s detectives and Pinellas-Pasco prosecutors lied to obtain a search warrant in the case.
The Tampa Bay Times obtained a Nov. 1 order written by Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge William Burgess III in which he found law enforcement officials engaged in a “ruse” to obtain a search warrant for one crime that they used to obtain evidence to prosecute other crimes.
“Had it not contained false statements and not omitted certain material facts, no reasonably prudent judge or magistrate would have signed the warrant,” the judge wrote.
Instead, the judge concluded “the police and prosecution knowingly and intentionally … made false statements.”
“The likely effect of this order is that all charges against the Defendant will have to be dismissed.”
Read more: https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2019/11/21/judge-rules-pinellas-detective-prosecutors-lied-in-child-porn-case-defendant-could-go-free/
IL: ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR SEX OFFENDERS
November 21, 2019
Illinois’ highest court ruled Thursday that it is unconstitutional to ban convicted sex offenders from social media sites.
Conrad Allen Morger was convicted of sexually abusing a minor and sentenced to four years of probation by a court in McLean County. That came with a binding condition he not use specific internet sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
During oral arguments, held in September in Godfrey, Morger’s representative said the ban is a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment fundamental right to freedom of speech. Full Article: https://chicagocrusader.com/illinois-supreme-court-strikes-down-social-media-ban-for-sex-offenders/
Decision: https://courts.illinois.gov/Opinions/SupremeCourt/2019/123643.pdf
MD: THE ABSURDITY OF CHARGING 10-YEAR-OLDS AS SEX OFFENDERS
November 25, 2019 ·8 Comments
A ten-year boy has just been charged as a sex offender as a result of a schoolyard game of tag that got out of control. As reported by the local CBS news affiliate: “the fourth-grade students were playing a game of tag that escalated when a boy began making inappropriate comments and movements toward the girls. One of the boys also wrapped his arms around one of the girls.” Full Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/11/25/the-absurdity-of-charging-10-year-olds-as-sex-offenders/#5a52ef0b140e
Related
https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2019/11/22/10-year-old-boy-charged-sex-offense-marbury-maryland-school/
SUPREME COURT WON’T WEIGH CURBING U.S. AGENCY POWERS
November 26, 2019
[bloomberglaw.com – 11/25/19]
The U.S. Supreme Court refused Nov. 25 to once again consider whether Congress is disregarding a long-held legal doctrine and giving too much power to federal agencies.
Last term a short-handed Supreme Court refused to reinvigorate the “non-delegation doctrine,” which prohibits lawmakers from effectively passing off their legislative authority to another branch of government. The doctrine was used to upend New Deal legislation in the 1930s, but has been dormant since.
Conservatives and libertarians eager to dismantle the so-called administrative state are eager for the court to find that Congress has violated separation of powers and to curb executive authority.
But the justices refused to take up Ronald Paul’s and Arnold Caldwell’s appeals, who each claim that Congress violated the doctrine when it delegated to the attorney general the decision of whether sex offender registry laws should apply retroactively to those who were convicted of sex crimes before the reporting requirements were enacted.
Read more: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/supreme-court-wont-weigh-curbing-u-s-agency-powers
IL: DOCUMENTED HARASSMENT OF A REGISTRANT BY A POLICE OFFICER
November 30, 2019
[uscourts.gov – 11/26/19 – 7th Circuit]
The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that state actors have, at a minimum, a rational basis for treating similarly situated people differently. Rex _____ alleges that Officer Tizoc Landeros prevented him from updating his Illinois sexual offender registration and otherwise used his official position to harass Frederickson purely out of personal dislike. Without an updated registration, Frederickson was unable to move from Joliet, Illinois, to nearby Bolingbrook.
The district court found that Frederickson had put forth enough evidence to allow a jury to find that Landeros had singled Frederickson out for unfavorable treatment, and that in so doing Landeros was motivated solely by personal animus and thus lacked a rational basis for his actions.
PDF of original uscourts.gov file Frederickson v Landeros: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Frederickson-v-Landeros.pdf
uscourts.gov case posted: http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/rssExec.pl?Submit=Display&Path=Y2019/D11-26/C:18-1605:J:Easterbrook:dis:T:fnOp:N:2436411:S:0
Listen to oral arguments: https://www.courtlistener.com/audio/59532/rex-frederickson-v-tizoc-landeros/
TX: NEIGHBORS: SEX OFFENDERS MAY FOLLOW PROPOSED GOOD SAMARITAN HOMELESS SHELTER TO AREA
November 30, 2019
[caller.com – 11/29/19]
There was a time when Abel Palacious found himself homeless. Now, he lives across the street from the old Lamar Elementary School.
The school, at the corner of Morris and 19th streets, could be converted into the largest homeless shelter in Corpus Christi. It would house 308 beds as the new location for the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.
The organization served Palacious when he was homeless.
Even so, he said he can’t support the shelter’s proposed location because registered sex offenders are allowed to stay at the Good Samaritan. He has four kids aged 11, 14, 15 and 20, and numerous grandchildren.
Read more: https://www.caller.com/story/news/local/2019/11/29/neighbors-worry-sex-offenders-would-follow-proposed-homeless-shelter/4254672002/
There really should be a registry for violent crimes and murders. I recently discovered that if you do a search in Google News for: "injured" "shooting" you get many new crimes every day. Apparently the media/internet does not consider these stories top headlines. I don't know about you but I would rather have a sex offence committed against me; then get shot in the leg. This is all part to the media/internet concentrating on sex offences as a worse crimes than violent crimes. This is the very definition of perverting the laws of our country. For this and everything else the internet/media has brought upon us all with it's grasping for ratings or just being hateful, our country has gone almost too far over the edge; of no return. Keep your eyes on my blog here: https://amnnow.blogspot.com/ for true updates of how we are doing as a nation.
WHY THERE IS NO NATIONAL DOMESTIC ASSAULT OFFENDER REGISTRY – YET
November 30, 2019 ·
[foxnews.com – 11/30/19]
It was a murder so brutal – and one that continues to haunt law enforcement in the quiet community of Osceola County, Florida.
…
For those like Gibson, who are tasked with safeguarding the most vulnerable in the community, it has raised the question as to what more the justice system should and could be doing to support victims of domestic violence.
Namely, why there has been little headway made to establish a national registry for those convicted of domestic violence crimes – similar to the SORNA registry, which has three tiers publicly listing sex offenders.
“In the year 2019, why don’t we have this in place? We must change that,” Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson told Fox News. “I can’t see any cons in regards to a registry. Information is powerful. If you armed with information that this person has been convicted of domestic violence, you can stay away from that. Being aware of a persons’ violent or abusive background can absolutely save your life.”
…
The bill that Hottinger and her team are proposing to lawmakers’ centers on three levels. Level one would be attributed to those deemed a first-time offender, and removed after five years. The second level is for offenders convicted of a violent crime or a second offense and would remain on the registry for at least a decade. And the third level is for those convicted three times, and twice or more in five years. Their names would remain on the registry for life.
…
Indeed, the quest for such a registry is considered by many industry experts to be more of a hindrance than a help.
“The issue comes up nearly every legislative session. Well-meaning legislators and constituents around the country propose creating a state or national registry that lists domestic violence offenders,” said Corbin Streett, a technology safety specialist with the National Network to End Domestic Violence. “But there are many unintended consequences that would actually end up harming survivors and giving a false sense of security to potential victims who look at the registry, thinking it will help them avoid getting into a relationship with an abuser.”
Streett pointed out that only a small number of domestic violence offenders are ever arrested, and many victims simply don’t call for help because they are scared of retaliation. Even if they do, such a small number is subsequently convicted.
“We are also concerned about the impact a registry will have on victims reporting violence. Victims are already hesitant to report domestic violence, worried about the violent retaliation that will come after. If the abuser knows their name will be posted on a registry, it doesn’t make them less likely to abuse; it makes them more likely to try to scare a victim into not reporting,” she continued. “There are also major privacy implications, including potential discrimination against victims that can occur with a registry. When an abuser’s name ends up on a list, it’s not just the abuser who will be outed, but their victims as well.”
Read the full article: https://www.foxnews.com/us/national-domestic-assault-offender-registry-nicole-montalvo
There are four cases before the court challenging the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s system for monitoring sexual predators. A loss in even one of them would be a loss for children’s safety across our state. My team of deputy attorneys general argued to protect this critical statute. Full Opinion Piece by PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro: https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-pennsylvania-sex-offender-registry-20191201-wndo2yyfs5fh3c3wevetsmymku-story.html
CHILD CUSTODY/VISITATION LAWS APPLICABLE TO REGISTERED PERSONS
December 2, 2019
[sosen.org – 12/1/19]
In my 2016 Jobs and Welfare Survey of 307 registered persons, I found that registrants in this survey were less likely to be married than the general population (34.43% of Regs vs 49% of gen) and less likely to have kids (54.93 Regs. vs 74% Gen. pop.). However, this still means many people forced to register on America’s sex offense registries have families. This makes parental rights an important topic for, registered citizens many of whom are afraid that registry status can be used against them.
PURPOSE OF REPORT: This list covers state statutes pertaining to parental rights or the right to reside with minors for registered persons. Parental rights generally mean custody and/or visitation rights. This report also covers state statutes covering the right of registered persons to live in households with minors or have unsupervised visits with children.
Read more: http://sosen.org/blog/2019/12/01/child-custody-visitation-laws-applicable-to-registered-persons.html
I have reported more this morning on all 3 of my political blogs than ever. Thanks to the internet/media; usually the relentless enemy; of all things sex offended related. In other words Nazi fascist to human beings with friends and family's and community's that suffer from the exploitation of the scarlet lettered ones. Just found this article:
Top Ten Texas Counties with STDs
December 3, 2019
from: https://www.reformaustin.org/2019/12/03/top-ten-texas-counties-with-stds/
The Texas Department of State Health Services released the annual Texas STD Surveillance Report. https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/factsheets/STD-Trends-508.pdf The report found that Texas saw an estimated 205,732 cases in 2018.
Many STI/STD hot spots are in the state’s major metro areas.
10. Collin County
This DFW suburb is home to McKinney, Texas and a population of 782,341 people. The county reported 2,860 cases of chlamydia, 897 cases of gonorrhea, and 175 cases of syphilis.
9. Hidalgo County
This South Texas county boasts a population of 774,769. The county reported 3,387 cases of chlamydia, 458 cases of gonorrhea and 280 cases of syphilis.
8. Fort Bend County
With about 585,375 people, this Houston-area suburb is on the grow. It also has 3,221 cases of chlamydia, 794 cases of gonorrhea and 148 cases of syphilis.
7. Bell County
The home to Fort Hood and the First Cavalry Division had 2,397 cases of chlamydia, 1,245 cases of gonorrhea, and 137 cases of syphilis.
6. El Paso County
The Sun City boasts a population of 800,647 with 5,699 cases of chlamydia, 1, 137 cases of gonorrhea, and 335 cases of syphilis.
5. Tarrant County
The home of Fort Worth has a population of 1.8 million people and reported 9,571 cases of chlamydia, 3,210 cases of gonorrhea, and 778 cases of syphilis.
4. Travis County
The home of the State Capitol and SXSW is home to 1.2 million people with 9,033 chlamydia cases, 3,423 cases of gonorrhea, and 792 cases of syphilis.
3. Bexar County
The home of the Alamo and 1.7 million people is also home to 10,539 cases of chlamydia, 3,876 cases of gonorrhea and 1.287 cases of syphilis.
2. Dallas County
The Big-D has about 2.4 million people and 19, 017 cases of chlamydia. Dallas County also has 7,486 cases of gonorrhea and 2,637 cases of syphilis.
1. Harris County
Houston, the Bayou City, the Big Sticky. The Concrete Swamp boasts a population of around 4.1 million and reports 27,415 cases of chlamydia. H-Town also has 8,730 cases of gonorrhea and 3,251 cases of syphilis.
NJ: NEW JERSEY COULD SOON COMPENSATE THOSE WRONGFULLY PUT ON SEX OFFENDER LIST
November 8, 2019
[nj.com – 11/7/19]
Dion Harrell spent two decades on New Jersey’s sex offender registry.
He had trouble finding a job. He couldn’t be alone with his kids. For a time, he was homeless.
But when a DNA test finally proved his innocence, the state had nothing to offer him for those years.
“I was surprised I wouldn’t get compensation,” Harrell said at a hearing in Trenton Thursday.
If you can prove that you were wrongfully imprisoned in New Jersey, you can receive up to $50,000 for every year spent behind bars. But you’re out of luck if you were forced into treatment or supervision for a sex crime you didn’t commit, or if you falsely pled guilty to any crime.
State lawmakers could change that. A bipartisan bill (A1037) would allow people to receive $25,000 for every year spent under the state’s supervision, which includes sex offender lists and parole.
Read more: https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/11/new-jersey-could-soon-compensate-those-wrongfully-put-on-sex-offender-list.html
LA: MAN REMOVED ‘SEX OFFENDER’ FROM HIS ID, AND A JUDGE DISMISSED THE CASE. WHY?
November 8, 2019
When a Lafayette Parish man removed the words “sex offender” from his state-issued ID, law enforcement officers said Louisiana law had been broken. A local judge saw things differently. Full Article: https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/courts/article_1d1f2698-0177-11ea-8cee-fff345768dca.html
VA: CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER ELECTED TO VIRGINIA SENATE
November 10, 2019
[theohiostar.com – 11/11/19]
One of the many Democrats elected to the Virginia Senate on Tuesday is a convicted sex offender and disbarred lawyer, according to Breitbart.
Joe Morrissey was jailed and lost his license to practice law after being convicted of having sex with his 17-year-old secretary. He pled guilty to a misdemeanor in the ensuing court case and served for only three months in a “work-release term.” He was also forced to resign from his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, but then ran again in the special election to retake the seat and was re-elected.
Morrissey then went on to marry the girl in 2016, and she gave birth to their first child at 19. They now have three children together. Morrissey is 62.
Read more: https://theohiostar.com/2019/11/11/convicted-sex-offender-elected-to-virginia-senate/
SEX CRIMES BY COPS AN OUTGROWTH OF THEIR ‘POWER AND COERCIVE AUTHORITY,’ EXPERT SAYS
November 12, 2019
[ocregister.com – 11/12/19]
LAPD officers who took advantage of their power imbalance to commit sexual assaults fit national trends, says prominent criminologist.
LAPD officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols sexually assaulted a woman at this McDonald’s parking lot, located at 405 N Alvarado St. at W. Temple St. in Los Angeles. They were on duty using a black Jetta. Photographed on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By Olga Grigoryants | ogrigoryants@scng.com and Sarah Favot | Los Angeles Daily News
PUBLISHED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am | UPDATED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am
Criminologist Philip Stinson has spent more than a decade studying bad cops and oversees a national database that often explains exactly how they came to violate their sworn duty.
Often, Stinson says, the power imbalance between a police officer and the civilians they encounter leads some astray.
Police officers regularly come in contact with vulnerable people who are “subject to the power and coercive authority granted to police,” said the criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, who is a nationally recognized expert on police behavior and misconduct.
Prominent among such criminal activity are sex-related crimes, he says.
“There’s a lot of power and control that comes with the gun and the badge in terms of being able to coerce people, specifically women and girls,” said Stinson, himself a former police officer in Virginia and New Hampshire.
Additionally, circumstances related to police work make it conducive to committing sex-related crimes.
Many police officers, Stinson says, are free from direct supervision while they are on patrol and sometimes work alone. Also, many police interactions occur late at night outside public view.
Read more: https://www.ocregister.com/2019/11/12/sex-crimes-by-cops-an-outgrowth-of-their-power-and-coercive-authority-expert-says/
From: https://www.ocregister.com/2019/11/12/sex-crimes-by-cops-an-outgrowth-of-their-power-and-coercive-authority-expert-says/
Sex crimes by cops an outgrowth of their ‘power and coercive authority,’ expert says:
Officers who took advantage of their power imbalance to commit sexual assaults fit national trends, says prominent criminologist
LAPD officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols sexually assaulted a woman at this McDonald’s parking lot, located at 405 N Alvarado St. at W. Temple St. in Los Angeles. They were on duty using a black Jetta. Photographed on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By OLGA GRIGORYANTS | ogrigoryants@scng.com and SARAH FAVOT | Los Angeles Daily News
PUBLISHED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am | UPDATED: November 12, 2019 at 10:03 am
Criminologist Philip Stinson has spent more than a decade studying bad cops and oversees a national database that often explains exactly how they came to violate their sworn duty.
Often, Stinson says, the power imbalance between a police officer and the civilians they encounter leads some astray.
Police officers regularly come in contact with vulnerable people who are “subject to the power and coercive authority granted to police,” said the criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, who is a nationally recognized expert on police behavior and misconduct.
Prominent among such criminal activity are sex-related crimes, he says.
“There’s a lot of power and control that comes with the gun and the badge in terms of being able to coerce people, specifically women and girls,” said Stinson, himself a former police officer in Virginia and New Hampshire.
Additionally, circumstances related to police work make it conducive to committing sex-related crimes.
Many police officers, Stinson says, are free from direct supervision while they are on patrol and sometimes work alone. Also, many police interactions occur late at night outside public view.
Los Angeles is typical of statewide trends for officers convicted of crimes.
New data obtained by the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley, and analyzed over six months in partnership with the Southern California News Group and other news outlets across the state, reveals that 21 Los Angeles police officers were convicted of crimes committed from 2007 to 2017.
About half of those convictions were for felony sex crimes, domestic violence or other assaults, according to an analysis of the data. Many of them were crimes of opportunity, in which the officers took advantage of their power over vulnerable victims.
Officer ‘groomed’ 15-year-old cadet
One such sexual abuse case that grabbed headlines in 2017 involved an officer in South Los Angeles who was a supervisor of the LAPD cadet program.
For several months, Officer Robert Cain was gaining the trust of a teenager in the program, sending her gifts, and letting her drive his car and sit at his desk, according to a civil lawsuit filed against the city in 2018.
The 15-year-old girl, who was not identified in the suit, was enrolled in the cadet program at the 77th Division from January to June 2017, according to court documents. Cain, a 10-year veteran of the department who was 31 at the time, was a supervisor and mentor of the girl.
On June 14, 2017, Cain invited her to Six Flags Magic Mountain as a reward for participation in the program. There, he sexually assaulted her in the parking lot, according to the girl’s lawsuit.
Attorney Luis Carrillo, who represented the victim, said Cain was gaining the victim’s trust for months before he assaulted her.
“Grooming takes different forms, such as being nice, letting her sit at the desk, bringing her to his car,” Carrillo said. “Things like that break barriers for the child who is 15 or 16 years old.”
Cain was assigned to “supervise, train and advise” the victim. Instead, he “used his position to groom and sexually molest and sexually abuse” her, the lawsuit claims.
Details of the assault were discovered after the LAPD began investigating the theft of police cruisers, ballistic vests and other equipment from the 77th Street Division. The girl was one of seven cadets arrested in connection with the thefts. During the probe, police detectives discovered text messages between the girl and Cain revealing the details of their unlawful sexual contact.
Then-LAPD Chief Charlie Beck personally arrested Cain in 2017. The officer was later charged with oral copulation of a person under 16 and unlawful sexual intercourse.
The victim’s lawsuit said the department and city “failed to take reasonable steps and implement reasonable safeguards to avoid and/or prevent the unlawful sexual conduct” by Cain.
His attorney did not return multiple requests for comment.
In the days following Cain’s arrest, investigators seized more than 100 firearms, including assault rifles and inert grenades, when they searched his home in Rancho Cucamonga, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Cain resigned from the Police Department following his arrest. In August 2018, he entered a no contest plea to two felony sexual abuse charges in exchange for a two-year prison sentence. The judge also ordered him to register as a sex offender and stay away from the victim for 10 years.
Lewd act with a 5-year-old
Another LAPD officer, Miguel Angel Schiappapietra Jr., also was sentenced to prison for a disturbing case involving the child of a neighbor in Castaic.
Schiappapietra had developed a friendship with his new neighbor after moving to the community in the far reaches of northern L.A. County. Both were fathers of young children.
But a month after they met, Schiappapietra invited his neighbor’s daughters — 5 and 8 years old — from their yard into his bedroom and exposed himself to them. Then Schiappapietra asked the 5-year-old to touch him. And she did as the 8-year-old left the room.
Schiappapietra, a six-year veteran of the LAPD, was charged in 2013 with felony lewd act upon a child and attempted lewd act upon a child.
“It will be the responsibility of the prosecution to overcome the overwhelming evidence of Mr. Schiappapietra’s strong community and family ties, lack of any criminal history, and an overall history of success and superior citizenship,” Schiappapietra’s attorney, David Diamond, wrote in a motion to reduce the officer’s $200,000 bail at the time.
However, Schiappapietra resigned from the LAPD, eventually pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to three years in state prison. He also must register as a sex offender.
Officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols entered the pleas to counts of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation; they were sentenced to 25 years in prison https://t.co/a1h6W0qW09
— KTLA (@KTLA) February 26, 2018
Narcotics officers prey on informants
The LAPD case that most illustrates Stinson’s warnings involved two undercover narcotics officers who preyed on informants who were abusing drugs.
Officers Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols were arrested in February 2016 and charged with more than a dozen felony counts for sexually assaulting four women under color of authority during a period from 2008 to 2011.
Valenzuela and Nichols pleaded no contest to charges of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation. Both men were handed 25-year state prison terms and ordered to register as sex offenders.
One of the victims, identified in court proceedings as Jane Doe No. 1, was picked up by the officers in the Echo Park area and driven to a McDonald’s parking lot near Temple and Alvarado streets in December 2008.
Valenzuela stepped out of the car and Nichols stayed behind with the woman, ordering her to perform oral sex.
According to a preliminary hearing transcript, the woman — who was in her 20s and had served as an informant for the officers — said she followed the Nichols’ orders because she was “scared” and felt she “would get in trouble” or be arrested if she didn’t cooperate.
After Valenzuela returned to the car, the officers drove the woman to her home and gave her $40.
County prosecutors said in court that the two officers threatened their victims, saying they would be sent to jail if they didn’t have sex with them.
Attorneys who represented the two officers in court did not return multiple requests for comment.
Dennis Chang, an attorney who represented two of the victims, said the power the two officers had over the women was “enormous.”
“They would say, ‘You haven’t given us enough,’ ” Chang said. “ ‘I need more arrests. I need more sex. I need more blowjobs. You need to do this and you need to do that. If you don’t, you’re going back to jail.’ ”
On one occasion, the officers threatened a victim that they would spread the word she was a “snitch” if she told anybody about the sexual assaults, according to a civil lawsuit filed in 2016.
Stinson points out that police officers who commit crimes obviously is not the norm in law enforcement. But there are officers who commit sexual misconduct and believe they can get away with it, he said.
“Because they can. Because they don’t think they’ll get caught. Law enforcement is generally exempt from law enforcement. Police officers don’t typically like to arrest other police officers.”
Click here to read all of the articles in this series.: https://www.ocregister.com/tag/criminal-cops/
TX: ‘WEPT LIKE BABIES THAT DAY’: MAN RECALLS FAMILY’S REACTION AFTER CHILD SEX ABUSE CONVICTION OVERTURNED
November 18, 2019
[kvue.com – 11/15/19]
GEORGETOWN, Texas — For more than 20 years, Troy Mansfield was branded a “registered sex offender,” a shameful asterisk by his name that followed him everywhere.
“I took my stepdad’s name and I wanted it to be a good name,” Mansfield said. “And I felt like somehow or another it got trashed by me, and I didn’t mean for it to.”
The father of two sons struggled to support his family from a cleaning business, purposely in his wife’s name, Amy Mansfield.
“We lived between $16,000 and $19,000 a year, for a family of four – so very tight and very hard – because I’m trying to make a living but everywhere we go we get the door slammed on it because of this,” Troy Mansfield said.
One of his worst days came when he was kicked out of his church.
“They came in that Sunday they said, ‘We want y’all to get out. You haven’t done anything wrong, we don’t have a problem with you but public opinion is killing us in this church and you’ve got to leave,'” he said.
But Williamson County prosecutors and a judge now agree Troy Mansfield should have never been a registered sex offender or convicted of a crime.
Read more: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/williamson-county-registered-sex-offender-innocent-troy-mansfield-michael-morton-ken-anderson-district-attorney/269-bc79d30e-0d88-4548-a7b1-962a01b9540a
This is a great example of why I am against the death penalty. The life in prison is a much harsher sentence than the death penalty. I have been saying this for years. I have been actively fighting against the death penalty for over 20 years. EXODUS 20:13 "Thou shalt not kill."
FL: INMATE GETS WISH, SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR THIRD FLORIDA MURDER
November 19, 2019
[newsherald.com – 11/18/19]
Rocky Ali Beamon, a three-time killer who publicly professed his hatred for sex offenders, had his wish granted Friday when he was sentenced to death for the 2017 murder of 27-year-old Nicholas Anderson.
Beamon had been previously sentenced to die on Jan. 28 for killing a fellow inmate in 2012 at Apalachee Correctional Institution in Jackson County. He had pleaded guilty to the crime and waived his right to trial.
In May of 2018, Beamon wrote a letter to 14th District Judicial Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson in which he professed that killing sex offenders “was the best feeling I’ve had in a long time.”
He pledged to continue targeting victims if he was not sentenced to death.
“I’ll do my best to eliminate every single one until one of three things happens: (1) someone kills me, (2) I run out of people to kill, or (3) they put me where I can kill no more, death row,” the letter said.
He told Judge Patterson “if you don’t send me to death row, I vow to dedicate my next (killing) to you.”
Read more: https://all4consolaws.org/2019/11/fl-inmate-gets-wish-sentenced-to-death-for-third-florida-murder/
NJ: REGISTERED FOREVER: NJ OFFENDERS FIGHT FOR REPRIEVE
November 19, 2019
[courthousenews.com – 11/18/19]
TRENTON, N.J. (CN) — A lawyer for New Jersey urged the state Supreme Court on Monday for a strict reading of a law that lets registered sex offenders off the registry so long as they keep a clean record for 15 years. Read more here: https://www.courthousenews.com/registered-forever-nj-offenders-fight-for-reprieve/
FL: JUDGE RULES PINELLAS DETECTIVE, PROSECUTORS LIED IN CHILD PORN CASE. DEFENDANT COULD GO FREE
November 21, 2019
[tampabay.com – 11/21/19]
A 63-year-old man facing charges of lewd and lascivious molestation and possession of child pornography could go free after a judge found that Pinellas sheriff’s detectives and Pinellas-Pasco prosecutors lied to obtain a search warrant in the case.
The Tampa Bay Times obtained a Nov. 1 order written by Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge William Burgess III in which he found law enforcement officials engaged in a “ruse” to obtain a search warrant for one crime that they used to obtain evidence to prosecute other crimes.
“Had it not contained false statements and not omitted certain material facts, no reasonably prudent judge or magistrate would have signed the warrant,” the judge wrote.
Instead, the judge concluded “the police and prosecution knowingly and intentionally … made false statements.”
“The likely effect of this order is that all charges against the Defendant will have to be dismissed.”
Read more: https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2019/11/21/judge-rules-pinellas-detective-prosecutors-lied-in-child-porn-case-defendant-could-go-free/
IL: ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR SEX OFFENDERS
November 21, 2019
Illinois’ highest court ruled Thursday that it is unconstitutional to ban convicted sex offenders from social media sites.
Conrad Allen Morger was convicted of sexually abusing a minor and sentenced to four years of probation by a court in McLean County. That came with a binding condition he not use specific internet sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
During oral arguments, held in September in Godfrey, Morger’s representative said the ban is a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment fundamental right to freedom of speech. Full Article: https://chicagocrusader.com/illinois-supreme-court-strikes-down-social-media-ban-for-sex-offenders/
Decision: https://courts.illinois.gov/Opinions/SupremeCourt/2019/123643.pdf
MD: THE ABSURDITY OF CHARGING 10-YEAR-OLDS AS SEX OFFENDERS
November 25, 2019 ·8 Comments
A ten-year boy has just been charged as a sex offender as a result of a schoolyard game of tag that got out of control. As reported by the local CBS news affiliate: “the fourth-grade students were playing a game of tag that escalated when a boy began making inappropriate comments and movements toward the girls. One of the boys also wrapped his arms around one of the girls.” Full Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/11/25/the-absurdity-of-charging-10-year-olds-as-sex-offenders/#5a52ef0b140e
Related
https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2019/11/22/10-year-old-boy-charged-sex-offense-marbury-maryland-school/
SUPREME COURT WON’T WEIGH CURBING U.S. AGENCY POWERS
November 26, 2019
[bloomberglaw.com – 11/25/19]
The U.S. Supreme Court refused Nov. 25 to once again consider whether Congress is disregarding a long-held legal doctrine and giving too much power to federal agencies.
Last term a short-handed Supreme Court refused to reinvigorate the “non-delegation doctrine,” which prohibits lawmakers from effectively passing off their legislative authority to another branch of government. The doctrine was used to upend New Deal legislation in the 1930s, but has been dormant since.
Conservatives and libertarians eager to dismantle the so-called administrative state are eager for the court to find that Congress has violated separation of powers and to curb executive authority.
But the justices refused to take up Ronald Paul’s and Arnold Caldwell’s appeals, who each claim that Congress violated the doctrine when it delegated to the attorney general the decision of whether sex offender registry laws should apply retroactively to those who were convicted of sex crimes before the reporting requirements were enacted.
Read more: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/supreme-court-wont-weigh-curbing-u-s-agency-powers
IL: DOCUMENTED HARASSMENT OF A REGISTRANT BY A POLICE OFFICER
November 30, 2019
[uscourts.gov – 11/26/19 – 7th Circuit]
The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that state actors have, at a minimum, a rational basis for treating similarly situated people differently. Rex _____ alleges that Officer Tizoc Landeros prevented him from updating his Illinois sexual offender registration and otherwise used his official position to harass Frederickson purely out of personal dislike. Without an updated registration, Frederickson was unable to move from Joliet, Illinois, to nearby Bolingbrook.
The district court found that Frederickson had put forth enough evidence to allow a jury to find that Landeros had singled Frederickson out for unfavorable treatment, and that in so doing Landeros was motivated solely by personal animus and thus lacked a rational basis for his actions.
PDF of original uscourts.gov file Frederickson v Landeros: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Frederickson-v-Landeros.pdf
uscourts.gov case posted: http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/rssExec.pl?Submit=Display&Path=Y2019/D11-26/C:18-1605:J:Easterbrook:dis:T:fnOp:N:2436411:S:0
Listen to oral arguments: https://www.courtlistener.com/audio/59532/rex-frederickson-v-tizoc-landeros/
TX: NEIGHBORS: SEX OFFENDERS MAY FOLLOW PROPOSED GOOD SAMARITAN HOMELESS SHELTER TO AREA
November 30, 2019
[caller.com – 11/29/19]
There was a time when Abel Palacious found himself homeless. Now, he lives across the street from the old Lamar Elementary School.
The school, at the corner of Morris and 19th streets, could be converted into the largest homeless shelter in Corpus Christi. It would house 308 beds as the new location for the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.
The organization served Palacious when he was homeless.
Even so, he said he can’t support the shelter’s proposed location because registered sex offenders are allowed to stay at the Good Samaritan. He has four kids aged 11, 14, 15 and 20, and numerous grandchildren.
Read more: https://www.caller.com/story/news/local/2019/11/29/neighbors-worry-sex-offenders-would-follow-proposed-homeless-shelter/4254672002/
There really should be a registry for violent crimes and murders. I recently discovered that if you do a search in Google News for: "injured" "shooting" you get many new crimes every day. Apparently the media/internet does not consider these stories top headlines. I don't know about you but I would rather have a sex offence committed against me; then get shot in the leg. This is all part to the media/internet concentrating on sex offences as a worse crimes than violent crimes. This is the very definition of perverting the laws of our country. For this and everything else the internet/media has brought upon us all with it's grasping for ratings or just being hateful, our country has gone almost too far over the edge; of no return. Keep your eyes on my blog here: https://amnnow.blogspot.com/ for true updates of how we are doing as a nation.
WHY THERE IS NO NATIONAL DOMESTIC ASSAULT OFFENDER REGISTRY – YET
November 30, 2019 ·
[foxnews.com – 11/30/19]
It was a murder so brutal – and one that continues to haunt law enforcement in the quiet community of Osceola County, Florida.
…
For those like Gibson, who are tasked with safeguarding the most vulnerable in the community, it has raised the question as to what more the justice system should and could be doing to support victims of domestic violence.
Namely, why there has been little headway made to establish a national registry for those convicted of domestic violence crimes – similar to the SORNA registry, which has three tiers publicly listing sex offenders.
“In the year 2019, why don’t we have this in place? We must change that,” Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson told Fox News. “I can’t see any cons in regards to a registry. Information is powerful. If you armed with information that this person has been convicted of domestic violence, you can stay away from that. Being aware of a persons’ violent or abusive background can absolutely save your life.”
…
The bill that Hottinger and her team are proposing to lawmakers’ centers on three levels. Level one would be attributed to those deemed a first-time offender, and removed after five years. The second level is for offenders convicted of a violent crime or a second offense and would remain on the registry for at least a decade. And the third level is for those convicted three times, and twice or more in five years. Their names would remain on the registry for life.
…
Indeed, the quest for such a registry is considered by many industry experts to be more of a hindrance than a help.
“The issue comes up nearly every legislative session. Well-meaning legislators and constituents around the country propose creating a state or national registry that lists domestic violence offenders,” said Corbin Streett, a technology safety specialist with the National Network to End Domestic Violence. “But there are many unintended consequences that would actually end up harming survivors and giving a false sense of security to potential victims who look at the registry, thinking it will help them avoid getting into a relationship with an abuser.”
Streett pointed out that only a small number of domestic violence offenders are ever arrested, and many victims simply don’t call for help because they are scared of retaliation. Even if they do, such a small number is subsequently convicted.
“We are also concerned about the impact a registry will have on victims reporting violence. Victims are already hesitant to report domestic violence, worried about the violent retaliation that will come after. If the abuser knows their name will be posted on a registry, it doesn’t make them less likely to abuse; it makes them more likely to try to scare a victim into not reporting,” she continued. “There are also major privacy implications, including potential discrimination against victims that can occur with a registry. When an abuser’s name ends up on a list, it’s not just the abuser who will be outed, but their victims as well.”
Read the full article: https://www.foxnews.com/us/national-domestic-assault-offender-registry-nicole-montalvo
There are four cases before the court challenging the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s system for monitoring sexual predators. A loss in even one of them would be a loss for children’s safety across our state. My team of deputy attorneys general argued to protect this critical statute. Full Opinion Piece by PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro: https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-pennsylvania-sex-offender-registry-20191201-wndo2yyfs5fh3c3wevetsmymku-story.html
CHILD CUSTODY/VISITATION LAWS APPLICABLE TO REGISTERED PERSONS
December 2, 2019
[sosen.org – 12/1/19]
In my 2016 Jobs and Welfare Survey of 307 registered persons, I found that registrants in this survey were less likely to be married than the general population (34.43% of Regs vs 49% of gen) and less likely to have kids (54.93 Regs. vs 74% Gen. pop.). However, this still means many people forced to register on America’s sex offense registries have families. This makes parental rights an important topic for, registered citizens many of whom are afraid that registry status can be used against them.
PURPOSE OF REPORT: This list covers state statutes pertaining to parental rights or the right to reside with minors for registered persons. Parental rights generally mean custody and/or visitation rights. This report also covers state statutes covering the right of registered persons to live in households with minors or have unsupervised visits with children.
Read more: http://sosen.org/blog/2019/12/01/child-custody-visitation-laws-applicable-to-registered-persons.html
I have reported more this morning on all 3 of my political blogs than ever. Thanks to the internet/media; usually the relentless enemy; of all things sex offended related. In other words Nazi fascist to human beings with friends and family's and community's that suffer from the exploitation of the scarlet lettered ones. Just found this article:
Top Ten Texas Counties with STDs
December 3, 2019
from: https://www.reformaustin.org/2019/12/03/top-ten-texas-counties-with-stds/
The Texas Department of State Health Services released the annual Texas STD Surveillance Report. https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/factsheets/STD-Trends-508.pdf The report found that Texas saw an estimated 205,732 cases in 2018.
Many STI/STD hot spots are in the state’s major metro areas.
10. Collin County
This DFW suburb is home to McKinney, Texas and a population of 782,341 people. The county reported 2,860 cases of chlamydia, 897 cases of gonorrhea, and 175 cases of syphilis.
9. Hidalgo County
This South Texas county boasts a population of 774,769. The county reported 3,387 cases of chlamydia, 458 cases of gonorrhea and 280 cases of syphilis.
8. Fort Bend County
With about 585,375 people, this Houston-area suburb is on the grow. It also has 3,221 cases of chlamydia, 794 cases of gonorrhea and 148 cases of syphilis.
7. Bell County
The home to Fort Hood and the First Cavalry Division had 2,397 cases of chlamydia, 1,245 cases of gonorrhea, and 137 cases of syphilis.
6. El Paso County
The Sun City boasts a population of 800,647 with 5,699 cases of chlamydia, 1, 137 cases of gonorrhea, and 335 cases of syphilis.
5. Tarrant County
The home of Fort Worth has a population of 1.8 million people and reported 9,571 cases of chlamydia, 3,210 cases of gonorrhea, and 778 cases of syphilis.
4. Travis County
The home of the State Capitol and SXSW is home to 1.2 million people with 9,033 chlamydia cases, 3,423 cases of gonorrhea, and 792 cases of syphilis.
3. Bexar County
The home of the Alamo and 1.7 million people is also home to 10,539 cases of chlamydia, 3,876 cases of gonorrhea and 1.287 cases of syphilis.
2. Dallas County
The Big-D has about 2.4 million people and 19, 017 cases of chlamydia. Dallas County also has 7,486 cases of gonorrhea and 2,637 cases of syphilis.
1. Harris County
Houston, the Bayou City, the Big Sticky. The Concrete Swamp boasts a population of around 4.1 million and reports 27,415 cases of chlamydia. H-Town also has 8,730 cases of gonorrhea and 3,251 cases of syphilis.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 5 2019
Published: 05:11 EST, 5 December 2019 | Updated: 09:22 EST, 5 December 2019
Prince Philip 'ordered Andrew to step down for the sake of the monarchy' at Sandringham showdown with Charles amid worsening Jeffrey Epstein crisis
Prince Philip also joined his sons for the light lunch, which took place shortly before the BBC interview with Andrew's accuser Virginia Roberts aired on Monday. Andrew has repeatedly claimed that he did not have sex with Virginia Roberts and says that he couldn't remember meeting her.
Andrew faced fresh humiliation this week after Miss Roberts gave an interview to the BBC in which she reinforced claims she was forced into sleeping with the royal.
Miss Roberts has claimed that she was forced to have sex with Andrew that evening by her alleged sex trafficker Epstein, having danced with the prince inside the club.
In his own 'disastrous' BBC interview with Emily Maitlis last month, Andrew claimed he 'was never in Tramp's' with Miss Roberts, now known as Virginia Roberts-Guiffre.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 6 2019
I love posting these stories. If you think it is acceptable to stand up for human rights but are against everyone's rights, even African Americans or LGBTQ folks; than you are a in a dangerous place. Stories like this are proof. People can learn allot from stories like this.
From: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/12/christian-pastor-pleads-guilty-28-charges-sexual-abuse-boys/
Pastor who railed against “sexual immorality” pleads guilty to sexual abuse of boys
His wife has already divorced him.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 12 Comments
A prominent Christian youth pastor from Alabama, 39-year-old Paul Acton Bowen, has pleaded guilty to 28 counts of sexual abuse involving six victims between the ages of 13 and 16. One of the charges included sodomy with a boy, and though we know very little about his other victims, we know others were boys as well.
Bowen, who married his now ex-wife in 2015, initially said upon his arrest that he was “hurt, confused, and heartbroken” by the allegations, adding, “I have not done what I am accused of and have not acted inappropriately in any way.” He now faces decades to life in prison.
Though web searches didn’t reveal a history of anti-LGBTQ speech on Bowen’s part, one of his books, Escape the Noise, reportedly condemned “sexual immorality.” He also served as an advisor to anti-LGBTQ Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Dawson.
Previous to his arrest, Bowen served for 12 years in a local church, wrote several “best-selling” books, worked as a public speaker at youth groups and summer camps, led a citywide student Bible study and hosted xlroads TV, a program viewed weekly by millions of U.S. teens and adults and in over 170 international countries. Bowen claimed to be a Fox News contributor (something Fox News denied) and said he was Justin Bieber’s “personal friend” and “spiritual mentor.”
Bowen had previously been fired from a church job in Gadsen, Alabama for looking at pornography on his work computer. Consequently, the board of advisors at his company, Acton Bowen Outreach Ministries, required him to install software called “Covenant Eyes” on his computer to notify a designated “accountability buddy” if he ever looked at online porn.
Sex columnist Dan Savage noted when Bowen was first arrested in April 2018, on Bowen’s now defunct Instagram account “almost every picture was Bowen posing with a boy or boys who appeared to be over 12 and under 16 years of age. No girls. Only boys.”
Following his arrest, District Attorney Jody Willoughby said, “Acton Bowen is a danger to every child in this community.”
Deputy District Attorney Carol Griffith added that his work with youth was only a way for him to get access to underage victims. “Under the guise of leading children to the Lord, he was abusing them and leaving them more lost than ever before.”
I think our perverted, unconstitutional, Nazi like, justice system, publicly torturing with cruel and unusual punishment, so called registered sex offenders; causes this kind of crime to take place. If this barbaric, inhuman, grotesque, shameful, treatment of our fellow citizens, is meant to deter sex offences, let it be to no surprise if it has a opposite effect; if not cause the ruin of us all.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 17 2019
This sounds about right. If it was a guy's butt; mabye not.
Alex Bozarjian, a reporter for WSAV-TV who was covering a local race in Savannah, Georgia went viral last weekend because a then-unidentified male race participant allegedly smacked her backside while jogging by on Saturday, Dec. 7. The reporter’s expression after being smacked rings in as particularly emotional and recognizable; confusion, shock, then resignation to continuing to do her job. Like too many women and non-binary people know, unwanted contact happens all of the time and perpetrators are rarely held accountable. Read more here: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/12/15/1905768/-Runner-who-smacked-reporters-butt-on-live-television-arrested-on-sexual-battery-charge
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 03 2020
Deplorable! We need some good old fashioned, caring Texans; to fix this, quick.
More on victimization at Texas youth prisons
After Grits earlier reacted to a new federal report on sexual victimization in Texas youth prisons, other reporters are following up. Here's a piece from Tommy Witherspoon at the Waco Tribune Herald, and another from Keri Blakinger, who just left the Houston Chronicle to join the Marshall Project. For related reading, see the new annual report from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, and 2018 statistical data on juvenile probation in Texas.
Links:
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 03 2020
PA: SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY LAW IN PA. FACING LIFE-OR-DEATH TEST AT SUPREME COURT
December 5, 2019
The landmark Pennsylvania law that for nearly a quarter of a century has required a public registry of sex offenders and community notification about their whereabouts is facing a life-or-death challenge before the state’s highest court. Full Article: https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/spl/pennsylvania-sex-offender-registry-megans-law-challenge-supreme-court-20191205.html
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 28 2020
This is a example of what I have said about our country; from the first time I ever posted anything on the internet about those guilty of a sex crimes of any kind. We as a perverse justice, orientated country; pick and choose who we want to be a sex offender. Famous rock music stars rarely get chosen, church people and rich people and politicians; always get chosen. Then we all except the lie; when we post all over the world, these people have committed a sex crime, it is not cruel and unusual punishment. When we do away with the foundation of our country; like the constitution and separation of church and state, out house is going fall right over.
Kobe and other athletes often get a pass
January 28, 2020 GMT
DENVER (AP) — Folded conveniently into the narratives about his “complicated past” was the detail about Kobe Bryant that could’ve wrecked him.
It was a rape allegation by a 19-year-old employee of a Colorado hotel. It happened in 2003. Some argued that making that life-altering detail a mere footnote to the stories detailing Bryant’s life and unexpected death was the human thing to do on such an awful day. Others felt it was another example of an icon being given a pass of sorts because he was a successful athlete.
While dozens of high-profile figures — including senators, movie producers, news anchors and comedians (but not the president or the newest Supreme Court justice) — have seen their careers vanquished by allegations of sex abuse and domestic violence, high-profile sports figures have skated past similar accusations at a far more frequent rate.
“We look up to them to win games,” said Miki Turner, a longtime journalist who is now a professor at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. “But we don’t really scrutinize their values as closely as we might for politicians or news anchors. I think there’s just a different line there.”
Here’s a quick list from the recent past: relief pitcher Roberto Osuna, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, running back Ezekiel Elliott, quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Ben Roethlisberger, Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton and Super Bowl 54-bound receiver Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs. All are among the sports stars who have had stomach-churning allegations leveled against them but have skirted major repercussions — from their leagues, the teams, law enforcement or, in large part, in the court of public opinion.
“There’s something about the instant gratification of having a game that night versus, say, being an actor and taking a year to make a movie,” said Courtney Cox, a former ESPN staffer who teaches a class on race and gender in sport at University of Oregon. “If (sports stars are) treated differently, part of that is the instant way they’re visible, and the way they are able to rectify and rebrand themselves” by the final buzzer of the next game.
In other words, winning makes up for a lot.
The case of troubled wide receiver Antonio Brown could be instructive. He was released by the Patriots earlier this season when rape allegations surfaced. The NFL is investigating the accusations, and not until that is over will we know what appetite teams might have to sign him.
Among the central questions in the Bryant story, and how his life is being remembered, is whether the pass he received in the obituaries and tributes was more about the passage of time than any bias toward him, or athletes in general.
It’s been 17 years since the allegations. A good section of Bryant’s fan base either wasn’t born, or was barely able to understand the news, when reports of his case first surfaced.
And yet, here we are in the #MeToo era, in which everyone’s past is easily researched on Google, and any transgression or poorly thought-out meme on social media is not only discoverable, but has the potential to change the narrative for any celebrity.
Allegations of sex abuse are leveled with greater frequency against the rich and famous; more of the accusers, but certainly not all, are increasingly treated with greater respect, and their complaints are being taken more seriously.
“I don’t know if something like that happened now, even with Kobe Bryant, if people would be as forgiving in this current climate,” Turner said.
But Bryant was a sports celebrity, not a movie, television or media star, and that reality almost certainly impacts the calculus, regardless of era.
“Sometimes, it’s OK to not have a right answer,” Cox said. “We’re all very morally righteous with our Twitter fingers. The idea of the black-and-whiteness of it all. But it’s not that easy. We grieve family members who had problematic pasts. But with athletes, it seems like we need a neat, tidy story even when it’s not always there.”
For celebrities who aren’t athletes — don’t play a game every other night, aren’t as frequently accessible for the media and therefore don’t have as many chances to shift the conversation — the story lines aren’t as malleable.
The torrent of allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017 marked a turning point in the #MeToo era. Hollywood and, to some extent, Washington, took the brunt of the blame. Bill Cosby, Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Al Franken, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose and Placido Domingo are a small part of a list of more than 250 public figures in entertainment, politics and media who have been accused of wrongdoing since the start of #MeToo. The majority have seen their careers either stymied or completely brought to a halt. There’s very little doubt over which paragraph in their obituaries will contain details about the lowest moments of their lives.
And while nobody sheds any tears about that, there’s an argument to be made that, with some exceptions, such as Woody Allen and Donald Trump, the leagues, the law and the public have meted out a different kind of judgment for them than for their brethren in sports.
Bryant’s case was litigated both in the media and the courtroom. But the case never went to trial, and though sponsors cut ties with Bryant in the aftermath, his losses didn’t last long. Bryant walked away from his charges — chastened and clearly a changed man. He issued an apology through his attorney and later settled a civil case brought by his accuser.
He missed a few games while attending hearings in the case, but the best of his career, and his life, was still to come.
In the 17 years that followed, Bryant became a father of four girls and a vocal champion of women in sports. He became even better known for his alpha-male psyche and his uncompromising work ethic. To some, he is the GOAT — Greatest Of All Time — in a sport that triggers plenty of discussion about that title.
But that’s not the only part of his legacy that’s open for debate.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated February 05 2020
WISCONSIN CAME CLOSE TO CHANGING A RULE THAT OFTEN LEAVES PEOPLE ON SEX OFFENSE REGISTRIES HOMELESS
Republicans are leading an effort to get rid of blanket restrictions on where some people with sex-offense records can live. A Democratic governor is blocking them.
So it seemed odd to see Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, block Republican efforts to get rid of one such ban, at a time when Democratic candidates are out front on a range of criminal justice reforms.
Both legislative chambers unanimously supported Senate Bill 60, which four Republican state senators sponsored. It would have done away with the state’s rule forbidding those released from the state’s sex-offense civil commitment program from living within 1,500 feet of schools and other places. The civil commitment program confines about 280 people beyond their prison release dates for treatment, a program the state says is intended to lower their risk of recidivism. Read more here: https://theappeal.org/wisconsin-sex-offender-residency-restrictions/
CT: DIVIDED APPEALS PANEL SLAPS FEDERAL JUDGE FOR ALLOWING JURY NULLIFICATION DEFENSE
January 8, 2020
It’s not news that most judges balk at the prospect of jury nullification—the right and power of juries to bring “not guilty” verdicts when defendants violate laws that jurors consider unjust or wrongly applied. It is news when judges take a high-profile slap at a colleague who endorsed jury nullification in his own courtroom. And it’s an even bigger deal when they barely assemble a majority to join in the public shaming. Full Article: https://reason.com/2020/01/06/divided-appeals-panel-slaps-federal-judge-for-allowing-jury-nullification-defense/
CT: SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY SHOULD BE BASED ON RISK
January 11, 2020
What is the point of a sex offender registry? As a woman and mother of two, I view Connecticut’s sex offender registry as a tool to increase public awareness about offenders living among us and to weigh my safety and the safety of those around me. Full Op-Ed piece: https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-gilchrest-sex-offender-registry-0110-20200110-ribwhef6wbafjm254nfv6c3mmu-story.html
CO: LAWMAKERS CONSIDER CHANGES TO COLORADO’S JUVENILE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
January 25, 2020
[9news.com – 1/24/20]
DENVER — It’s not often you see prosecutors and public defenders working together on the same team.
But Thursday night, representatives from both groups spoke before state lawmakers in a joint effort to reform the law around Colorado’s juvenile sex offender registry list.
“There are demonstrable…effects for children listed on this public registry right now,” said Amanda Gall, a Sexual Assault Resource Prosecutor at the Colorado District Attorney’s Council.
“This bill strikes a balance between public access and privacy for these children.”
HB-1079 was passed out of the House Judicial Committee Thursday. It calls for several changes, including:
Limiting public access to the juvenile sex offender registry
Limiting lifetime registration for sexual offenses committed when the offender was a juvenile
Giving judges more discretion at the time of sentencing a juvenile to decide whether or not to exempt the offender from the registry, based on an evaluation of the offender and recommendation from the evaluation team
If the juvenile offender moves to Colorado from another state, and the juvenile offender is no longer required to register in that prior state, he or she would not have to register in Colorado Read more here: https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/lawmakers-consider-changes-to-colorados-juvenile-sex-offender-registry/73-1cac1a21-5221-4ec8-b067-40d6413f99a1
NY: DNA EVIDENCE EXONERATES NEW YORK CITY MAN FOR 1985 SEX ASSAULT
January 29, 2020
[abcnews.go.com – 1/28/20]
After spending a full 25-year sentence in prison for a crime he did not commit, a Bronx, New York, man was exonerated by the first prosecutorial conviction review unit on the East Coast.
Rafael Ruiz was convicted in 1985 for sexually assaulting a girl in East Harlem. Ruiz, then 25, was sentenced to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison and was released on parole in 2009 after serving the entire stint.
Now, at the age of 60, Ruiz had his felony conviction wiped off his criminal record after newly tested DNA from the victim’s sex assault kit found by the Innocence Project and the Manhattan District Attorney Office’s Conviction Integrity Program excluded him from the case.
Read the full article: https://abcnews.go.com/US/dna-evidence-exonerates-york-city-man-1985-sex/story?id=68592919
GA: GROUP CONFRONTS COBB COUNTY SHERIFF OVER ‘INVENTED REQUIREMENTS’ IMPOSED ON SEX OFFENDERS
January 30, 2020
[11alive.com – 1/29/20]
ATLANTA — A sex offender rights group is accusing the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office of overstepping Georgia’s sex offender registration laws.
In a letter sent this week to Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren, the North Carolina based National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) claims deputies are “imposing invented requirements not contained in Georgia law.”
NARSOL Executive Director Brenda Jones, in the letter, writes the requirements the sheriff’s office is imposing are considered harassment. The letter includes four specific claims against the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.
First, registrants are allegedly being required to have personal contact four to 10 times a year at a deputies’ discretion – a requirement NARSOL claims isn’t detailed in state law.
Second, deputies are accused of leaving cards demanding registrants call or face arrest, in excess of required sex offender renewal requirements.
Read the full article: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/cobb-county-sex-offender-requirements-questioned/85-39063e85-aa1b-411b-b510-4fac8a8370dd
By believing the SOR is not unconstitutional and not punishment is a lie and is taking the foundation of our county away; that will eventually make it all tumble down.
MI: AG FILES AMICUS BRIEF STATING THAT SORA IS PUNITIVE AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL
February 2, 2020
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed an Amicus Brief on Jan 30 in People vs. Betts, Supreme Court No. 148981 .
Introduction: There are dangerous sexual predators, to be sure, and the public needs to be protected from them. But the current SORA it is not the way to achieve that goal because it places people on the registry without an individualized assessment of their risk to public safety. Indeed, it provides little differentiation between a violent rapist or reoffender and an individual who has committed a single, non-aggravated offense. And it provides no way for most registrants to lessen their registration period based on their circumstances and rehabilitation. Taken as a whole, SORA’s onerous requirements are punishment and their retroactive application violates both federal and state Ex Post Facto Clauses.
Conclusion: Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry Act, taken as a whole, imposes burdens that are so punitive in their effect that they negate the State’s public safety justifications. Accordingly, Amicus Curiae Attorney General Dana Nessel asks this Court to hold that SORA is punishment and its retroactive application violates the Ex Post Facto Clauses of the Michigan and United States constitutions. The unconstitutional 2011 amendments cannot be severed without leaving an Act that is inoperable without remedial efforts that are quintessentially legislative. Protecting the children and families of Michigan from sexual offending is critical, but it is the Legislature’s task to determine how best to do so within constitutional constraints.
Full Brief: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/445142629-AG-Nessel-Amicus.pdf
MI: FEDERAL JUDGE TO HEAR LATEST ARGUMENTS IN CASE OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL
February 3, 2020
[michiganradio.org – 2/3/20]
Lawyers will make their case in front of a federal judge on Wednesday over what to do about the state’s sex offender registry.
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled nearly four years ago that many of the requirements of Michigan’s registry are unconstitutional. But the law hasn’t been changed, and people continue to be on the list.
“The court has said that this registry is so ineffective, that it is also unconstitutional,” says Miriam Aukerman, senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Michigan. “And yet the Legislature has done nothing to fix it.”
In its August 2016 opinion, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals described Michigan’s Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA) as “a byzantine code governing in minute detail the lives of the state’s sex offenders.”
“SORA brands registrants as moral lepers solely on the basis of a prior conviction,” the court wrote in its opinion. “It consigns them to years, if not a lifetime, of existence on the margins, not only of society, but often, as the record in this case makes painfully evident, from their own families, with whom, due to school zone restrictions, they may not even live.”
What good would this really do? It is already a unconstitutional law. This would continue the stereotype, that most Americans are sex offenders; to the rest of the world. Since I had one article that was good about the republicans I will post a bad one too:
Rep. Smith Meets With Trump; Says Int'l Megan's Law Is Working
On Friday, your local congressman, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ4) met with President Trump for the Human Trafficking Summit.
Jan 31, 2020 4:10 pm ET | Updated Jan 31, 2020 4:19 pm ET
REP. SMITH MEETS WITH TRUMP; SAYS INT’L MEGAN’S LAW IS WORKING
January 31, 2020
Your local congressman, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ4) held a press conference with U.S. Dept. of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao Tuesday, where he talked about the success of his 2008 bill, International Megan’s law. Full Article: https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/rep-chris-smith-says-intl-megans-law-working
New Blogs Part 12 Updated February 07 2020
Why is surveillance in nursing homes a question at all? This is a necessity of life and should be instituted in all nursing homes; by law.
Posted: Fri 8:18 PM, Feb 07, 2020
LANSING, Mich. (WNDU) - Michigan lawmakers are proposing a bill that would add video cameras in the rooms of nursing home patients.
“Every person I talk to says this is a great and absolutely wonderful idea except the nursing home,” said Michigan Sen. Jim Runestad, who is proposing a bill that would allow video camera surveillance inside the rooms of nursing home resident only if residents agree.
The goal is to help combat elder abuse.
“There are unbelievable numbers of videos and the stark, horrific nature of the abuse was mind blowing to me,” Runestad said.
A study by Nursing Home Abuse shows nearly 5 million elders are abused in nursing homes each year. In addition, 24.3% of those elders experience at least one instance of physical abuse, while others suffer from sexual and financial abuse. Finally, only 1 and 14 of elder abuse are formally reported.
If the bill is passed, Michigan would become one of seven states to allow cameras in nursing home rooms. It would allow families to view camera footage of their loved ones from their phones.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated February 20 2020
You can not blame homosexuality for sending people to hell; just like you can not blame a sex offence on drugs or alcohol. Here is yet another great article proving that them that judge are judged twice as much, from the great human rights organization LGBTQ Nation:
From: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2020/02/church-settles-lawsuit-said-anti-gay-pastor-forced-employee-sex/
Church settles lawsuit that said its anti-gay pastor forced an employee to have sex with him
The pastor said "Homosexuality is vile" in his book, but allegedly told his teenage associate pastor, "I’d really like to teach you how to [kiss]."
February 18, 2020
An Ohio megachurch has reached an undisclosed financial settlement with a former employee who sued the church claiming that its head pastor – who is also anti-gay – had sexually abused and harassed him for over a decade.
Brock Miller, a former employee who worked as assistant pastor of Grace Cathedral in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio claimed that televangelist Rev. Ernest Angley had “inspected his genitals and asked him sexual questions” from 2004 to 2014. The church claims no responsibility in the settlement and has stood by its assertion that Miller’s claims are false.
Miller began working at the church as an associate pastor at age 17. Around that time, Angley allegedly told Miller that he was destined to become its pastor to lead its worldwide TV broadcasts ministry. Miller says that Angley hand-picked a wife for him to marry at age 19; she was 17 at the time they wedded.
Miller also said that Angley pressured him and others to get a vasectomy and for women to get abortions so they’d have more money to invest into the church.
Prior to his wedding, Miller says he approached Angley with questions about sex, and Angley allegedly told Miller to show him his penis and masturbate in front of him to ensure that he could ejaculate for his wife. Miller says he trusted Angley and complied several times over a decade. He also claims that Angley asked him graphic questions about Miller’s sex with his wife.
Miller then claimed that in 2006, Angley invited him to his bedroom for a special “anointing ceremony” wherein Angley asked Miller to get naked and then allegedly massaged the front and back of Miller’s naked body. These bedroom trysts allegedly occurred many times.
According to Miller, during one of their bedroom encounters, Angley said, “I’d really like to teach you how to give a good [passionate kiss].” Miller claims he responded “No!” adding, “It was just like the veil was completely lifted from my eyes and I saw him in that moment for the monster that he is.”
Despite he fact that Angley has been caught on tape admitting that he has repeatedly had gay sex, the church claims that Miller fabricated his allegations either to become the church’s lead pastor or to extort money from the church. Miller’s lawsuit sought full back pay, benefits, and reinstatement to the lead pastor position or else compensatory and punitive damages and attorney’s fees. The amount of the settlement remains publicly undisclosed.
“I try every single day to see some light shine on the horrible sexual abuse I endured,” Miller said, “and, even if I never get justice for myself, maybe the truth and my story can impact someone else and save them from the same hell I lived.”
In Angley’s 1995 book Oh, God, What a Mess!, he wrote, “Homosexuality is vile, vile before God; and it will send souls to hell.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 5 2020
CA: SAN DIEGO SETTLES ACSOL SUIT ON SEX OFFENDER RESIDENCY LAW
February 7, 2020
[kpbs.org – 2/6/20]
The city of San Diego has settled a lawsuit challenging a city law that limits where convicted sex offenders can live, agreeing to enforce the law only against those who are on parole.
The 2008 ordinance bans all registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school, park or other facility that caters to children. The city has never enforced the law, however, because of concerns over its constitutionality.
In 2015, the California Supreme Court overturned a nearly identical law covering unincorporated San Diego County. The court found such residency restrictions are unconstitutional when applied to all sex offenders regardless of an individual’s circumstances, such as the severity of the crime or how much time had passed since their conviction.
Then, in 2017, City Attorney Mara Elliott asked the City Council to repeal the ordinance, noting it had never been enforced and would not likely withstand a legal challenge. But council voted 5-4 against the repeal, which prompted the Sacramento-based Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws to file suit on behalf of anonymous sex offender plaintiffs.
Read the full article: https://www.kpbs.org/news/2020/feb/06/san-diego-limit-enforcement-sex-offenders-law/
MI: SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY – VALUABLE RESOURCE OR TOOL FOR PUBLIC SHAMING?
February 10, 2020
A cursory glance at the Michigan Sex Offender Registry may reveal that someone who’s been convicted of a sex crime lives near you.
Now what?
Advocates for reforming the registry say this publicly available information not only doesn’t make communities safer, it actually has the potential to make them more dangerous.
Those on the other side of the debate say the registry is a valuable tool that gives people the information they need to be aware of their surroundings and cognizant of potential threats. Full Article: https://www.cadillacnews.com/news/sex-offender-registry-valuable-resource-or-tool-for-public-shaming/article_7a045ebc-7e1b-5968-815c-95358b272ef9.html
Related
CA GOVERNOR PARDONS FIRST REGISTRANT
February 12, 2020
California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued the state’s first pardon to a registrant. The pardon was issued to Bayard Rustin, a colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on February 4. Rustin was convicted of a sex offense and required to register as a sex offender in Los Angeles in 1953 because he participated in a consensual adult sex act with another man.
“We celebrate the courage and wisdom of Governor Newsom in his decision to issue a pardon to Bayard Rustin,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This is the first time a California Governor has issued a pardon to a person convicted of a sex offense.”
The issuance of Rustin’s pardon followed requests made to the Governor by both the California Legislative Black and LGBTQ Caucuses.
Rustin is credited as a key strategist and organizer behind the 1963 March on Washington, D.C. He is also credited with helping Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rustin visited California several times during his civil rights career, including trips to Japanese Americans imprisoned in the Manzanar interment camp.
President Barack Obama honored Rustin in 2013 by posthumously awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award in the United States. That award described Rustin as “an unyielding activist for civil rights, dignity and equality for all.”
Following his issuance of Rustin’s pardon, Governor Newsom announced that his office would launch a new clemency initiative focused on pardoning others who were prosecuted in the state of California because they were gay.
“I thank those who advocated for Bayard Rustin’s pardon, and I want to encourage others in similar situations to seek a pardon to right this egregious wrong,” stated Governor Newsom in a press release issued on February 5. According to that press release, the new clemency initiative will work to identify eligible pardon candidates, and diligently process applications with the express goal of pardoning eligible individuals. Additional information regarding that initiative is available at www.gov.ca.gov/clemency
CA: APPELLATE COURT UPHOLDS CHALLENGE TO PROP. 57 REGULATIONS
February 13, 2020
An appellate court in California today upheld ACSOL’s challenge to regulations issued by the CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) that prohibit anyone convicted of a sex offense from receiving early parole consideration. This type of consideration was granted by Prop. 57 to all persons convicted of a non-violent offense.
In its decision, the Third Appellate District Court noted that CDCR has made “repeated attempts to exclude categories of inmates undisputedly classified as ‘nonviolent’ from early parole consideration.” The court rejected CDCR’s argument that the exclusions were necessary due to “public safety.” In fact, the decision specifically states that the appellate court rejects “the Department’s claim that the goal of public safety entitles it to contradict the unambiguous language of the Amendment (Prop. 57).”
“This decision is a significant victory for every person in custody who has been convicted of a sex offense,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “CDCR can longer refuse to grant those individuals early consideration for parole.”
Today’s unanimous decision by three appellate court justices affirmed the decision of a single judge in Sacramento Superior Court made in March 2018. In that Superior Court case, Judge Sumner ruled that CDCR’s regulations were inconsistent with the language of Prop. 57 as well as the intent of the voters who approved that proposition. In addition, the judge determined that CDCR’s regulations “must be set aside.”
Consistent with the lower court’s decision, the appellate court determined that the plain language of Prop. 57 is unequivocal and does allow CDCR to “promulgate regulations directly contradicting the text of the proposition.” The appellate court dismissed CDCR’s argument that those convicted of a sex offense pose a current danger to society “based on their likelihood of recidivism.” Although the appellate court did not address the issue of recidivism, it ruled instead that public safety is a “policy consideration” that does not trump the plain language of Prop. 57.
Today’s decision could be reviewed by the CA Supreme Court, if it agrees to grant review, and CDCR has stated it will seek review by that court. A similar Prop. 57 case, involving a registrant who was previously convicted of a sex offense but is currently in custody for a different type of offense, is currently pending before that court. The name of that case is Gadlin and its case number is S254599.
The basic difference between Gadlin and the case decided today is that the case decided today includes all inmates convicted of a sex offense regardless of whether that offense is the reason there are currently in custody.
Decision – Appeal – Feb 2020: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Decision-Appeal-Feb-2020.pdf
Order – Final – March 2018: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Order-Final-March-2018.pdf
Related
California appeals court says nonviolent sex offenders eligible for early parole (SF Chronicle)
MI: FEDERAL JUDGE INVALIDATES PORTIONS OF SORA
February 14, 2020
A federal judge has issued a ruling that invalidates portions of Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry Act (SORA) that are unconstitutional.
U.S. District Court Judge Robert Cleland issued the decision on Friday in a lawsuit that argued the SORA was unconstitutional. Full Article: https://www.wxyz.com/news/federal-judge-invalidates-portions-of-michigan-sex-offender-registry-act
Press Release from the Michigan ACLU: https://www.aclumich.org/en/press-releases/us-district-court-ruling-will-require-michigan-rewrite-sex-offender-registration-law
Related
FL: FLORIDA CAN’T BAR FELONS FROM REGISTERING TO VOTE OVER FEES AND FINES, COURT RULES
February 19, 2020
[cbsnews.com – 2/19/20]
Florida cannot bar felons who served their time from registering to vote simply because they have failed to pay all fines and fees stemming from their cases, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.
A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Tallahassee federal judge’s preliminary injunction that the implementation of Amendment 4 – approved overwhelmingly by voters in 2018 to allow most felons who served their time to regain the right to vote – amounted to an unfair poll tax that would disenfranchise many of them.
A spokeswoman for Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said the state will immediately ask the entire 11th Circuit to reconsider the ruling. In addition, a full trial on the issue is set to begin this spring.
Read the full article: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-cant-bar-felons-from-registering-to-vote-over-fees-and-fines-court-rules/
NATIONAL
MI: STATE OF MICHIGAN SET TO PAY $80M TO SETTLE SEX ABUSE SUIT WITH FORMER JUVENILE OFFENDERS
February 27, 2020
[detroitnews.com – 2/27/20]
The Michigan Department of Corrections will pay $80 million to settle a lawsuit with former juvenile offenders who claimed they were sexually abused in Michigan prisons between October 2010 and February 2020, state officials said Thursday.
Pending final approval April 9, the state will pay $25 million immediately, $15 million by October, $25 million by October 2021 and $15 million by October 2022.
Buy PhotoMichigan officials have settled a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by former juvenile offenders for $80 million. (Photo: Daniel Mears, The Detroit News)
State corrections officials and Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office announced the settlement with the individuals in a press release after Washtenaw County Judge Carol Kuhnke signed Thursday an order of preliminary approval.
The settlement would be the largest since the department reached a $100 million resolution in a 1996 case, Neal v. Michigan Department of Corrections, in which female prisoners alleged a pattern of sexual misconduct and harassment related to the supervision of female prisoners by male officers.
The department agreed to a $100 million settlement in the Neal case in 2009, and distributed the payments to plaintiffs between 2010 and 2015.
Read the full article: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/02/27/state-pay-80-m-settle-sex-abuse-suit-former-juvenile-offenders/4892037002/
New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 30 2020
This is a great example of why conversion therapy is a crime:
From: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2020/03/utah-man-allegedly-told-lesbian-going-fix-gay-raping/
Utah man allegedly told lesbian he was “going to fix the gay” before raping her
The prosecutor hasn't determined if it was a hate crime yet, but confirmed there is evidence to back up her story.
Friday, March 27, 2020
A lesbian in Utah says she was the victim of a “corrective rape” when a man sexual assaulted her in an anti-gay hate crime.
The victim told police in Salt Lake City that she was visiting a straight woman she was friends with. When the woman went to bed, her husband Adam Quinn Atwood, 34, started sitting “closer and closer” to her.
Related: A lesbian couple was raped, beaten & held in a basement for 4 days
She wanted to leave, but she said that Atwood convinced her to go to a convenience store with him to buy beer. When they got back to the house, he attacked her.
The man allegedly pulled up the victim’s skirt and groped her. She told him to stop, and that’s when he asked her “if she was sure she didn’t like it” and “if she was sure she was gay.”
She tried to get up and leave, but, according to court documents, he grabbed her by the neck and threw her down a short flight of stairs to the basement.
The victim said that she told him to stop because his wife and kids were upstairs and she’s a lesbian, but he allegedly responded that he was “going to fix the gay.”
Atwood then allegedly raped her and choked her.
She escaped and “made it to her vehicle and as she locked the doors the suspect ran up to the car and yelled, ‘You better not tell anyone,'” a police affidavit says.
She went home and told her roommates what had happened. She reported the crime to the police.
The alleged assailant was later arrested and told police, “I did not rape anyone.” He is currently being charged with suspicion of object rape, forcible sodomy, kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and forcible sexual abuse and is being held on $150,000 bail.
Police told the Salt Lake Tribune that there is evidence to corroborate her story. Police also believe that her injuries are consistent with her story.
They are also looking into whether the attack qualifies as a hate crime, saying that the decision to proceed with hate crimes charges is up to the prosecutor. Utah added sexual orientation and gender identity to its hate crimes legislation last year.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 03 2020
MI: YPSILANTI ADDS EX-OFFENDERS AS PROTECTED CLASS IN NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE
March 5, 2020
[mlive.com – 3/4/20]
YPSILANTI, MI – People with felony convictions cannot be discriminated against in Ypsilanti in a new addition to the city’s non-discrimination ordinance that passed Tuesday.
Ypsilanti City Council voted unanimously to make ex-offenders a city-protected class at its meeting on March 3. Elected officials said the move will help returning citizens reintegrate into society and address racial disparities.
Speakers during public comment said felony convictions are particularly challenging to finding employment and housing after returning from prison or parole. Several said a felony conviction can often act as a discrimination tactic as a proxy for race since incarceration rates for people of color and whites are disproportionate.
The ordinance allows for exceptions if the conviction directly relates to safety or another direct relationship between the offense and the job, housing or other opportunity. Councilman Steve Wilcoxen said some residents were concerned about sex offenders, but he noted those on the sex offender registry already have limitations in place of where they can live and work.
Read the full article: https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2020/03/ypsilanti-adds-ex-offenders-as-protected-class-in-nondiscrimination-ordinance.html
FIVE LESSONS PANDEMICS CAN TEACH US ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
March 9, 2020
[prisonpolicy.org – 2/6/20]
No need to wait for pandemics: The public health case for criminal justice reform
We offer five examples of policies that could slow the spread of a viral pandemic in prisons and jails – and would mitigate the everyday impact of incarceration on public health.
by Peter Wagner and Emily Widra
The United States incarcerates a greater share of its population than any other nation in the world, so it is urgent that policymakers think about how a viral pandemic would impact people in prisons, in jails, on probation, and on parole, and to take seriously the public health case for criminal justice reform.
Below, we offer five examples of common sense policies that could slow the spread of the virus. This is not an exhaustive list, but a first step for governors and other state-level leaders to engage today, to be followed by further much-needed changes tomorrow.
Quick action is necessary for two reasons: the justice-involved population disproportionately has health conditions that make them more vulnerable — such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, and HIV — and making policy changes requires staffing resources that will be unavailable if a pandemic hits.
The incarcerated and justice-involved populations contain a number of groups that may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. Protecting vulnerable people would improve outcomes for them, reduce the burden on the health care system, protect essential correctional staff from illness, and slow the spread of the disease.
Read the full article: https://news.prisonpolicy.org/t/ViewEmail/r/87F5F4B95DB087262540EF23F30FEDED/2F6A8A9426D3B4F9C67FD2F38AC4859C
MO: THE MAN WHO HAS TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER BASED ON LIES
March 15, 2020
[womenagainstregistry.org – 2/20/20]
ST. LOUIS – He’s the sex offender who’s innocent. According to the reported victims, _____ didn’t do it.
Tuesday’s interview with _____ is part of Fox 2’s ongoing investigation into why the Missouri justice system isn’t listening.
“I’ve been fighting this for 31 years of my life and it has caused me something new, every time I turn around,” _____ said. “The neighbors looking at me wrong, not being able to go to a state park. Just recently I found my passports got pulled because of a new sex-trafficking law.”
_____ must register as a sex offender after being falsely accused in the 80s of molesting his nephews. He would have been as young as 13 during the alleged crimes.
“I kept saying, ‘There’s no way my nephews said this because I’ve never touched them.’ I’ve never done anything to them,” he said.
We’ve shown you in prior Fox Files reports how the nephews say they were coerced into making false sex allegations by a Missouri Division of Family Services caseworker.
Read the full article: https://ww1.womenagainstregistry.org/the-man-who-has-to-register-as-a-sex-offender-based-on-lies
CA: CDCR ASKS CA SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW PROP. 57 DECISION
March 23, 2020
[ACSOL]
The CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) filed today with the CA Supreme Court a petition requesting review of ACSOL’s successful challenge of CDCR’s regulations that prohibit all registrants from early parole consideration. The prohibition in CDCR’s regulations has been found to be unlawful by several appellate courts.
In its petition, CDCR acknowledges that the Court has already granted review of a similar case, In re Gadlin, S254599. CDCR therefore requests that the Court defer action in the ACSOL case until the Gadlin case is decided. All documents in that case have been filed, including an amicus brief by ACSOL, however, the Court has not yet scheduled oral argument.
“We are looking forward to a final and positive disposition of our case,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Until the Court rules on this issue, however, thousands of registrants will continue to lose the right to early consideration for parole provided to them by Proposition 57.”
The Court of Appeal, Third District, ruled on February 13, 2020, that CDCR’s regulations were unlawful because Proposition 57 did not include an exception for individuals convicted of a sex offense. The Court then upheld the trial court’s decision issued on March 5, 2018.
In addition to In re Gadlin, the CA Supreme Court has granted review of six similar cases: In re Mohammad, S259999; In re Adams, S257081; In re Bertram, B293475, In re Bowell, S255066; In re Jones, S259606 and In re Schuster, S260024.
Download the petition for review:
Prop 57 Petition for Review – CA Sup Ct – March 2020:
ACSOL CHALLENGES MURRIETA IN-PERSON REGISTRATION DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
[ACSOL]
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) filed a lawsuit today challenging the City of Murrieta’s requirement that all registrants, including those with COVID-19 high risk factors, register in person. The lawsuit is expected to be the first of many such lawsuits to be filed in California this week.
“The City of Murrieta is requiring registrants to make one of two deadly decisions, that is, to register in person and risk exposing themselves to COVID-19 or to fail to register and be sent to jail where the risk of exposure to COVID-19 is even greater,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “In addition, registrants who go to the Murrieta Police Department to register in person violate the Governor’s order to shelter in place.”
The lawsuit, which was filed in Riverside County Superior Court, asks the court to issue a writ of mandate that requires the City of Murrieta to provide methods of registration that do not require registrants to register in person. Those methods could include registration by telephone or by computer.
“We are researching registration methods throughout the state and nation,” stated Bellucci, “and we will file as many lawsuits as possible in order to protect registrants and their families.”
Download the lawsuit:
Petition – Registration during COVID-19 – March 2020:
LAPD STOPS IN-PERSON REGISTRATION, PROVIDES REGISTRATION BY TELEPHONE
March 24, 2020
[ACSOL]
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has stopped all in-person registration of individuals required to register as a sex offender in that city. In place of in -person registration, LAPD is allowing individuals to register by telephone.
“LAPD is to be commended for its decision to protect registrants and their loved ones by allowing registrants to register by phone,” stated ACSOL President Chance Oberstein. “Unfortunately, there are many other law enforcement agencies that still require registrants to register in person.”
According to LAPD, signs will be posted at every police department where registrants normally register. The signs will include a phone number to call in order to register telephonically.
“LAPD has promised to provide ACSOL with a list of phone numbers to call so that registrants in the City of Los Angeles do not have to have to travel to a registration office,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.
ACSOL FILES SECOND CHALLENGE TO SAN DIEGO IN-PERSON REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
March 24, 2020
[ACSOL]
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) today filed a second lawsuit challenging a city’s requirement that all registrants, including those who have high-risk COVID-19 factors, register in person. The defendant in this lawsuit is the City of San Diego. There are multiple plaintiffs in the lawsuit including ACSOL, a female registrant who suffers from chronic diseases, and additional registrants to be identified in the future.
“The City of San Diego, during this historic pandemic, is increasing the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus by requiring people to register in person,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Therefore, we are asking San Diego Superior Court to issue a writ of mandamus that would stop this dangerous behavior.”
The lawsuit does not specify an alternate method that should be used by the City of San Diego to register individuals during a pandemic. However, the lawsuit notes that the City of Los Angeles has already stopped registering individuals in person and instead is allowing them to register by phone.
“It is important to note that state law does not require most registrants to register in person,” stated ACSOL President Chance Oberstein. “Therefore, the actions of the City of San Diego are unlawful.”
ACSOL filed a lawsuit yesterday challenging a requirement by the City of Murrieta that all registrants register in person. That lawsuit was filed in Riverside Superior Court.
“ACSOL continues to research the registration requirements of cities and counties throughout California and the nation,” stated Bellucci. “We expect to continue filing lawsuits until no one is required to register in person during the pandemic.”
Related links:
Lawsuit Filed Against SDPD for In-Person Sex Registration Amid Pandemic:
ACSOL Files Fourth Lawsuit Challenging DOJ and L.A. In-Person Registration During COVID-19 Pandemic
March 26, 2020 –
[ACSOL] The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) today filed a fourth lawsuit challenging in-person registration. This lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against both the California Department of Justice as well as the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. "We added the CA Department of Justice as a defendant in this case because several registration officers in the LA Sheriff's Department said...
The Unethical Dilemma of an Offense Based Sex Offender Registration and Notification System and the Indiscriminate Effect on the Low Risk Offender
March 27, 2020
[floridaactioncommittee.org - 3/26/20] The Law Review article linked to below was written by Kenneth H. Browning, a third-year law student at Barry University School of Law. He examines ethics in the sex offender registration scheme and questions whether it is ethical to sweep up everybody into a common dust bin. Read the full article on floridaactioncommittee.org
CA: 60 Organizations Jointly Request Significant Parole and Probation Changes During Pandemic
March 27, 2020
[ACSOL] A group of 60 organizations, including ACSOL, are jointly requesting that parole and probation agencies in California modify existing supervision conditions, policies and practices to align with public health recommendations in order to protect the lives of more than 400,000 people under their supervision. Included in the request is the end of in-person registration. "ACSOL and its members need to share the list... http://www.rootandrebound.org.
ACSOL Files Fifth Lawsuit Challenging San Diego In-Person Registration During Pandemic
March 27, 2020
[ACSOL] The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) filed today a fifth lawsuit challenging in-person registration for all registrants, including those with high-risk COVID-19 factors. This lawsuit was filed against the San Diego County Sheriff's Department which registers more than 3,200 individuals each year. "The plaintiffs in today's lawsuit include a 72-year-old man who suffers from hypertension as well as a 51-year-old man... https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-03-27-Petition-San-Diego-County-Sheriff-FINAL.pdf
FL: GROUPS CALL ON GOVERNOR DESANTIS TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND IN-PERSON REPORTING REQUIRED UNDER SEX OFFENSE REGISTRY
March 28, 2020
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 3/27/20]
BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA – March 27, 2020. The Florida Action Committee (FAC), the ACLU of Florida and the Florida Justice Institute are calling on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to temporarily suspend the requirement that persons required to register for past sexual offenses appear in-person at the Sheriff’s office to report during the Coronavirus state of emergency.
Florida Statutes mandate in-person reporting every six months, quarterly, or monthly for registrants who are transient. Changes to vehicles or reporting travel for three or more days (or changes to prior reported travel) must also be reported within 48 hours in-person. Failure to report in-person is a felony. In some cases, the registrant is also required to report to the driver’s license offices, which are not even open during this crisis.
Read the full article: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/groups-call-on-governor-desantis-to-temporarily-suspend-in-person-reporting-required-under-sex-offense-registry/
ND: YET ANOTHER WAY COVID-19 HAS CHANGED LIFE: FARGO SEX OFFENDERS CAN NOW REGISTER REMOTELY
March 30, 2020
[inforum.com – 3/29/20]
FARGO — The Fargo Police Department is allowing sex offenders to register by phone in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus, while other local law enforcement agencies continue the registration process with few changes.
Fargo police made the switch March 19, the same day it closed the lobby of its headquarters. The department is making several adjustments to its operations to limit contact amid the global pandemic, and having sex offenders register via phone is one of them.
“If a new registrant who has never registered with Fargo does show up to register at the police department, there is a sign that gives them instructions to call into our records bureau and the registration process would begin from there,” Detective Mark Voigtschild said in an email.
Meanwhile, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office is allowing sex offenders to call in address changes, but deputies still will check in on the registrants, Sheriff Jesse Jahner said. The agency’s first-time registrations will be done in person, he said.
Read the full article: https://www.inforum.com/news/crime-and-courts/5010664-Yet-another-way-COVID-19-has-changed-life-Fargo-sex-offenders-can-now-register-remotely
PENNSYLVANIA, OREGON SUSPEND IN-PERSON REGISTRATION
March 30, 2020
[ACSOL]
The States of Pennsylvania and Oregon have temporarily suspended in-person registration for all registrants in those state. Instead of in-person registration, Pennsylvania is allowing registrants to register by mail, if needed, and Oregon is allowing registrants to register by telephone.
“Pennsylvania and Oregon are protecting the public, including registrants and their families, from further infection of COVID-19 by suspending in-person registration,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “These states are setting an example that should be followed by all 50 states in the nation.”
In Pennsylvania, registrants are required to register by mail only if they need to change or update previously reported information, such as home address, employment or school address. For those registrants, the state has provided a form which is be mailed to the Pennsylvania State Police, Megan’s Law Section 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110. A link to that form is immediately below this article.
Pennsylvania State Police Sexual Offender Update Form – March 2020 [PDF download]
NY: NEW YORK RELEASES SOME LEVEL 3 SEX OFFENDERS, HOUSES THEM AT HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
April 2, 2020
[leoaffairs.com – 4/1/20]
Sex offenders in western New York have been released as part of the pandemic, with several currently being housed in a Holiday Inn Express.
The Level 3 offenders, who were released as part of the outbreak, have drawn the attention of local journalists, citizens and police officials alike, particularly in the town of Greece.
“Among the inmates known to be staying at the Holiday Inn Express are four registered sex offenders,” Sabrina Maggiore tweeted. “Three of whom are registered as level 3 sex offender and are deemed by New York courts as most likely to re-offend. All three of the level 3 sex offenders staying at the Holiday Inn Express have been convicted for the rape of minors.”
Read the full article: https://www.leoaffairs.com/new-york-releases-some-level-3-sex-offenders-houses-them-at-holiday-inn-express-does-not-notify-local-police/
MD: MARYLAND HIGH COURT RULES SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION QUALIFIES AS ‘PUNISHMENT’
April 2, 2020
[By Guy Hamilton-Smith, an ACSOL board member, a 2019 JustLeadershipUSA fellow, and a contributor to The Appeal and Slate. You can read more of his writing on his website]
The Maryland Court of Appeals — Maryland’s highest court — issued an opinion this week that, effectively, calls a spade a spade: that being listed on a sex offense registry constitutes punishment. In Rogers v. State, the appellant had been convicted of a crime that would require registration if the victim was a minor. However, the age of the victim was not an element of the offense to which the appellant pleaded guilty, nor was the age of the victim established in the plea agreement. Subsequent to the appellant’s guilty plea, state authorities required that he register as a sex offender. The appellant complied with the state’s demand, but also filed a lawsuit asking the courts to declare that he was not required to register as a sex offender and to remove him from the registry.
Who wins depends entirely on whether or not the registry is punishment. In a completely separate case from twenty years ago, the United States Supreme Court held in Apprendi v. New Jersey that “any fact that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be submitted to a jury, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt.” In this case, if the registry is punishment, and the age of the victim determines whether or not an individual must register, then it is a “fact that increases the penalty” and thus must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial (or stipulated to in a guilty plea), as opposed to state police making their own determinations as to whether or not someone must register.
The opinion analyzes at length the history of Maryland’s sex offense registry statute—and its present form—and concludes that it is clearly punishment: frequent in-person reporting requirements, the compelled disclosure of enormous amounts of personal information, the broad public availability of that same information over the Internet which “expose[s] sex offenders to ostracism, and may cause lost employment opportunities, housing discrimination, threats, and violence,” and the similarity to the historical punishment of shaming all factored into the Court’s decision. The Court even noted that, at least at some point, members of the public had been allowed to post comments on individual registrant’s pages which would then be viewable to the public — thus transforming Maryland’s registry into something not unlike from an electronic pillory.
The ultimate conclusion that the Court reached was that, because of the punitive evolution of Maryland’s registry, any fact that would require registration must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in line with Apprendi. While it was certainly not the Court’s role here to make a determination about whether or not registries are good policy, or effective at their stated aims, it it heartening when any court is willing to tell the truth even—and perhaps especially—when it is an unpopular one.
Download opinion PDF:
Maryland-Court-of-Appeals-Opinion Sept 2019
https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Maryland-Court-of-Appeals-Opinion-Sept-2019.pdf
New Blogs Part 12 Updated May 05 2020
The entire system in our country concerning so called RSO's is unjust and that is left to God to judge us all for. In my opinion the pandemic is directly God's judgement against our country for all of it's unjust, unconstitutional oppression of it's citizens through our unjust justice system. It is obvious that many Christians are most susceptible to committing sex offence crimes because of our sick obsession with the word sex and everything that goes with that. When we involve any crime that includes a large amount Christians and then proceed to treat them inhumanly we will be judged for it very badly. I believe the inhuman sentencing and treatment of so called registered sex offenders has allot to do with the word sex, in that unfair title. The media/internet capitalizes on sex offender news because sex sells; I have said this since 2001. Unless we turn from our evil ways God will continue to judge us all until we are no more significant than any third world country or completely gone all together. This is all proficiency in the Bible; the only difference is how fast we end up there. I have said since the 1st post I ever made on the internet about RSO's in 2001; that our country would end up a 3rd world country by our inhuman treatment of RSO's and our mass incarceration. Actually I should not say mass incarceration because I did not know those two words used together then. If I had to define what I said back then in 2001; it would best be defined by the words our (perverted justice system), even though I did not use those words either back then. You can view for yourself allot of my posts from back then here: https://sexoffenderfaq.blogspot.com/p/stand-with-survivors-of-sexual-assault.html Just search the page for the words Joe Dork. Joe Dork was the name of a cartoon politician I invented that ran and won his office by his inhuman treatment of so called sex offenders. The point is I warned in my posts about RSOs; of our eventual demise. I do not want this to happen to my country and will continue to post posts and send emails; for all Americans constitutional rights, no matter who they are. We have perverted our justice system to work as a meter to what ever is popular or unpopular with the media/internet. Mass incarceration and our perverted unjust justice system has defined us as a nation. I leave it all up to the Lord to judge it all; like I know he does. I do not envy all those in charge of things like this and like us all, should be; obligated to pray for our elected officials, to make the right decisions not matter how popular it might be to the media/internet.
Probation and Parole Officers Are Rethinking Their Rules As Coronavirus Spreads
April 3, 2020
Social distancing is pressing officials across the country to skip traditional methods such as jailing people for “technical violations” like missing check-ins. Full Article: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/04/03/probation-and-parole-officers-are-rethinking-their-rules-as-coronavirus-spreads
MI: JUDGE: STATE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY CAN’T BE ENFORCED IN PANDEMIC
April 6, 2020
[detroitnews.com – 4/6/20]
A federal judge is commanding state authorities to stop enforcing rules under the Michigan Sex Offender Registry Act during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to an interim order U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland issued Monday, officials are “preliminarily enjoined from enforcing registration, verification, school zone, and fee violations of (the act) that occurred or may occur from February 14, 2020, until the current crisis has ended, and thereafter until registrants are notified of what duties they have under SORA going forward.”
On Valentine’s Day, Cleland declared the act unconstitutional and urged the state Legislature to move to bring the law into compliance.
Under the February decision offenders would still have had to report to their local law enforcement agency or state police post through mid-May, while orders encompassing Cleland’s ruling were drafted by the parties. After that, unless the state Legislature acts, the Sex Offender Registry Act would no longer be enforceable against those who offended before 2011.
Read the full article: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/04/06/judge-state-sex-offender-registry-cant-enforced-pandemic/2958141001/
IL: LAWSUIT – RELEASE SEX OFFENDERS WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME
April 9, 2020
Sex offenders who have completed their sentences but are still being held in Illinois prisons should be released as part of the effort to reduce the state’s prison population during the COVID-19 crisis, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.
The request for a temporary restraining order was filed on behalf of Marcus Barnes, a sex offender held at Graham Correctional Center, and about 300 other sex offenders who remain in prison because they have not located state-approved housing required for their release. Full Article: https://www.wglt.org/post/lawsuit-release-sex-offenders-who-have-served-their-time#stream/0
ACSOL FILES TRO APPLICATION IN LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT
April 10, 2020
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) has filed an application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in Los Angeles Superior Court. If granted, the TRO would require both the Attorney General and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to temporarily stop in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The TRO application, filed yesterday, requests a hearing or a decision without a hearing on April 14.
“In-person registration continues to threaten the lives of registrants, their families, law enforcement and the public because it increases the risk of infection from COVID-19,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Doing so makes no sense because there are other ways to register individuals that do not endanger public health.”
The TRO application was filed on behalf of two registrants who live in Los Angeles County and are considered high risk due to chronic medical conditions, including asthma and hypertension. One of the registrants is homeless and is therefore required to register every month. His next registration date is May 7.
“The Los Angeles Police Department stopped in-person registration about three weeks ago,” stated ACSOL President Chance Oberstein. “The department is now registering everyone by phone.”
The Attorney General’s legal representative has stated in writing that his office will oppose the TRO application although he provided no reason for that opposition. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s legal representative has not stated whether his client will oppose or support the TRO application.
NY: NYC BAR REPORT TO GOV. ANDREW CUOMO: CALL TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND IN-PERSON REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
April 13, 2020
[mitchellhamline.edu – 4/3/20]
By NYC Bar Committee | April 3, 2020
Dear Governor Cuomo:
The New York City Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Operations Committee and the Sex Offender Registration Act Working Group write this letter to urge the temporary suspension of in-person reporting requirements for people on the sex offender registry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. By continuing to require in-person reporting for the 8,050 New York City residents on the registry, all of whom have in-person reporting requirements at the same office in lower Manhattan, the health and safety of registrants, court personnel, police officers and the public are being put at risk unnecessarily. Instead, the City Bar urges you to follow the precedent set by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the states of Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Hawaii, and numerous other counties across the country, and allow registrants to satisfy their registration and verification requirements by reporting to the Sex Offender Monitoring Unit (“SOMU”) by telephonic or electronic means.
Read the full letter: https://mitchellhamline.edu/sex-offense-litigation-policy/2020/04/08/nyc-bar-report-to-gov-andrew-cuomo-call-to-temporarily-suspend-in-person-reporting-requirements/
CO: COLORADO GOVERNOR STOPS IN-PERSON REGISTRATION DURING PANDEMIC
April 23, 2020
[ACSOL]
The Governor of Colorado has issued an Executive Order that temporarily suspends the requirement to register in person during the pandemic. Specifically, the Order suspends the requirement that registrants provide a current photograph or a set of fingerprints to verify their identity during registration. As a result, registrants are allowed to register using alternate effective means determined by local law enforcement.
The purpose of the Executive Order, issued on April 6, is to “mitigate the effects of the pandemic, prevent further spread, and protect against overwhelming our health care resources.” The Order addresses a wide range of state regulations, including those related to the renewal of drivers licenses, claiming of lottery prizes and taxi operations. The Order will remain in effect at least until April 30 when it could be extended.
Read a PDF of the order:
Governors Order – Colo – April 2020: https://all4consolaws.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/Governors-Order-Colo-April-2020.pdf
CA: TOWN REPEALS SEX OFFENDER ORDINANCE
April 27, 2020
[hidesertstar.com – 4/24/20]
YUCCA VALLEY — Facing costly litigation, the Yucca Valley Town Council discussed repealing the ordinance restricting where paroled sex offenders can live within town limits.
The urgency ordinance repealing part of the Yucca Valley municipal code was approved 5-0.
“It’s a tough decision for us to make,” said Councilman Robert Lombardo, adding he believed the town could prevail in a lawsuit. “I think we could successfully fight this, but at a great cost. I feel comfortable appealing the ordinance.”
In early February, the town of Yucca Valley was served with a lawsuit, John Doe versus the Town of Yucca Valley, challenging the constitutionality of restricting paroled sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school, park or daycare center.
In 2015, the state’s Supreme Court decided a similar ordinance in San Diego was unconstitutional, and that city’s ordinance was repealed. This case opened the door for numerous lawsuits to following hitting city by city across California, according to Thomas Jex, the town of Yucca Valley’s attorney.
Jex said the attorney who filed the suit, Janice Bellucci, is winning similar suits she has filed against other California cities.
Read the full article: http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_2b25c6c2-868b-11ea-b4e4-3734f8ac86c6.html
ACSOL Challenges In-Person Registration in Federal District Court
April 28, 2020
[ACSOL] The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) filed a lawsuit today in a federal district court challenging in-person registration requirements of both the City of Fresno and the County of Fresno. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California. According to the lawsuit, the city and county's requirement to register in person violates the due process clause...: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Complaint-CONFORMED-28-April-2020.pdf https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Complaint-Exhibit-A-28-April-2020.pdf
CA: 7 SEX OFFENDERS RELEASED EARLY DUE TO COVID-19 IN ORANGE COUNTY DESPITE PAROLE VIOLATIONS
April 29, 2020
[nbclosangeles.com – 4/30/20]
Seven sex offenders who violated parole were released from jail early as part of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department reducing its inmate population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sex offenders were released months before schedule, despite being charged with violating their parole by cutting off their GPS monitors and tampering with their tracking devices, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Public Information Officer Kimberly Edds.
California law requires sex offenders who violate their parole in this way to serve six months in jail, but many of the sex offenders who have been released during the pandemic served just days, Edds said.
…
…said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “As a state legislator, I was the author and founder of the State of California Sex Offender Management Board and the author of Megan’s Law on the Internet, which allows the public to see where these sex offenders are so that they can protect themselves and their families.”
Read the entire article: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/7-sex-offenders-released-early-due-to-covid-19-in-orange-county-despite-parole-violations/2353911/
CA: ACSOL SUES FRESNO COPS FOR FORCING SEX OFFENDERS TO APPEAR AMID COVID-19
May 4, 2020
[law360.com – 5/3/20]
Authorities in Fresno, California, are inflicting “cruel and unusual punishment” on registered sex offenders and violating the U.S. Constitution by requiring the individuals to appear in person for registration updates during the coronavirus pandemic, three offenders contend.
In an April 28 complaint filed in the Eastern District of California, those John Doe plaintiffs say the Fresno Police Department and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office are running afoul of the Eighth and 14th Amendments and the California Sex Offender Registration Act by requiring convicted sex offenders to physically appear for their 30-day, 90-day or annual registration updates.
The state statute only requires that in-person registration occur for those who move out of state, for those who change their residence address or for those who legally change their names, according to the complaint. It does not call for initial registrations or for 30-day, 90-day or annual updates to be conducted inside a police station, according to the complaint.
The first John Doe considers himself vulnerable because he is 71, the second John Doe is worried because he is 68 and has chronic medical conditions that include hypertension, and the third John Doe is concerned because he has asthma, according to the complaint.
“Plaintiffs are gravely afraid of contracting COVID-19 should they be forced to register in [Fresno Police Department] and [Fresno County Sheriff’s Office] stations,” the complaint reads.
There is no practical reason for registered sex offenders to have to physically appear for such updates, as authorities are simply confirming information that they already possess or are obtaining information that could be confirmed over the telephone or via a teleconference link, as police in Los Angeles and other locales are currently doing amid concerns over the novel coronavirus, according to the complaint.
Read the full article: https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1268468/cops-sued-for-forcing-sex-offenders-to-appear-amid-covid-19
New Blogs Part 12 Updated June 07 2020
PA: Court Determines Annual Registration, Internet Publication Punishment
May 12, 2020
[ACSOL] The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania issued an important decision on May 11, 2020, in which it determined that annual registration as well as publication of a registrant's personal information on the internet constitutes punishment. The petition in this case committed a sex offense prior to the effective date of these requirements. According to the Court, annual in-person registration "imposes affirmative restraints and probation-like...https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TS-v.-State-of-Pennsylvania-registry-is-punishment-May-2020.pdf
NC: Registrants Win in North Carolina Court
May 13, 2020
[ACSOL] A federal trial court in North Carolina has ruled in favor of registrants whose out-of-state convictions were determined by law enforcement to be "substantially similar" to sex offenses in North Carolina. As a result of this decision, registrants who were convicted of an out-of-state sex offense prior to December 1, 2006, and who also moved to North Carolina prior to that date are no...https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Grabarczyk-v.-Stein-North-Carolina-May-2020.pdf
CO: Divided state Supreme Court ruling allows convicted man to terminate sex offender registration
May 19, 2020
[coloradopolitics.com - 5/19/20] In a 4-3 decision, the Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that a criminal defendant was entitled to his request to de-register as a sex offender because he completed the terms of his probationary sentence and therefore no longer had a conviction under the law. Brian Keith McCulley pleaded guilty in 2000 to two counts of sexual assault. One of the charges, a...https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/divided-state-supreme-court-ruling-allows-convicted-man-to-terminate-sex-offender-registration/article_b8f11460-99d3-11ea-a1ed-0f1695b9f02e.html
NE: Advocates call for an end to the public sex offender registry
May 21, 2020
[fox42kptm.com - 5/20/20] A shooting in North Omaha has sparked concerns over the state sex offender registry. Following the death of Mattieo Condoluci, members of the National Association of Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) are calling for the state to remove the public state sex offender registry. “If he was not on the registry I have no doubt he would be alive,” NARSOL Vice...https://fox42kptm.com/newsletter-daily/murder-arrest-follow-up
Watch Recording of Safe and Just Michigan to learn the evidence-based case for ending sex offender registries
May 22, 2020
[safeandjustmi.org - 5/28/30 event] 5/28/20 UPDATE: Sex offense registries were supposed to keep communities safer. Under them, people convicted of sex offenses are required to register where they work, live, volunteer and go to school. Certain restrictions are placed on where they can live and earn a living. These laws have created an underclass of people who struggle not only to find a good job, but to even find an available place to live. Meanwhile, studies show the promised safety benefits of these laws have failed to materialize.
Join Safe & Just Michigan Policy Analyst Josh Hoe and special guests — ACLU of Michigan Senior Staff Attorney Miriam Aukerman; Columbia University School of Social Work Senior Research Scientist Vincent Schiraldi; and Judith Levine, feminist author, journalist, co-founder of the National Writers Union and author of “The Feminist and the Sex Offender: Confronting Sexual Harm, Ending State Violence” — at noon on Thursday, May 28. We’ll talk about recent court rulings regarding the unconstitutionality of Michigan’s sex offender registration act, the evidence showing registries fail to protect communities, and the movement to end the registries....https://www.safeandjustmi.org/take-action/events/
CA Supreme Court Grants Review of ACSOL’s Successful Prop. 57 Lawsuit
May 28, 2020
[ACSOL] The California Supreme Court today granted review of ACSOL’s successful lawsuit in both the trial and appellate courts which challenged regulations issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) that, in effected, prohibit anyone convicted of a sex offense from receiving the benefits of Prop. 57. In today’s decision to grant review, the Court stated that the submission of additional briefings in the case is “deferred pending further order of the court.”
Including today’s decision, the California Supreme Court has granted review of four cases which challenge CDCR’s Prop. 57 regulations. The lead Prop. 57 case is In re Gadlin (S254599), which has been fully briefed to the Court. The total number of briefs submitted in the Gadlin case include briefs submitted by ACSOL as well as a group of 19 social science and law scholars. The Court has not yet scheduled oral arguments in the Gadlin case and is not expected to make a decision in that case without oral arguments.
“Thousands of registrants continue to be denied the benefits of Prop. 57 due to repeated appeals submitted by CDCR,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “We hope that the Court will soon decide the ultimate fate of CDCR’s regulations.”
TX: UNFAVORABLE DECISION IN THE HEARN CASE
May 29, 2020 ·8 Comments
From TexasVoices: As many of you are aware our constitutional claim rested on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Santobello v. New York. In Santobello the Supreme Court ruled a state violates substantive due process under the Fourteenth Amendment when it breaches a plea bargain agreement with a criminal defendant. In our case the State of Texas did just that: it changed state law to require Jack, Donnie and Jimmy to register for life, long after they accepted a plea bargain agreement in their criminal cases. The negotiated terms of their plea agreements, at the time of they were induced to waive their constitutional rights to a fair trial, either provided they would not be required to register at all, or that they would only be required to register until they completed their probation.
Today the U.S. District Court in our case ruled against us on two, and only two, issues. First, the Court correctly ruled contract principles generally apply to our constitutional breach of plea claim. However, to our surprise, the Court further ruled that a valid breach of contract claim, as well as our constitutional claim based on Santobello, requires an aggrieved person to prove the consequences of the breach resulted in a criminal “punishment” being imposed against him. Most of us are familiar that rule applies to Ex Post Facto claims. However, I am unaware of any case that recognizes such a principle in contract law, or any case that has interpreted Santobello in this way in the plea bargain context. Full Analysis and Decision: http://texasvoices.org/court-cases-hearn-v-castilleja-update/
Movie “Brian Banks” Now Streaming Free on iTunes, Redbox, and YouTube
June 6, 2020
[California Innocence Project - 6/5/20] “Brian Banks” Now Streaming Free on iTunes, Redbox, and YouTube. The feature film follows the true story of Banks’ trials and tribulations in the American criminal justice system San Diego, June 5, 2020 – On Friday, June 5, 2020, “Brian Banks” started streaming free on iTunes, Redbox, and YouTube, and is expected to be free on additional platforms in...https://californiainnocenceproject.org/read-their-stories/brian-banks/
FAMM and NACDL Present the Movie: The Vanishing Trial
June 6, 2020 –
[famm.org - 6/6/20] Imagine you’re charged with a crime. Now you must choose between pleading guilty and receiving a shorter sentence–or going to trial and risking decades behind bars. “The Vanishing Trial” focuses on four individuals who were forced to make that excruciating choice. Each was threatened with a “trial penalty,” the term used to describe the substantially longer prison sentence a person receives if...https://famm.org/vanishingtrial/
New Blogs Part 12 Updated July 08 2020
MI: Lawmakers debate changes to states sex offender registry law after court ruling
June 8, 2020
Michigan lawmakers are debating how to overhaul the state's sex offender registry after a federal appeals court ruled sections of the law are unconstitutional, but Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is contending the proposed fixes don't repair the law's flaws. Full Article: https://eu.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/08/michigan-sex-offender-registry-changes-considered/5196974002/
WILL SEX OFFENSE REGISTRY CHANGES BE PART OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM?
June 11, 2020
[medium.com/@zilneyl/ – 6/11/20]
The killing of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement has sparked outrage and mass protests across the nation. Calls for police reform have created yet another divide among the American public. As we move toward what will likely be significant changes to the criminal justice system, will individuals on the sex offense registry be included in those reforms?
Why So Many Laws?
Throughout history the level of outrage associated with various types of criminals has changed, yet the moral disgust directed at sex offenses and sex offenders has remained constant. We use terms like “sexual predator” and “monster” indiscriminately to refer to individuals who have committed crimes ranging from minor sexual offenses to violent sexual assaults that end in murder. We pass laws to control sexual offenders based on the most high-profile and serious cases, yet most offenders do not fit these categories.
While legal control over sexual behavior can be traced to the earliest of civilizations, the 1980s and 1990s is when sex offense legislation began its dramatic rise in the U.S. There was an increase in the number of child sexual abuse cases prosecuted by the courts and recounted in the media. The high-profile disappearance of Jacob Wetterling, the sexual assault and murder of Megan Kanka, the abduction and murder of Amber Hagerman, and the kidnapping and murder of Polly Klaas were all presumed to involve children brutally harmed or murdered by previously convicted sexual offenders. These events launched a new wave of stranger-danger panic and get-tough legislation which remains today, despite minimal, if any, impact on sex offense recidivism or community safety.
Read the full article: https://medium.com/@zilneyl/will-sex-offense-registry-changes-be-part-of-criminal-justice-reform-6c3c897c367a
If you’re interested in reading further articles I write, or articles written by others related to registry and other social justice issues, like my facebook author page:
FL: TAMPA BAY TIMES NIXES MUGSHOT GALLERY
June 16, 2020
[newsmax.com – 6/16/20]
The Tampa Bay Times will stop publishing its online mugshot gallery, which features people who have been arrested in the newspaper’s coverage area.
The Times made the announcement on Monday.
“The galleries lack context and further negative stereotypes,” said Tampa Bay Times Executive Editor Mark Katches. “We think the data is an important resource that our newsroom will continue to analyze and watch carefully, but the galleries alone serve little journalistic purpose.”
Katches added that the newspaper will still publish individual mugshots with stories when arrests have been made.
Read the full article: https://www.newsmax.com/us/mugshot-newspapers-arrest-tampa-bay-times/2020/06/15/id/972301/
PA: COMMONWEALTH V. TORSILIERI
June 23, 2020
Nature of Case: Mr. Torsilieri — the Appellee in this case — was convicted of a sex offense and, as such, was required to register as a sex offender under Pennsylvania’s sex offense registration scheme. He brought a post-conviction challenge alleging that, because Pennsylvania’s sex offense registration law essentially used an irrebutable presumption of dangerousness that if violated several constitutional provisions related to punishment as well as state constitutional provisions protecting reputation.
The trial court agreed, and and held that based on expert evidence adducing that re-offense rates were lower, the provisions that the Appellee challenged were unconstitutional. The Commonwealth sought review.
Holding: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated the trial court’s opinion on the constitutional question, but did not reverse their opinion. Rather, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court observed that the Commonwealth did not submit evidence that was contradictory to the Appellee’s evidence related to re-offense rates. The Court remanded the case back to the trial court for further fact-finding on the question of re-offense rates. More: https://mitchellhamline.edu/sex-offense-litigation-policy/2020/06/16/commonwealth-v-torsilieri-pa-2020/
ACSOL FILES LAWSUIT CHALLENGING CDCR EARLY RELEASE PLANS
June 23, 2020
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) filed a lawsuit today challenging the early release plans of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The agency plans to begin releasing from prison on July 1 anyone convicted of a non-violent offense who has a release date no later than December 31. The agency’s plans, however, exclude anyone required to register as a sex offender.
According to a press release issued by CDCR, prisoners will be released early in order to reduce the possibility of their infection by COVID-19. The threat of infection and death from COVID-19 is especially acute in prisons where social distancing, face coverings, hygiene and medical care are difficult to achieve and may be nonexistent.
“The categorical exclusion of all registrants from CDCR’s early release plans is irrational, arbitrary, an abuse of discretion, and serves merely to reflect CDCR’s apparent judgment that the lives of registrants are less important than those of other incarcerated persons,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.
According to today’s lawsuit, CDCR’s plans constitute an abuse of discretion and violate the equal protection clause of the California Constitution. The lawsuit requests that the court issue a writ of mandate directing Respondent to render persons required to register as a sex offender eligible for early release from incarceration on the same terms as other incarcerated persons.
Today’s lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and is the eighth COVID-19 legal challenge prepared by ACSOL. Of the remaining seven challenges, six were filed in state courts including the California Supreme Court and one was filed in federal district court.
TRO – Points & Authorities – June 2020: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/TRO-Points-Authorities-June-2020.pdf
FL: CYBERSTALKING INJUNCTION OBTAINED BY SEN. LAUREN BOOK OVERTURNED BY APPEALS COURT
June 25, 2020
[sun-sentinel.com – 6/24/20]
TALLAHASSEE — Citing First Amendment rights, an appeals court Wednesday overturned an injunction that state Sen. Lauren Book obtained because of alleged cyberstalking and harassment by an activist who opposes laws dealing with sex-offender registries.
The full 4th District Court of Appeal, in an 8-3 ruling, said a Broward County circuit judge improperly granted an injunction that, in part, was designed to prevent Derek Warren Logue from having contact with Book and from publishing any statement threatening her.
Book, who was sexually abused as a child by a nanny and is a prominent advocate for victims’ rights, pointed to actions by Logue at events in Tallahassee and New York and online posts in seeking the injunction. But the appeals-court majority, while describing Logue’s posts as “vulgar and insulting,” said Logue did not violate a state stalking law and that his actions were protected by the First Amendment.
“As tempting as it might be to force some civility into the matter by stanching respondent’s (Logue’s) speech against petitioner (Book) with a court order, to do so would ignore the protections of the First Amendment and the wording of the stalking statute,” said the 19-page majority opinion, written by Judge Mark Klingensmith. “There was no evidence presented to the trial court that respondent incited action by urging people to threaten harm to petitioner or her family. Claims of threatening speech or harassing action are actionable if the speaker threatens, harasses or intimidates, and intended targets would reasonably perceive that intent. Merely posting public information, or potentially embarrassing and annoying content, without more, is not conduct within the stalking statute and does not entitle petitioner to an injunction.”
Read the full article: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-nsf-lauren-book-injunction-overturned-20200624-rbb7tuxjizboleebxboepnz3by-story.html
If we spent half as much time trying to educate people about sex crimes, as we do condemning people like Nazi's for sex crimes; we could help save our justice system from it's inevitable downfall. Wouldn't it be ironic if our perverted justice system's fall would signal the final straw that broke the camel's back of our entire country?
This should be a required course.
CRITICAL TEACHING IN A SEX CRIMES COURSE
July 5, 2020
[medium.com/@zilneyl/ – 7/5/20]
It is often said that the media doesn’t tell us what to think; the media tells us what to think about. The media frames our understanding of public issues and informs us which public issues should be at the forefront of our minds.
For 8 years I have taught a college course entitled Sex Crimes. The course uses history and theory to critically examine sex crime laws and sexual offending behavior. In the course, I aim to provide an in-depth examination of the causes and responses to sexual offending and engage students with a non-stereotypical view of offenders as well as an understanding of the many legal controls with which individuals must comply.
Each semester teaching this course, I struggle with the extreme views that students have of individuals who commit a sexual offense: the individual is a pervert, a monster, a stranger waiting to kidnap and rape a child. Students remark that individuals who commit a sex offense are sick and cannot be cured, deserve to be castrated or executed, and should be locked away forever.
What students don’t realize at the start of the semester is that a sex offender in the eyes of the law can be someone who urinated in public in a school zone, a 21-year-old who had sexual relations with his 15-year-old girlfriend whom he later married, an individual caught viewing online child pornography, an individual conversing in a chat room with someone who they think is a minor but is actually a cop, or an individual that kidnapped and raped a child (to name only a few). These are extremely varied acts in their impact, but they all fall under the umbrella term sex offender.
As the American criminal justice system continues to strengthen laws against individuals who have committed a sexual offense, it is important to understand how attitudes toward controversial criminological topics can be altered based on scientific understanding rather than a media frenzy.
So, what do I convey to students to help them understand the nuances of sexual offending in America?
It Starts with Language
Society refers to those who have committed a sex offense as a sexual offender as if that person is always an offender. If you played sports in college, are you considered an athlete still at 50? If you stole a candy bar from a convenience store as a child, do you remain a thief forever? If you cheated on one of your partners, are you an adulterer for life?
Read the full article: https://medium.com/@zilneyl/critical-teaching-in-a-sex-crimes-course-efc8b64a4155
9TH CIRCUIT INVALIDATES EMPLOYMENT PAROLE CONDITION
July 6, 2020
[ACSOL]
9th Circuit Invalidates Employment Parole Condition
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently invalidated a condition of parole which restricted a registrant from “engaging in any occupation, business, volunteer activity or profession” that had “the potential to be alone with children.” In its ruling, the Court agreed with the registrant that the parole condition at issue was overbroad.
The Court noted in its decision that the condition “would leave only professions in industries that rigidly prohibit the presence of minors, such as a bar, casino, or adult-entertainment venue. The Court also noted that there was nothing in the record to suggest that the registrant “had an ongoing propensity to harm children, particularly random children he might ‘potentially’ encounter on the job.” The registrant in this case was convicted in Arizona of assaulting a child under the age of 16.
This decision, issued on June 8, has been designated as “not appropriate for publication.” The decision was issued without oral argument due to a unanimous decision by the panel of judges involved in the case.
Download the decision:
U S v Tullie – Parole Conditions – 9th Cir – 2020: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/U-S-v-Tullie-Parole-Conditions-9th-Cir-2020.pdf
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 01 2020
From my blog: Constitutional Rights Blog Updated July 19 2020
The most I ironic thing about COVID-19 is; when you get it, it is like having to wear the scarlet letter. You become marked as someone to avoid at all cost's; by closed minded people. Trust me the amount of closed minded people in our society is astounding and daunting. Even though being closed minded is actually a mental disorder; the huge population of them is always there. Closed minded people will avoid you like the plague if you get this deadly virus. Aids was exactly like this when it first started. Getting the coronavirus is like getting aids in the early 1980's. The bottom line is there will always be uneducated people that think if you got the corona virus in 2020; you could be contagious, forever. However unfair it is to be ostracized like this by narrow minded people, that are completely oblivious to the actual COVID-19 virus; it is still going to be a fact of life for those that are labeled with COVID-19. Young people should think of this before they take part in high risk behavior. Another thing young people should think about is; this virus is so new that no one knows what it is truly capable of beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Never forget that I warned that sex offender registration would be the end of our country; since I ever posted anything about RSO's. The first website I had with this was the Joe Dork website around 1999. I think it is when we truly crossed the line of what this country was founded on and against with the sex offender laws and it does not let up at all. As far as I can see it is worse now than it ever was for anyone that breaks a sex law.
This what I mean about the irony of it all. I do not wish this Covid on anyone ever and pray against everyday with my wife, but I do not wish anyone to face a court in this country for a sex crime either. I mentioned the scarlet letter in the website Joe Dork. read it here:
http://sexoffenderfaq.blogspot.com/p/stand-with-survivors-of-sexual-assault.html I mention it 8 times on that page. Here is a copy and paste from that page:
The story of The Scarlet Letter is a good example of how it must feel like to have your personal information posted on the internet for a crime you may not even be guilty of or a crime you committed so long ago even you can barely remember. Yet the internet displays it as if it is a current event; causing false judgments to be railed against you a new, every day. Like a scarlet letter you wear on your clothing and can not take off.
The Scarlet Letter is an 1850 romantic work of fiction in a historical setting, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It is considered to be his magnum opus.[1] Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an adulterous affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.
In June 1642, in the Puritan town of Boston, a crowd gathers to witness an official punishment. A young woman, Hester Prynne, has been found guilty of adultery and must wear a scarlet A on her dress as a sign of shame. Furthermore, she must stand on the scaffold for three hours, exposed to public humiliation. As Hester approaches the scaffold, many of the women in the crowd are angered by her beauty and quiet dignity. When demanded and cajoled to name the father of her child, Hester refuses.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated August 8 2020
CA Governor Extends Encouragement to Stop In-Person Registration
July 8, 2020
[ACSOL] California Governor Gavin Newsom has extended the provisions of an Executive Order that encourages local law enforcement organizations to forego in-person registration. The original Order, issued on May 8, included a waiver from obtaining individuals' fingerprints and photographs for a period of 60 days. The Governor's revised Order was issued quietly on June 30 without a press release. According to the revised Order,...
PA: SUPREME COURT RULES 2ND GENERATION REGISTRATION NON-PUNITIVE
July 27, 2020
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Opinion holding that Pennsylvania’s second-generation sex offense registration statute is non-punitive and thus ex post facto challenges against it fail.
WI: A CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT CHALLENGING MUSKEGO’S RULES THAT RESTRICT WHERE HE CAN LIVE
July 29, 2020
[amp.jsonline.com – 7/28/20]
A convicted sex offender has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Muskego’s rules that restrict where he can live, or whether he can live in the city at all.
In the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee, Ronald E. Schroeder said the city’s ordinances violates his constitutional rights by preventing his move from Waukesha to Muskego, where he has been invited to live at the home of a woman who is a longtime friend.
Schroeder, 50, is residing in Waukesha on a temporary living plan after his release from prison in March. He was convicted in 2008 of two counts of second-degree sexual assault of an unconscious person.
Read the full article: https://amp.jsonline.com/amp/5504382002
NJ: DEM CONGRESSMAN ONCE LOBBIED AGAINST CHILD SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY BILL
August 7, 2020
[dailycaller.com – 8/6/20]
A Democratic congressman once fought against legislation that strengthened and improved the national child sex offender registry before taking office.
Tom Malinowski, before becoming a Democratic congressman from New Jersey, lobbied against a 2006 bill that imposed tougher penalties on sex offenders, a review of congressional records and lobbying disclosures by The Washington Free Beacon found. He said that expanding sex offender registry requirements would put sex offenders “at risk of retaliation and discrimination.”
Malinowski was a top lobbyist for Human Rights Watch in 2006 and joined in sending a letter to Congress arguing that there was “no legitimate community safety justification” for strengthening the registry, the Beacon reported.
Human Rights Watch is an organization focused on investigating and reporting abuses “happening in all corners of the world,” according to its website.
“Registration requirements put these individuals at risk of retaliation and discrimination and make it extremely difficult for these individuals to find employment, housing, and to rebuild their lives,” the letter said.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated September 7 2020
TN: WIN IN TENNESSEE – DISTRICT COURT DENIES STATE’S MOTION TO DISMISS AND GRANTS INJUNCTION ON EX POST FACTO GROUNDS
August 11, 2020
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 8/10/20]
A Tennessee Federal District Court last week denied the State’s Motion to Dismiss and ordered an injunction preventing them from enforcing the sex offender registry against an individual whose offense pre-dated the enactment of the ordinance.
The best part of this case was that the court based its opinion on Ex Post Facto grounds!
Read the full article: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/tn-win-in-tennessee-district-court-denies-states-motion-to-dismiss-and-grants-injunction-on-ex-post-facto-grounds/
Link to PDF of the decision [eagle.com] https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20200806d55
ACSOL CHALLENGES IRVINE’S PRESENCE RESTRICTIONS IN CA
August 24, 2020
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) today filed a lawsuit challenging presence restrictions in the City of Irvine which were declared to be preempted by state law six years ago. Today’s lawsuit was filed after repeated requests by ACSOL to repeal the unlawful restrictions including a letter sent to the city dated February 13, 2020.
“The City of Irvine has acted unlawfully for the past six years by continuing to require some registrants to obtain prior written approval before entering a public park,” stated ACSOL President Chance Oberstein. “This is particularly egregious because an appellate court has already ruled that the city’s restrictions are preempted by state law.”
In its decision, the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, upheld the right of a registrant to use the city’s tennis courts without first obtaining written permission from the city’s police chief to do so. In its ruling, the court noted that state law “regulate[s] numerous aspects of a sex offender’s life,” including “the places a sex offender may visit,” “the people with whom he or she may interact,” “where and with whom a sex offender may reside,” the duty to inform law enforcement of numerous facts, “law enforcement’s ability to track a sex offender,” “what sorts of jobs or volunteer positions a sex offender may accept,” and “the public and private places a sex offender may visit.”
The Court further noted that, “although the Penal Code does not include a provision identical to the restrictions Irvine section 4-14-803 imposed on all sex offenders entering a public park where children regularly gather, it does include several sections prohibiting or limiting a sex offender’s ability to visit many public and private places where children regularly gather.” In light of the scope and number of the state laws governing Registrants, the Court ruled that the state’s “comprehensive and standardized scheme for regulating sex offenders” established a “complete system for regulating a sex offender’s daily life [that] manifested a legislative intent to fully occupy the field to the exclusion of Irvine section 4-14-803 and other local regulations.”
In the past, ACSOL filed a total of 32 lawsuits challenging presence restrictions in California cities and counties. As the result of those lawsuits, a total of 79 cities and counties repealed their presence restrictions.
“The only known remaining presence restrictions for registrants not on parole or probation in the state of California are those adopted by the City of Irvine,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “It is clear that Irvine’s restrictions are unlawful and therefore ACSOL challenged them today.”
Download PDF of People v. Nguyen_ 222 Cal. App. 4th 1168: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/People-v.-Nguyen_-222-Cal.-App.-4th-1168.pdf
New Blogs Part 12 Updated October 8 2020
Sexual assault charity Act Fast receives funding
Acts Fast, which works with the non-abusive parents or carers of children who have made a disclosure of sexual abuse, was able to continue operating during the pandemic thanks to funding accessed through the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner.
Posted: Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 at 2:15 pm
If you hate so called social media as much as I do you will like this article.:
Digital space is serving as the scene of sex crime. We need to frame a response
The dissemination of nude photos and videos of a victim engaging in a sexual act deserves to be defined as a continued sexual violation for what is once put in the digital space can rarely be wholly retracted.
Updated: October 8, 2020 8:43:50 am
Given that the digital space is increasingly serving as the scene of unprecedented sex crimes, there is a dire need for an impactful solution.
With only three days to go for the wedding, the bride-to-be received a call from her fiancé. Nothing could have prepared her for what he had to say. Hundreds of links had suddenly appeared on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook flashing extremely obscene pictures of the woman. Thus began a terrible nightmare for the hapless woman, her sole solace, the extraordinary strength of character and commitment of the groom-to-be.
A losing battle against this flood of obscenity began immediately. The photos and videos had been mass downloaded and were being shared by hundreds of accounts solely in the business of supplying pornographic content on social media websites. Paid folders promised “a good time” — from Rs 30 for five photos to Rs 200 for seven photos and two videos. Associates of the accused began contacting the victim for sexual favours and to extort money to “delete” the pictures in their possession. The victim plunged into a dark depression. Emotionally drained from a lonely fight of four months, the couple finally approached the police.
It was a classic case of revenge porn — an invasion of sexual privacy and a form of online harassment where the perpetrator, usually a disgruntled ex-partner, posts intimate photos, often to shame the subject. The consequences for victims can be extreme, encompassing honour killings, breakdown of relationships, destruction of reputation and career, and immense emotional trauma. Two high profile suicides last year involving Korean pop star, Goo Hara, and a student at the University of London, Damilya Jossipalenya, both victims of revenge porn, are cases in point.
While the police may succeed in collecting evidence and prosecuting the perpetrators of such crimes, it can do little to clean up the mess left behind on the internet, the root cause of the victim’s suffering. Reporting of such non-consensual content by victims to the concerned social media platforms is often of no avail. The scale of the problem can be gauged from the half-a-million reports of revenge porn received per month by Facebook alone. All social media companies operate Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) portals where police authorities make requests for IP addresses of errant accounts and the removal of obscene content. However, often the portals are a mere formality, with the requests from investigative agencies remaining unacknowledged and unaddressed. While Facebook has in place a reasonably responsive legal support system, Twitter, Instagram and Whatsapp are virtually bereft of one. This is a frustrating stonewalling of the police and thousands of desperate victims. A country which offers one of the largest subscriber bases in the world deserves better legal support.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated October 17 2020
Former security guard sues sex ‘predator hunters’ for defamation in Randolph County
OCTOBER 16, 2020 07:30 AM,
A metro-east group that posts photos, videos and other information on social media to expose and shame suspected pedophiles is being sued for defamation by a Randolph County man.
In his complaint, Collins maintains that Swanson posted a Facebook conversation between Collins and someone identified as “Jordan Lane” in June on the KTS Facebook page and falsely called it a “sex trafficking situation,” insinuated that Collins was “grooming” a 14-year-old girl and referred to Collins as “very creepy.”
“Defendants maliciously and intentionally caused the publication of the false statements to a Facebook page with thousands of followers for the purpose of harming the Plaintiff’s good reputation,” the complaint states.
KTS announced the lawsuit Wednesday on the Facebook page of its non-profit organization, KTS: Stop Sexual Assault. The group is asking its more than 47,000 followers to donate money for legal fees.
“Wondering why we haven’t been doing live meet ups lately?” the post asked, using the term “meet ups” to describe videotaped confrontations with suspected pedophiles that are sometimes streamed live on Facebook or YouTube.
Then KTS members show up at the locations, confront suspects, videotape confrontations and post videos on Facebook or YouTube. The idea is to shame and perhaps scare the adult men into stopping their activities, as KTS has no legal authority to arrest them.
As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 150 followers had offered support on the KTS: Stop Sexual Assault Facebook page in response to news of the Randolph County lawsuit. Some suggested legal strategies or reported that they had donated money. Others called for protests at Swanson’s court appearances.
Read more here: https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article246480085.html
New Blogs Part 12 Updated October 21 2020
Bill Cosby may be smiling but I am crying for him inside and all them that have tormented this harmless old man. As a child I was a big fan of Bill Cosby. I remember one of my relatives had Bill Cosby on record album and it was a treasured event for me to here it and laugh so hard. This is a example of how I have been saying for many years that God will and maybe is punishing our country for it's unconstitutional, Nazi like behavior, towards our fellow human beings; some who are shinning stars like Bill Cosby. Out of what; ignorance? I am not trying to justify Bill's awful behavior. All I am saying is he could have gotten better in a couple years of counselling rather than a death sentence in prison. If he survives all this; it will surly shorten what little time he has left.
Bill Cosby, 83, is seen SMILING in latest mugshot with facemask around his neck Cosby, 83, has been imprisoned at the State Correctional Institution in Phoenix, PA since September 2018, after a jury found him guilty of a 2004 sexual assault The disgraced comic was photographed inside the state prison for the first time in nearly two years on September 4 The image shows a disheveled looking Cosby grinning towards the ground, with a white face mask hanging around his neck The prison periodically takes new photos of inmates because their appearance can change and Cosby was due for a new image Cosby looks remarkably different to the forlorn-looking figure who was pictured upon entry to the facility just over two years ago The elated expression he showcased in his new mugshot may be due to the fact he’s up for parole soon, having served two years of a three-to-10-year sentence
Read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8859901/PICTURED-Bill-Cosby-83-shown-grinning-unnerving-new-mugshot-facemask-neck.html
New Blogs Part 12 Updated October 28 2020
Antigay politician admits to secretly prescribing opioids for lover. She’s also his second cousin.
The doctor and author of Tennessee's "Don't Say Gay bill" was handing out prescriptions to family members. One of them was also his lover - and his nurse.
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Tennessee GOP state representative Joey Hensley
New Blogs Part 12 Updated November 13 2020
OREGON VOICES SUBMITS FORMAL RESPONSE TO PROPOSED SORNA REGULATIONS
October 7, 2020
Oregon Voices, an organization devoted to support and advocacy for individuals and families affected by the sex offender registry, submitted yesterday its formal response to the proposed SORNA regulations issued by the federal government last month. Below is an excerpt from that response and a link is provided after the article to the organization’s full response.
“We commend Oregon Voices for formally responding to the proposed SORNA regulations,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “ACSOL and its allies will submit its response next week prior to or on the October 13 deadline.”
We wish to comment on the proposed rule changes regarding SORNA. The expansions they describe are not warranted by the evidence, and they will cause chaos in the majority of states who have not fully implemented SORNA.
There are well founded reasons that SORNA has been avoided by the majority of jurisdictions. Thirty-one (31) out of 50 states have made the conscious decision to avoid the pitfalls that come with SORNA. Included among these is that the provisions of SORNA are overbroad, expensive to implement and maintain, and fail to achieve desired safety objectives. Furthermore, there are aspects of SORNA that raise a variety of Constitutional questions, which are by no means settled.
The rule-making states that it “is not innovative in terms of policy.” However, statements throughout the document appear to contain novel ideas that appear to have a potentially great impact on the sovereignty of the various states. We ask for clarification and revision of statements reiterated throughout the document—specifically in relationship to the following claims:
The requirements of SORNA apply to all sex offenders. All sex offenders must comply with all requirements of that Act, regardless of when the conviction of the offense for which registration is required occurred (including if the conviction occurred before the enactment of that Act), regardless of whether a jurisdiction in which registration is required has substantially implemented that Act’s requirements or has implemented any particular requirement of that Act, and regardless of whether any particular requirement or class of sex offenders is mentioned in examples in this regulation or in other regulations or guidelines issued by the Attorney General.
This rulemaking should be reconsidered and revised in several parts:
1. We request revision and clarification of statements that imply that persons convicted of sexual offenses must register within their respective states as SORNA requires, even when the state has made the decision to avoid substantial SORNA compliance in favor of evidence-based registration and monitoring systems.
2. The policies and laws of the states of the United States should be respected. Therefore, persons previously convicted of sexual offenses should be excluded from SORNA compliance, both interstate and intrastate, when the jurisdiction in which that person resides is found to be under any of the following conditions:
a) where state courts have ruled that SORNA cannot be applied to pre-enactment offenders such as for reasons of prohibition on retroactive punishment or due process violation; or
b) where the offense is not registerable under that state’s laws; or
c) when a term of registration has been completed under state law; or
d) when the person previously registered has been relieved of the duty to register under state law.
3. There should be no influence exercised over or enforcement of intrastate registration when the jurisdiction has made the decision not to comply or participate in SORNA as iterated in 34 U.S.C. 20911(2)-(4), 20913, 20914(a)(1)-(7), 20915, 20918.
In each of these cases, the sovereignty of the individual states to conduct their own justice system is of paramount importance. Ample law exists in each of the 50 states and territories to require re-registration under the laws and procedures of the state when traveling into that state even if the individual registrant is not required to register in the state of conviction.
In most cases where registrants have been released from the registry due to retroactive punishment issues, the person committed the offense long ago and has not committed any subsequent offense (committing a new offense would pull that person back into the current registry scheme). Re-capturing individuals with ages-old convictions into 25-year or lifetime SORNA registration serves no public safety purpose.
There is no evidence to support any claim that SORNA is a superior system to what is used by states. In fact, there is a much greater body of evidence to show that SORNA is a detriment to successful reintegration through its destabilizing impacts.
Particularly in cases where individuals have been deemed by their jurisdiction to be of insignificant risk, or had long ago convictions, a new focus on pulling them into the SORNA scheme serves no public safety purpose, creates confusing double-standards, and places law-abiding persons at serious risk of prosecution while conducting innocuous activities such as traveling on business or vacation.
Indeed, pulling individuals back into an invasive and arduous sex offender registration scheme creates the real risk of destabilizing individuals who have developed prosocial lifestyles that have a correlation to reduction in recidivism (Hanson, 2018, p.58).
The rulemaking repeatedly indicates a premise that individuals deemed by the Federal Government to be subject to SORNA must comply regardless of whether the jurisdiction in which he/she resides has chosen to become compliant or is otherwise released from duty to register. Thus, the implication is that individuals who cannot register in their respective states are subject to arrest by the federal government but may have an affirmative defense under 18 U.S.C. 2250, subsection (c) of section 2250 that they were unable to register. Such a standard of exposing an individual to prosecution is inherently unfair and destructive to persons who will face prosecution for innocent activities and later need to prove their innocence. By the time this can be done, damage to an individual’s life, reputation and stability has already been done.
The vast majority of states have opted not to implement substantial compliance with SORNA for logical reasons. The heavily burdensome requirements of SORNA are tied to the crime of conviction, and there is no evidence whatsoever that this approach has resulted in any increase in public safety.
Download a PDF of Oregon Voices’ response to William Barr: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Oregon-Voices-Response-Docket-No-OAG-157-1.pdf
CA SUPREME COURT CONSIDERS PROP. 57 CASE
October 7, 2020
[ACSOL]
The California Supreme Court today listened to oral arguments in the first in a series of cases regarding the implementation of Proposition 57 by the California Department of Corrections (CDC). At issue in all of those cases is whether CDC’s regulations could lawfully exclude anyone convicted of a sex offense from its major benefit, that is, early parole consideration. Read more: https://all4consolaws.org/2020/10/ca-supreme-court-considers-prop-57-case/
PUBLISHING REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS’ HOME ADDRESSES BEFORE HALLOWEEN IS GRATUITOUS, UNETHICAL, AND RECKLESS
October 10, 2020
[reason.com – 10/10/20]
Every year in the run-up to Halloween, Patch publishes maps showing the homes of “registered sex offenders” in various cities. Ostensibly, this information is aimed at helping parents who worry that their children might be molested while trick-or-treating. But research shows that such fears have no basis in reality, and these stories—like the warning signs and restrictions imposed by local police prior to Halloween—mainly serve to stigmatize people who have already completed their sentences, along with their spouses and children, who have committed no crimes at all. That stigma invites harassment, vandalism, and violence. Like much local journalism, the practice of publishing these maps is ill-informed sensationalism masquerading as a public service.
This fall a petition organized by the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) is urging Patch and other outlets to cut it out. Noting the “total lack of evidence that the publication of these addresses at Halloween keeps children safe,” the petition asks news organizations to “cease a hurtful publication practice that has no positive effect at all on child protection or public safety.”
The irrationality of that practice is clear once you understand a few basic facts:
1. Sex offender registries include a wide range of people, many of whom were not convicted of crimes against children.
2. Sex offenders stay on the registry long after they have completed their official punishment, even though they are less likely to commit new offenses of the same type than people convicted of other crimes. According to a 2019 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), less than 8 percent of people who had served sentences for rape or sexual assault were rearrested for a similar crime within nine years after they were released. That report also shows that the annual risk of recidivism falls dramatically over time.
3. The vast majority of sexually abused minors—93 percent, according to a 2000 BJS report—are assaulted by relatives, family friends, or other people they already know.
Read the full article: https://reason.com/2020/10/01/publishing-registered-sex-offenders-home-addresses-for-halloween-is-gratuitous-unethical-and-reckless/
LA: COURT STRIKES LOUISIANA’S ‘SEX OFFENDER’ ID REQUIREMENT
October 20, 2020
[startribune.com – 10/20/20]
NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana’s requirement that people convicted of certain sex crimes carry a state-issued ID card with the words “SEX OFFENDER” printed on it in orange capital letters is unconstitutional, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The 6-1 ruling upholds a decision by a state judge in Lafayette who last year threw out a charge filed against a man who altered his card to remove the label.
State attorneys had argued that the state had a legitimate interest in having the information on the ID card: to let law enforcement officers know the cardholder’s criminal history.
But Justice James Genovese, writing for the majority, said there are less restrictive ways to inform law enforcement than requiring someone to show the branded card every time they are required to produce a government ID.
Read the full article: https://m.startribune.com/court-strikes-louisiana-s-sex-offender-id-requirement/572809892/?clmob=y&c=n
PA: APPELLATE COURT FINDS REGISTRATION VIOLATES RIGHT TO REPUTATION UNDER PENNSYLVANIA CONSTITUTION IN AS APPLIED CASE
October 24, 2020
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 10/23/20]
Before you get too excited, this is an as-applied case, meaning the decision only benefits the person challenging and not everyone on the Pennsylvania registry, but it’s a win nonetheless, and a win on a novel argument, so it’s good news.
A Pennsylvania intermediate court found that SORNA violates an individual’s right to reputation under Article I, Section 1 of the Pennsylvania Constitution by creating an irrebuttable presumption that she poses a high risk of committing additional sexual offenses. The law says, “[s]exual offenders pose a high risk of committing additional sexual offenses and protection of the public from this type of offender is a paramount governmental interest.”, but the Court found that when it came down to the circumstances of this case, it was unjust to consider the defendant as “posing a high risk of committing additional sexual offenses” when she hadn’t actually committed a sexual offense in the first place.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 5 2020
Lawmaker who said LGBTQ people “molest children” caught with half-naked man during Zoom meeting
At first he said it was his son, then it was a journalist who "can easily change his appearance." Now he says he's being haunted.
Friday, December 4, 2020
A conservative lawmaker with a history of extremely cruel anti-LGBTQ statements was caught with a half-naked, much younger man in his home during an official Zoom conference and now he’s scrambling to explain what the mysterious man was doing in his home.
A 2007 article by PinkNews said that Gražulis responded to a survey about LGBTQ rights by writing: “I support the position of the [Catholic] Church, there is no doubt about it. These people are indeed sick and perverted. They pose a threat to society because they molest children.”
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 10 2020
PA: APPELLATE COURT FINDS REGISTRATION VIOLATES RIGHT TO REPUTATION UNDER PENNSYLVANIA CONSTITUTION IN AS APPLIED CASE
October 24, 2020
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 10/23/20]
Before you get too excited, this is an as-applied case, meaning the decision only benefits the person challenging and not everyone on the Pennsylvania registry, but it’s a win nonetheless, and a win on a novel argument, so it’s good news.
A Pennsylvania intermediate court found that SORNA violates an individual’s right to reputation under Article I, Section 1 of the Pennsylvania Constitution by creating an irrebuttable presumption that she poses a high risk of committing additional sexual offenses. The law says, “[s]exual offenders pose a high risk of committing additional sexual offenses and protection of the public from this type of offender is a paramount governmental interest.”, but the Court found that when it came down to the circumstances of this case, it was unjust to consider the defendant as “posing a high risk of committing additional sexual offenses” when she hadn’t actually committed a sexual offense in the first place.
Read the full article: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/pa-appellate-court-finds-registration-violates-right-to-reputation-under-pennsylvania-constitution-in-as-applied-case/
OK: SEX-OFFENSE REGISTRY SWEEPS INTENDED TO BOOST SUPPORT FOR COPS UNWITTINGLY SPREAD COVID-19
November 3, 2020
[shadowproof.com – 11/2/20]
The Oklahoma City Police Department pulled off a social media coup on July 7. “Meet the top 10 most wanted individuals being sought by our Sex Offender Registration Unit,” the department posted on its Facebook page. “It’s important we keep tabs on these guys (and gal), so help us find them.” The post engaged a huge number of readers, receiving 1,500 shares and nearly 500 comments.
Told dangerous people were loose on city streets, readers responded. “[She] works at [a local store] I’m fucking sick!” posted one. Shadowproof is withholding this individual’s name and place of work to protect them from retaliation.
Others had their own solutions: “If I spot any I’ll send you the parts.” “Should just chalk these guys up as losses. Let the people deal some justice.” “Take them out back and shoot them.”
The department hasn’t clearly explained how it chose its top 10. At least six were convicted of a sexual crime that happened 10 or more years ago and haven’t been convicted of a new one, according to state information. Their names are published in the state’s sex-offense registry, alongside their photos, personal and workplace addresses, and other information.
No one on the “top 10 most wanted” list was accused of a repeat sexual crime, it appears.
…
The logic behind these operations is simple: registrants who don’t update their information pose an imminent threat. But there’s no evidence to support that logic, and law enforcement may have other purposes in mind.
…
Filling jails and prisons with people for failing to do paperwork seems like a particularly bad move as more than 242,000 people behind bars have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 1,400 inmates and corrections officers have died, according to the New York Times.
Read the full article: https://shadowproof.com/2020/11/02/sex-offense-registry-sweeps-intended-to-boost-support-for-cops-unwittingly-spread-covid-19/
CA: ACSOL LAWSUIT ALLEGES IRVINE SEX OFFENDER RULE CONFLICTS WITH STATE LAW
November 7, 2020 ·14 Comments
[ocregister.com – 11/6/20]
An Irvine resident who is on the state’s sex offender registry is challenging a city rule that prevents him from taking his own child to a public park, according to a lawsuit he filed and an attorney representing him.
Irvine’s municipal code requires people on the registry who were convicted of an offense involving a minor to get written permission from the police chief to enter any city park or recreation facility; violation of the rule is a misdemeanor that could carry a fine or jail time.
In a lawsuit filed in August, two plaintiffs – the Irvine resident, listed only as John Doe, and the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws – allege that the city’s parks rule is preempted by a 2014 state appeals court ruling.
The appeals court found that state laws already govern sex offenders’ daily lives, including where they can live and how they are monitored, and those state laws supersede local rules. One of two cases addressed by the 2014 ruling involved a man who was arrested when he went to an Irvine park to play tennis.
On Friday, Irvine City Attorney Jeff Melching declined to comment because of the current litigation.
According to the suit, John Doe’s son “has a medical condition that requires constant parental supervision, particularly during recreational activity,” but Doe has avoided Irvine parks because of the city’s rule.
“He’s a taxpayer, so why shouldn’t he be able to use the parks for which he is paying, in part, from his taxes,” said attorney Janice Bellucci, the alliance’s executive director.
She added that Irvine’s rule doesn’t set up any process for getting the police chief’s permission to visit a park.
Read the full article: https://www.ocregister.com/2020/11/06/lawsuit-alleges-irvine-sex-offender-rule-conflicts-with-state-law/
FL: DISNEY WORLD VACATION LEADS TO FIGHT OVER FLORIDA SEX OFFENDER LAW
November 11, 2020
[wjno.iheart.com – 11/10/20]
TALLAHASSEE — A Pennsylvania man has filed a challenge to a Florida law that has kept him on a sexual-offender registry after a 10-day family vacation to Disney World in 2015.
The man, identified in court documents as John Doe, reported to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office when he came to Florida because he was on a Pennsylvania registry at the time as a result of a child-pornography conviction in 2002. Doe was removed from the Pennsylvania registry in 2016 but has remained registered as a sex offender in Florida, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Leon County circuit court.
The lawsuit, which names Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen as a defendant, contends that the Florida law violates his constitutional privacy and due-process rights. In part, he pointed to information that FDLE posts online about registered sex offenders.
“Mr. Doe does not live here, has no family here, does no business here and would never again vacation with his family here,” the lawsuit said. “Although registrants who reside in Florida are required to update law enforcement when they change residences, cars, appearance, email addresses, cell phone numbers and internet identifiers, registrants residing elsewhere are not. If he changes his appearance and address, no one here would know. Therefore, keeping Mr. Doe on the registry does nothing to solve sex crimes against Floridians or to help them protect themselves from being victimized by sex crimes. The state therefore has no conceivable interest in continuing to publish his identity, physical description, address or crime details on its website. Alternatively, any interest the state has in continuing to publish increasingly stale information about Mr. Doe does not suffice to subject him to the above-described impacts.”
Read the full article: https://wjno.iheart.com/featured/florida-news/content/2020-11-10-disney-world-vacation-leads-to-fight-over-florida-sex-offender-law/
SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION DOESN’T HELP VICTIMS, HURTS YOUNG OFFENDERS
November 16, 2020
Jason was 14 years old when he met his first girlfriend, a 13-year-old neighbor of the foster family with whom he lived. After a few months of dating, his girlfriend’s mother walked in on the teenagers engaging in consensual oral sex and called the police. Jason was arrested and charged with child molestation. He was adjudicated delinquent in juvenile court and placed on the California Sex Offender Registry. Before he was old enough to drive, Jason was branded a sex offender on a public, searchable website. Full Opinion Piece: https://jjie.org/2020/11/16/sex-offender-registration-doesnt-help-victims-hurts-young-offenders/
AR: COP KILLS DOG DURING SEX OFFENDER COMPLIANCE CHECK AT WRONG HOME
November 17, 2020
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 11/17/20]
Officer James Freeman of Greenbrier, Arkansas was doing a sex offender compliance check on private property when the homeowner’s dog barked at him. So Freeman shot the dog.
Read the full article and watch the video: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/cop-kills-dog-during-sex-offender-compliance-check-at-wrong-home/
KY: A THIRD LOUISVILLE POLICE OFFICER HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR IN EXPLORER PROGRAM
November 17, 2020
[wdrb.com – 11/16/20]
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A third Louisville Metro Police officer has pleaded guilty to sexual abusing a minor while serving as a mentor in the department’s youth Explorer program.
Former Officer Brad ____ faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court on Monday to a misdemeanor charge of sexual abuse.
____ , who resigned from the department earlier this month, will be sentenced March 10, and prosecutors indicated they would recommend six months incarceration. The judge will ultimately decide the sentence.
____ , 31, will remain free on bond, and he is not allowed to have any firearms. After serving his sentence, ____ will have to register as a sex offender and will be on supervised probation for a year.
The former officer was indicted Nov. 3 by a federal grand jury and was only supposed to be arraigned Monday but decided to instead go forward with the guilty plea.
____ said little in court but admitted he “subjected” a juvenile female in the Explorer program to “sexual contact” at her home and other places in 2010.
____ , who had himself been a participant in the now-defunct Explorer Program in 2009, joined LMPD in January 2010.
The victim listened to the hearing remotely but did not comment.
Read more about this proof of the Stranger Danger lie: https://www.wdrb.com/in-depth/a-third-louisville-police-officer-has-pleaded-guilty-to-sexual-abuse-of-a-minor-in/article_aa1a7f7c-2852-11eb-ab24-0f0b58b9a1e1.html
CANADA: SEX-OFFENDER PROVISION UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN NOT CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE CASES: COURT
November 20, 2020
[ca.news.yahoo.com – 11/20/20]
OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has affirmed that Ontario’s sex-offender registry regime violates the constitutional rights of people found not criminally responsible for their actions by reason of mental disorder.
The decision came Friday in the case of an Ontario man who was found not criminally responsible in June 2002 for sexually assaulting his then-wife, and other charges, due to a manic episode.
Read the full article: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/sex-offender-provision-unconstitutional-not-151504989.html
SEX OFFENDER REGISTRIES IN EUROPE AND AROUND THE WORLD
November 28, 2020
[ccresourcecenter.org – 11/24/20]
We are pleased to publish new research by Stephen Schulhofer about the treatment of sex offense registration in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the EU. The research, presented here with an introduction by Alessandro Corda, comes from material prepared for inclusion in an upcoming draft of the Model Penal Code: Sexual Assault and Related Offenses (full citation and disclaimer below).
Introduction: An Important Look at Foreign Policy and Practices Regarding Sex-Offense Collateral Consequences
By Alessandro Corda, Lecturer in Law, Queen’s University Belfast School of Law
The American Law Institute’s ongoing project aimed at reforming the Model Penal Code provisions on sexual assault and related offenses includes within its reach not only substantive criminal law provisions, but also collateral consequences applicable specifically to persons convicted of a sexual offense, in particular sex offense registries.
Sex offense registration and notification laws are a quintessential example of a collateral consequence of conviction that flourished during the so-called “tough-on-crime era.” The first sex offense registries in the United States were enacted in the late 1940s as a way “to inform the police of the whereabouts of habitual sex offenders.” The idea soon lost favor to so-called sexual psychopath laws. By the 1970s, however, such laws had likewise lost approval, “either being repealed or widely ignored as ineffective and unjust policies” (Hoppe, 2016, p. 577; see also Rice Leave, 2009). Everything changed in the 1990s, following high profile cases of abduction and sexual torture of children in the context of a climate of raising punitiveness.
Read the full article: https://ccresourcecenter.org/2020/11/24/sex-offense-registries-in-europe-and-around-the-world/
ME: MAINE SUPREME COURT: SORNA RULED EX POST FACTO PUNISHMENT FOR DEFENDANT
December 2, 2020
[criminallegalnews.org – 11/15/20]
In a decision issued August. 13, 2020, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court held that the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act of 1999 (“SORNA of 1999”) was unconstitutionally applied to a defendant in violation of the Maine and U.S. Constitutions’ ex post facto provisions.
Read the full article: https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2020/nov/15/maine-supreme-court-sorna-ruled-ex-post-facto-punishment-defendant/
OH: COURT SIDES WITH STATE IN SEX OFFENDER JURISDICTION CASE
December 3, 2020
[wfmj.com – 12/3/20]
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The ability of a judge to hold a hearing on a juvenile’s sex offender classification status doesn’t automatically expire when the child turns 21, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.
At issue before the court was a Cincinnati-area defendant who sexually abused two young relatives when he was 14, according to court records. The defendant was convicted in juvenile court in 2011 and labeled a juvenile sexual offender, requiring him to register with authorities annually for ten years, the records show.
State law allows juvenile offenders to petition a judge to have a sex offender classification removed. Although the defendant successfully completed his probation requirements and treatment in 2013, his reclassification hearing wasn’t held until shortly before he turned 21 in 2017, records show. The judge’s order continuing the sex offender classification came three months later.
Read the full article: https://www.wfmj.com/story/42999055/court-sides-with-state-in-sex-offender-jurisdiction-case
Lesbian firefighter says a male coworker groped her “almost daily” & she was fired after complaining
"I'll make you straight again," the man allegedly said to her.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
A lesbian firefighter is suing her former employer, saying that she was sexually harassed on the job because she’s gay and then terminated in retaliation for reporting the sexual harassment.
Kira Castellon says in her suit that she joined Arbor Hose Company 1 in New Jersey in 2015 and was the only female firefighter there. She said that she was out at work as well.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated December 14 2020
[SIGN] AFL-CIO & United Way: Adopt survivor-centered policies NOW to protect sexual harassment whistleblowers! Sign here:
Sign UltraViolet's petition to tell the United Way Worldwide CEO Brian Gallagher and the AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to adopt survivor-centered policies in all of their organizations' and affiliates' workplaces!
In the explosive HuffPost exposé, three former women executives at the United Way alleged that they were fired for uncovering rampant sexual harassment at the organization, such as groping, inappropriate comments, and stalking.1 One of these women leaders who lost her job at the United Way was Ana Avendaño, a longtime labor rights leader and co-director of the survivors' justice organization Survivors Know, who "said she was fired after Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO (the largest labor organization in the U.S.), complained to CEO Gallagher about Avendaño's work on sexual harassment within the labor movement."2
We are calling on the United Way and the AFL-CIO to set an example for all U.S. workplaces and adopt the following survivor-centered policies:
Survivors must speak. Gallagher and Trumka must allow every former and current employee to talk freely about their experiences with sexual harassment and violence. This means immediately releasing them from all nondisclosure agreements, including confidentiality and nondisparagement clauses.
The United Way and the AFL-CIO must guarantee transparency. The boards of both organizations must establish an independent ombudsperson and an external reporting mechanism, so that employees who suffer harassment have a trusted and transparent way to report the harassment.
The United Way and the AFL-CIO must commit to changing their sexist workplace culture. Employees must have a say in how the United Way and the AFL-CIO handle sexual harassment complaints. Gallagher must commit to neutrality and "card check," a method for employees to organize into a labor union, when employees seek to bargain collectively. Trumka has already committed to neutrality.
Changing our country's sexist culture requires intentional daily and long-term action. These three guidelines are the initial steps, and we hope that both Gallagher and Trumka will take them, so that all workers can provide for themselves and their families in a safe and humane workplace.
Sign UltraViolet's petition to tell the United Way Worldwide CEO Brian Gallagher and the AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to adopt survivor-centered policies in all of their organizations' and affiliates' workplaces!
Sources:
United Way Accused Of Retaliation Against Women Employees, HuffPost, November 23, 2020
Ibid.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 1 2021
Nobody is threatening Christian's; you stupid, lowlife, groveler*! (Please do not confuse this with a personal attack on this guy. I have no idea who this dude is.) What I am trying to say is what the ACLU has been saying all these year: if you take away the rights of RSO's, you could be next.
“People’s rights are eternal. COVID has nothing to do with it. Today it’s COVID, tomorrow it’s the black plague, the next day it’s Christians and other people of faith’s opinions. There’s always something that the evil people in society will say make your rights null and void,” he said.
You got it all wrong stupid. You should have said:
tomorrow it’s the the people who said sex crime offenders have no rights, the next day it’s so called Christians and everyone and anyone else.
n someone who humbles himself as a sign of respect; who behaves as if he had no self-respect. Synonyms: apple polisher, bootlicker, fawner, groveller, truckler Type of: ***-kisser, crawler, lackey, sycophant, toady. a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantag
MI: MICHIGAN POISED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON FAILED SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
December 10, 2020
[freep.com – 2020-12-10]
In early 2012, more than eight years ago, five people challenged Michigan’s Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA) in court, arguing that the registry branded them as dangerous “sex offenders” without any individual review.
One was a man — we’ll call him John — who met a woman at a club open only to those 18 and older. They slept together and only later did he learn that she was actually 15. They fell in love, eventually married, and now have three kids. But due to her age, John was prosecuted and put on the sex offender registry. As a result, he has lost countless jobs, was often homeless and unable to live with his family, and couldn’t even attend his own kids’ basketball games.
Another man in the lawsuit — we’ll call him Paul — never even committed a sex offense. In 1990 when he was 20, he tried to rob a McDonald’s. But because he threatened the manager’s teenage son — an offense charged as “child kidnapping” even though it had no sexual component whatever — he was placed on the sex offender registry for life.
John and Paul won their case in 2016, when the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that SORA is unconstitutional. The court not only found that Michigan treats registrants as “moral lepers,” but it also concluded, based on a mountain of evidence, that registries don’t make people or communities safer.
…
Four years and another lawsuit later, the House has now passed a bill to revise SORA. But that bill ignores the judicial rulings, rejects the science, and would put John and Paul right back on the public registry.
Read the full article: https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2020/12/10/michigan-sex-offender-registry-legislation/6507848002/
ID: 9TH CIRCUIT REVERSES TRIAL COURT RULINGS REGARDING EX POST FACTO, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
December 10, 2020
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that a federal trial court erred when it dismissed a case involving 134 registrants in Idaho who claimed that the state’s sex offender laws violated their civil rights. In its ruling today, the Court opened up the possibility that the Idaho laws at issue violated both the federal and state constitutions.
One of the claims in the case is that the state’s sex offender laws violate the ex post facto provision of the U. S. Constitution. Many of the state laws at issue, including a requirement to register for life, were passed after the registrants were convicted. The state argued in the case that several cases, including the U.S. Supreme Court decision Smith v. Doe which determined that the requirement to register is not punitive, allow the state to pass new sex offender laws and apply them retroactively.
In today’s decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stated “case law does not foreclose a finding that SORA is punitive.” The Court pointed out that Smith v. Doe and other cases cited by the state government “only considered registration and notification provisions…none of these cases considered retroactively applied residency, travel, or employment restrictions.”
“We are encouraged by today’s decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “While today’s decision does not mean that retroactive state laws regarding residency, travel, and employment will ultimately be determined to be punitive, it allows for that possibility.”
Another claim in the case is that Iowa sex offender laws restrict registrants from attending houses of worship in violation of both state and federal law. Specifically, state law prohibits registrants from attending a church that is also used as a school due to “the proximity of a school.” The Court found that the registrants properly challenged this state law and its substantial burden to the exercise of their religious beliefs.
In addition to overturning the trial court’s dismissal of the registrants’ two claims described above, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals also decided that the trial court erred in its decision to dismiss registrants’ claims regarding the Eighth Amendment and double jeopardy. As a result of today’s decision, this case will return to the federal district court that dismissed it. A future decision by that court is not expected for at least 12 months.
MI: FEDS SUED OVER PRISON ATTACK THAT KILLED SEX OFFENDER, HURT 2 OTHERS
December 12, 2020
[detroitnews.com – 12/11/20]
Detroit — Two federal prison inmates and the estate of a third are suing the government, claiming officials at a Monroe County lockup failed to prevent a 2019 attack on the sex offenders, one of whom was stomped and stabbed to death.
Christian Maire, Michal Figura and Craig Evans were attacked in January 2019 in the East Unit of The Federal Correctional Institution, Milan. Maire was stomped and stabbed repeatedly with a shank before being thrown down a flight of stairs, prosecutors said.
Figura and Evans survived the attack, although the lawsuit, which does not specify monetary damages sought, claims they suffered psychological damage.
Alex “Sniper” Castro, 39; Jason “J” Kechego, 38, and Adam “Creeper” Wright, 39, face first-degree premeditated murder charges in connection with Maire’s death. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Jan. 28.
“The East Unit at FDC Milan, was known, or should have been known, by defendant (Board of Prisons’) agents and employees, as a dangerous place for sex offenders,” the six-page lawsuit says.
Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman Justin Long declined to comment.
“We do not comment on pending litigation,” he said in an email.
Read the full article: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/12/11/feds-sued-over-prison-attack-killed-sex-offender-hurt-2-others/6514420002/
GA: REMOVING THE SCARLET LETTER
December 19, 2020
[lagrangenews.com – 12/15/20]
Decades ago, our state established the Georgia Sex Offender Registry (SOR). The purpose of SOR is to protect our citizens from sexually dangerous predators by identifying offenders that present the greatest risk of sexually re-offending.
However, many people who are registered with SOR should not be because they pose no danger to society.
Read the full opinion: https://m.lagrangenews.com/2020/12/15/removing-the-scarlet-letter/
MI: ACLU CALLS FOR WHITMER VETO ON LEGISLATURE-APPROVED CHANGES TO SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT
December 20, 2020
[mlive.com – 12/20/20]
DETROIT – Approved changes to Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Act are unconstitutional and ineffective at stopping offenders, argues the state’s ACLU chapter in an appeal for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to veto.
State lawmakers approved altering registration protocols for sex offenders during the Legislature’s Wednesday, Dec. 16 session, fulfilling a 4-year-old mandate from the U.S. Court of Appeals.
The federal court ruled in 2016 that it was unconstitutional to impose new restrictions on people convicted before the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act was updated with added rules in 2006 and 2011. The ACLU of Michigan asserts that the new changes are a continuation of that unconstitutionality, saying the state will spend “millions of wasted tax dollars defending it” and actually perpetuate bad behavior by offenders.
“This legislation ignores the judicial rulings, rejects the science and makes Michigan communities and families less safe,” said Miriam Aukerman, senior staff attorney for ACLU Michigan, in a release. “The research is clear: registries don’t work. As the courts have pointed out, registries are counterproductive and may increase offending because they make it extremely difficult for registrants to obtain a job, find housing, and rejoin their families, sabotaging their efforts to become productive members of the community.”
Read more here: https://www.mlive.com/politics/2020/12/aclu-calls-for-whitmer-veto-on-legislature-approved-changes-to-sex-offender-registration-act.html
Talk about what goes around; comes around. : Definition of what goes around comes around
informal
—used to say that if someone treats other people badly he or she will eventually be treated badly by someone else
You should not mistreat them. What goes around comes around.
CROW INTRODUCES BILL TO DENY CONGRESS MEMBERS’ PENSIONS FOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
December 21, 2020
[gazette.com – 12/21/20]
U.S. Rep. Jason Crow was among the representatives on Friday to propose denying members of Congress their annual retirement payments if convicted for sexual misconduct.
“As a soldier I learned that leadership starts with the example you set. I have long believed that members of Congress must be held to the same standard as our men and women in uniform,” said Crow. “However current law gives a pass to those in Congress. Sexual abuse is a crime and we must ensure it is treated like one and hold those in power accountable for their actions.”
Crow’s office indicated that the inspiration for the bill was the system in the U.S. military, in which a service member who is convicted of sexual misconduct and receives a dishonorable discharge loses retirement pay.
UK: ‘BLACK PANTHER OF OXFORD’ CALLS FOR RACISTS TO BE PUT ON SEX OFFENDERS-STYLE ‘RACE OFFENCE REGISTER’
December 30, 2020
[thesun.co.uk – 12/30/20]
A LEADER of a new political party inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement has called for people accused of racism to be put on a sex offenders-style “race offenders register”.
Sasha Johnson, the self-styled “Black Panther of Oxford”, said anyone added to the proposed list would be stopped from doing certain jobs or living in certain areas.
Johnson, 26, a youth worker and cafe owner, gained attention over summer as a prominent figure at a number of BLM protests, and has since helped to found the Taking the Initiative Party (TTIP).
She now serves on the party’s executive committee as the member in charge of activism.
Speaking to MailOnline about the party’s proposals, Johnson said the race offences list would be intended to protect minority groups from racist abuse and other discriminatory behavior.
“It’s similar to the sex offenders register,” she said.
“If you were to be racially abusive to someone, [the register] would question whether someone is fit enough to hold a particular job where their bias could influence another person’s life.”
Read about this new type of proposed registry: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13600897/black-panther-oxford-racists-sex-offenders-offence-register/
New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 13 2021
Just posted this here: https://constitutionalrightsblog.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Here comes all the good petitions; just like during the Obama administration. You know why? Because it would be a waist of time for people to ask the right wing republicans, to end the death penalty; for instance. You know what the death penalty reminds me of? The death penalty reminds me of; the Nazi rescheme of world war 2. Right on Biden; don't you ever be ashamed to compare some of our law makers to the world war 2 Nazi rescheme. I have been doing it for years concerning our perverted justice system; run by politicians being swayed every which way by the media and sensationalism. I have been sending emails to all my republican representative here in the belly of the ultra conservative beast; of where I live. I do it because I really, genuinely care.:
Ted Cruz, AOC spar over using Holocaust analogies to describe US Capitol riot
High-profile lawmakers duke it out on Twitter after Texas senator takes umbrage at labeling the Trump supporters who participated in violence ‘Nazis’
Today, 10:25 am
It started Friday when US President-elect Joe Biden was asked how he regarded attempts by Cruz and Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri to overturn Biden’s victory. The two voted Thursday to challenge the election results, despite a violent assault the afternoon earlier on the Capitol by a mob invoking *President Donald Trump’s false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
*“They’re part of the big lie,” Biden said. “Goebbels and the great lie. You keep repeating the lie, repeating the lie.” (Goebbels used the expression in reference to tactics he attributed to the Nazis’ British enemies, but it has come to be identified with his own propagandistic strategies. It has been invoked by politicians on both sides of the aisle to decry propaganda on the other side.)
Brian Schatz, the Jewish Democratic senator from Hawaii, took a similar tack.
“Ted, there were people who literally stormed the Capitol with zip ties to take hostages, and one person had a ‘camp Auschwitz’ tee-shirt,” Schatz said. “You don’t get to referee the words that anyone uses given your behavior over the last month.”
Read full article here: https://www.timesofisrael.com/ted-cruz-aoc-spar-over-using-holocaust-analogies-to-describe-us-capitol-riot/
This, to me is all about Registered Sex Offenders. I did not mention this on my Constitutional Rights blog; where I just posted the above post. I am posting this here because there is a direct coalition between the star of David and posting someone's personal data with photos; all over the world via the internet and the media. There is a direct coalition to the treatment of them guilty and in my case and others, that are not guilty of a actual sex crime; but still RSO's and the way Nazi's treated the Jewish folks.
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated January 26 2021
Bomb Rocks Extremist Church In El Monte
The FBI is investigating an explosion at an El Monte church known for extremist views and a group that had planned to protest it Saturday.
EL MONTE, CA — Authorities are investigating vandalism and an explosion that occurred Saturday at a church in El Monte that was the target of protestors for its extremist views against Jews, women, L.G.B.T.Q. people, and Black Lives Matter.
Read more here: https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/authorities-investigate-vandalism-explosion-el-monte-church
The church is part of the New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement, a network of 22 American and eight international churches known for their hateful rhetoric and calls for the government to round up and execute gay people, the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit that analyzes hate groups, reported in 2019.
Anderson pastors Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. He gained national attention for celebrating the June 2016 Pulse massacre, where 49 people were killed and 53 injured in an attack at an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando. Anderson’s violent rhetoric against LGBTQ people has gotten him banned from 32 countries, including most recently Ireland, where he’d planned to preach in late May.
The New IFB is a group of 22 domestic and eight international churches led by Anderson’s colleagues and acolytes. Those evangelists often rival his rhetoric in their depictions of LGBTQ people as rapists and pedophiles who are a danger to society and worthy of death.
Jimenez, the Verity pastor, set the tone for the conference when he compared homosexuality to bestiality. He emphasized a myth popular in the anti-LGBTQ movement: that homosexuals are pedophiles and a danger to children. He claimed public school systems are working to convert kids to homosexuality.
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated February 01 2021
MI: WHITMER SIGNS BILL WITH LONG-AWAITED CHANGES TO SEX OFFENDER LAW
December 30, 2020
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday signed a bill that would eliminate school safety zones and certain appearance requirements in Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Act. Full Article: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/12/30/whitmer-signs-bill-implementing-changes-sex-offender-law/4084952001/
IN: NO REGISTRATION FOR REGISTRANTS FROM OTHER STATES IF THEIR CRIME WOULDN’T REQUIRE IT IN INDIANA
January 7, 2021
INDIANA DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTION, et al,
Defendants-Appellants.
____________________
Appeal from the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division.
No. 1:16-cv-02865-RLY-TAB — Richard L. Young, Judge.
____________________
ARGUED JANUARY 14, 2020 — DECIDED JANUARY 6, 2021
____________________
Before ROVNER, WOOD, and ST. EVE, Circuit Judges.
ROVNER, Circuit Judge. Sex offender registration and notification
laws have a unique place at the intersection of criminal
and civil law. These civil laws impose cumbersome and
often lifelong burdens on former criminal perpetrators, many
of whom have finished all forms of imprisonment and post-imprisonment
supervision. For this reason, they are frequently
challenged as unconstitutional. In this case, the plaintiffs
have challenged Indiana’s Sex Offender Registration
Act (SORA) as it applies to offenders who have relocated
to Indiana from other states after the enactment of SORA, and
who are forced to register under the law, but would not have
been required to do so had they committed their crimes as
residents of Indiana prior to the enactment of the relevant
portions of SORA and maintained citizenship there. The district
court found the registration requirements to be unconstitutional,
and we uphold the district court’s finding that this
application of SORA violates the plaintiffs’ right to travel.
Download a PDF of the decision
Hope vs. Indiana Comm. DOC in United States Court of Appeals: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hope-vs.-Indiana-Comm.-DOC-in-United-States-Court-of-Appeals.pdf
FOURTH CIRCUIT STRIKES BANS ON INTERNET, LEGAL PORNOGRAPHY FOR SEX OFFENDER
January 11, 2021
[fd.org – 1/10/21]
The Fourth Circuit held (link is external) that conditions of supervised release banning legal pornography and internet access are too restrictive and cannot be sustained as “reasonably related” under 18 U.S.C. 3583(d)(1) and are overbroad under 18 U.S.C. 3583(d)(2). The court explained that the district court abused its discretion in imposing an outright ban on defendant possessing legal pornography or entering any location where it may be accessed.
…
The circuit stated that pornography use was not the basis of any violation. Further, when defendant lied about watching pornography during a polygraph exam at the outset of his sex offender treatment, the violative conduct was dishonesty, not pornography consumption. Finally, the pornography restriction impermissibly restricts more liberty than is reasonably necessary.
The case is United States v. Ellis (link is external), No. 19-04159 (4th Cir. Jan. 8, 2021).
Read the full article: https://www.fd.org/news/fourth-circuit-strikes-bans-internet-legal-pornography-sex-offender
AZ: ARIZONA’S SEX OFFENDER LAWS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORM
January 17, 2021
[Tamara Rice Lave in arizonastatelawjournal.org – 1/13/21]
In this Article, I consider ways in which Arizona’s laws regarding sex offenders should be reformed. I begin by focusing on laws that are designed to deal with the danger posed by convicted sex offenders: registration requirements, residence restrictions, and civil commitment. I contend that the state has overstated the risk posed by convicted sex offenders and that the laws meant to control them may do more harm than good. Next, I turn to police sexual violence. I argue that the state needs to go further in criminalizing this abhorrent conduct in order to promote the rule of law and protect vulnerable persons.
Download a PDF of the paper from arizonastatelawjournal.org: https://arizonastatelawjournal.org/2021/01/13/arizonas-sex-offender-laws-recommendations-for-reform/
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FREEZES MOST RECENT REGULATIONS
January 21, 2021
[ACSOL]
The Biden Administration yesterday placed a 60-day freeze on most regulations recently issued by the previous administration. The freeze applies to proposed regulations published in the Federal Register and could include the proposed SORNA regulations issued on August 13, 2020.
According to a White House memo, the federal government may open a new comment period “to allow interested parties to provide comments about issues of fact, law, and policy” raised by those regulations. The federal government may also consider petitions for reconsideration involving the regulations. The memo also states that the Administration’s 60-day freeze could be extended for an additional period of time.
“ACSOL and its allies will pursue all opportunities to provide comments to the Biden Administration regarding the proposed SORNA regulations,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “The goal of providing comments would be to stop the proposed SORNA regulations from becoming final regulations.”
Following the 60-day freeze, the Biden Administration could approve draft and final regulations that “raise no substantial questions of fact, law or policy.” However, draft and final regulations that do raise one or more substantial questions of fact, law or policy are to be sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.
There are exceptions to the 60-day freeze, according to the memo. The exceptions include regulations for which there are statutory and judicial deadlines as well as regulations that “affect critical health, safety, environmental, financial, or national security measures.”
“Any delay in the finalization of the proposed SORNA regulations is welcome,” stated ACSOL President Chance Oberstein. “In addition, we welcome the opportunity to educate the Biden Administration about the significant harm that could be caused if the proposed SORNA regulations became law.”
Download a PDF of the memo: White House Memo – Biden Admin – Jan 2021: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/White-House-Memo-Biden-Admin-Jan-2021.pdf
Related links:
Biden Seeks to Halt or Delay Trump’s ‘Midnight Regulations’ [govexec.com – 1/20/21]: https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/01/biden-seeks-halt-or-delay-trumps-midnight-regulations/171510/
AMERICAN LAW INSTITUTE TO CONSIDER RECOMMENDING ELIMINATION OF PUBLIC REGISTRY, OTHER SIGNIFICANT REFORMS
January 25, 2021
[ali.org – 1/25/21]
The Council of the American Law Institute (ALI) agreed on January 22 to recommend that its membership adopt new provisions in the Model Penal Code (MPC) that would significantly limit sexual offender registries. The draft approved by the Council includes new MPC provisions under which:
Many offenses now registrable would not require registration (e.g., possession of child pornography, but also less serious contact offenses).
There would be no public notification that individuals are on the registry, and no public website or other public access to the registry, which is limited to law enforcement personnel. The knowing or reckless disclosure of registry information to others is a crime. Most individuals on the registry who do not re-offend, and who comply with their supervised release conditions, would be removed after ten years. No one would remain on the registry for more than fifteen years unless they commit a new registrable offense. The registry would have no tiers, but many offenses currently placed in lower tiers would not be included on the registry at all.
General rules that required location monitoring of persons convicted of a sexual offense, or which imposed on them restrictions on residency, employment, access to schools or the internet, would be repealed. Judges could impose such restrictions in particular cases, but only on persons currently included on the registry, and only in special circumstances shown to apply to that particular case, and only for a limited period of time. In no case may a judge require public notification.
The original version of the Model Penal Code was published by the ALI in 1962. According to the Wikipedia more than half the states enacted criminal codes that borrowed heavily from the MPC, and even courts in non-adopting states have been influenced by its provisions. An important and influential contribution of the original 1962 MPC was its elimination from the criminal code of noncommercial sexual acts between consenting adults, such as sodomy, adultery and fornication.
The American Law Institute (ALI) is a research and advocacy group established in 1923 which publishes influential analyses in all areas of law. The Council of the ALI includes 7 members of the United States Courts of Appeal as well as Justices on the highest courts of California, Arizona, Texas, and New Jersey. The recommendations of the ALI Council become the official position of the Institute when adopted by the membership, which consists of leading attorneys, law professors, and judges who have been nominated and elected to membership. The MPC recommendations adopted by the Council in January will be considered by the membership at its meeting this May in Washington.
ALI’s model codes and studies bookstore: https://www.ali.org/publications/#publication-type-model-codes
Sample of ALI model penal code examination: Sexual Assault and Related Offenses: https://www.ali.org/projects/show/sexual-assault-and-related-offenses/
FL: CONGRATULATIONS DEREK! FLORIDA SUPREME COURT WIN
January 27, 2021
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 1/27/21]
That’s it. The Florida Supreme Court has just ruled in favor of Derek Logue and against Senator Lauren Book, declining to hear the case and stating that no motions for rehearing will be entertained.
Today was a great day for the First Amendment and an individual’s right to peacefully petition and protest against politicians. Lauren Book and Derek Logue are on two completely opposite sides of the sex offender registry debate. However, when Derek didn’t shy away from making his voice heard, Ms. Book filed a restraining order against him. The restraining order was originally granted (says something about her influence in Broward County), but the 4th District Court of Appeals sided with Derek and the Supreme Court did too.
Read the full article and download the order: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/florida-supreme-court-hammers-the-nail-in-sen-books-flimsy-restraining-order-fight/
AZ: BOWERS REVIVES SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY BILL HB2674
January 29, 2021
[azmirror.com – 1/28/21
House Speaker Rusty Bowers is taking another shot at passing legislation making it easier for some people to get their names off the state’s sex offender registry.
House Bill 2674 would give some relatively low-level offenders an opportunity to end their lifetime obligation to register as sex offenders. People convicted of crimes including sexual abuse of a minor who is at least 15 years old, indecent exposure, sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual extortion and misrepresenting a person’s age for purposes of committing a sexual offense would be able to petition a judge to end their registration requirement.
There are fairly narrow criteria offenders would have to meet in order to qualify. They must be at least 35 years old to petition a judge. They must not have had any additional offenses for at least 10 years, and cannot have been convicted of more than one offense involving more than one victim. State law already requires offenders who are eligible to end their registration obligation to have been under 22 years old at the time of the offense, and victims must have been at least 15.
“It’s good policy for youthful offenders, been clean for a long time, done everything they’re supposed to do. I’d like to give them a life,” said Bowers, a Republican from Mesa.
Bowers sponsored an identical bill in 2019 with the support of then-Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. That bill passed easily out of the House of Representatives and seemed likely to sail through the Senate as well, but became collateral damage as several GOP senators, led by Sen. Paul Boyer, defeated it in protest over legislative leaders blocking Boyer’s bill to give victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to sue their abusers and the organizations that sheltered them.
With two years passed and Boyer’s bill enshrined in law, Bowers decided to revive his old proposal, which he noted had plenty of support in 2019, when the House passed it 56-4.
“It still needs to be done and I think it’s good policy,” the speaker said.
Read the full article: https://www.azmirror.com/blog/bowers-revives-sex-offender-registry-bill/
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated February 02 2021
Lincoln Project disavows closeted co-founder who was sexting a teenage boy for years
Almost two dozen men have publicly accused John Weaver of sending them unsolicited sexual messages.
Monday, February 1, 2021
One of the co-founders of the Lincoln Project, John Weaver, was recently outed as a gay man after it was revealed he had been sending inappropriate, sexually-explicit messages to several men. In a new expose by the New York Times, 21 men have accused Weaver of sexually harassing them in one form or another.
One of them, a 19-year-old, says that Weaver started sending him messages when he was only 14.
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 04 2021
MN: SEX OFFENDERS AT MOOSE LAKE END 14-DAY HUNGER STRIKE AFTER REACHING DEAL WITH STATE OFFICIALS
February 5, 2021
[bringmethenews.com – 2/5/21]
A group of men at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program’s Moose Lake facility have ended their hunger strike after nearly two weeks.
The group went on strike Jan. 21, demanding a “clear path” for release from the program, which has facilities in Moose Lake and St. Peter, where “treatment is a death sentence” because despite serving their prison sentences, they’re remanded to the facilities for an unspecified amount of time, a news release says.
The group of about a dozen men called off their hunger strike Wednesday night and, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), which runs the program, they’re all eating and drinking again.
They ended the strike after DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead met virtually on Tuesday with advocates of the strikers and agreed to hold monthly meetings between the strikers and program leaders, but not Harpstead, to discuss their primary concern of having a “clear path” for release from the program and its treatment centers.
“I have agreed to these discussions out of concern that some of the strikers would cause themselves serious harm, and I believe that no harm will come from us listening to what they have to say,” Harpstead said in a statement.
Details regarding the meetings are still being worked out, but DHS has agreed “in principle” to hold listening sessions that will start this month and go through May.
It will also develop a report about the program with recommendations based on the discussions from the listening sessions, DHS said.
“The only promise I can make is that we will engage in conversation with clients and their families,” Harpstead said in a statement.
Read the full article: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/men-at-moose-lake-sex-offender-facility-end-2-week-hunger-strike
TN: FEDERAL JUDGE RULES SEX OFFENDER LAW PUNISHES RETROACTIVELY
February 10, 2021
[wrcbtv.com – 2/9/21]
A federal judge has ruled that parts of Tennessee’s sex offender registration act should not be applied retroactively to two offenders who sued over the law.
Tuesday, February 9th 2021, 5:59 PM EST
By TRAVIS LOLLER
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that parts of Tennessee’s sex offender registration act should not be applied retroactively to two offenders who sued over the law.
Monday’s ruling in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee was narrowly written to apply only to the two plaintiffs. But it could open the door to more lawsuits and a broader ruling in the future.
U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson found that parts of the law violate the Ex Post Facto Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prevents people from being punished by a law passed after their crime was committed. In order to find a violation, Richardson had to determine that parts of the law were punitive. He analyzed the specific circumstances of the two plaintiffs, who are identified only as John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, and found that parts of the law did act as punishment in the cases of the two men.
Read the full article: https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/43322568/federal-judge-rules-sex-offender-law-punishes-retroactively
NY: AFTER 25 YEARS, IT IS PAST TIME TO REFORM NEW YORK’S SEX OFFENDER RISK ASSESSMENT SYSTEM: PART II
February 10, 2021
[law.com – 2/9/21]
In Part 1 of this article, I outlined what I believe are the significant flaws in the Risk Assessment Instrument (the RAI) New York courts are required to use to assess sex offender risk under the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA or Megan’s Law, Article 6-C of the Correction Law). Under SORA, courts are required to designate offenders as being at low, moderate or high risk to re-offend. The rankings not only determine the length and intrusiveness of sex offender registration and community notification, which often last for life, but vital collateral matters, like whether offenders may live within 1,000 feet of a school, receive Section 8 housing vouchers or live in public housing. The RAI is primarily designed to measure the risk that a sex offender will re-offend and the harm which would be caused by a re-offense.
Read the full article: https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2021/02/09/after-25-years-it-is-past-time-to-reform-new-yorks-sex-offender-risk-assessment-system-part-ii/
MD: ANNAPOLIS, MD (KB) FREDERICK COUNTY DELEGATE JESSE PIPPY SAID HE IS SPONSORING SEX OFFENDER LEGISLATION
February 10, 2021
[wfmd.com – 2/9/21]
Annapolis, MD (KB) Frederick County Delegate Jesse Pippy said he is sponsoring five pieces of legislation at the 2021 General Assembly in Annapolis. One has to do with the sex offender registry and expungement.
“There has been a push recently to expunge certain offenses off peoples’ records,” he explained.
Delegate Pippy said this bill will make sure that individuals who are on the sex registry are prohibited from getting their sex offenses expunged.
Read the full article: https://www.wfmd.com/2021/02/09/delegate-provides-updates-on-legislation-at-2021-general-assembly/
MN: CASE CHALLENGING CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE MINNESOTA SEX OFFENDER PROGRAM CAN MOVE FORWARD
February 24, 2021
[yahoo.com – 2/24/21]
A protracted case challenging the constitutionality of Minnesota’s system for treating sex offenders outside prison has gained new life after a federal appeals court in St. Louis ruled that claims contesting the program’s unusual conditions of confinement can move forward.
In a decision released Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit determined that allegations that clients of the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP) were subjected to improper punishment and inadequate treatment should proceed. The decision sets the stage for another pitched debate over the future of the program, which confines more than 730 men in prisonlike treatment centers long after their criminal sentences have ended.
The ruling comes nearly a decade after a group of civilly committed sex offenders sued the state, arguing during a six-week trial that Minnesota’s system violated their due process rights under the U.S. Constitution by depriving them of access to the courts and other basic safeguards found in the criminal justice system.
Read the full article: https://news.yahoo.com/case-challenging-constitutionality-minnesota-sex-002700947.html
THE SEX OFFENDER LAW THAT COULD’VE BROKEN THE GOVERNMENT
February 26, 2021
Herman Gundy was a convicted sex offender who failed to register as one in Pennsylvania and New York, states in which he traveled and resided. Under the Sex Offender Notification and Registration Act of 2006, he had to register, so he was sent to prison again for failing to do so. Gundy v. United States was a 2019 Supreme Court case that dealt with the “nondelegation doctrine,” the practice that prohibits Congress, well, from delegating its legislative abilities to executive administrative agencies such as the Department of Justice or private organizations, etc. Justice Elena Kagan writes in her opinion for the case, “Indeed, if SORNA’s delegation is unconstitutional, then most of Government is unconstitutional.” Full Opinion Piece: https://swarthmorephoenix.com/2021/02/26/the-sex-offender-law-that-couldve-broken-the-government/
CA: SAN DIEGO COUNTY SUPERVISORS VOTE TO KEEP PROTECTING SEXUAL PREDATORS IN COURT
March 3, 2021
[kusi.com – 3/2/21]
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 today against supporting legislation aimed at keeping court hearings for Sexually Violent Predators open to the public.
Supervisors Joel Anderson sponsored the proposal backing Senate Bill 248 and voted in favor of it, along with colleague Jim Desmond.
The bill would require that court proceedings remain public for the civil commitments of Sexually Violent Predators — or SVPs — offenders convicted of sexually violent offenses and diagnosed with a mental disorder that makes them likely to re-offend, according to Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel.
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan supports the bill, which Bates introduced in January.
Read the full article: https://www.kusi.com/san-diego-county-supervisors-vote-to-keep-protecting-sexual-predators-in-court/
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 12 2021
Wonder why I am posting this story here? I remember Paul as a sex offender on probation who got in trouble for possessing vintage porn. I have purchased his movies and own his whole Pee Wee Playhouse series. It is one of my magical wonder dog's favorite shows. Also if you have ever read my blog entries here; you will see I believe 90 percent of the treatment of so called RSO's is Nazi like; perpetrated by people who do not learn from history. I hope our country learns before it is too late; it is not LGBTQ people who are destroying our nation, it is our anti human right's, hate mongering, perverted justice system and mass incarceration, that will be our down fall.
Iconic Pee-wee Herman Actor Paul Reubens Is Getting a Documentary at HBO
HBO and Paul Reubens are teaming up for a two-part documentary chronicling the career of the Pee-wee Herman actor.
March 11, 2021
A documentary chronicling the life and career of Paul "Pee-wee Herman" Reubens is in the works at HBO. A two-part documentary, the project hails from HBO Documentary Films and Elara. Uncut Gems directors Josh and Benny Safdie will produce with their producing partner Sebastian Bear-McClard as well as Joker producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff. Matt Wolf will direct.
"I've been working with HBO since they were called Home Box Office! I'm honored and excited to continue my long history there. I love HBO, but I'm not going to marry them," Reubens said of the project in a statement provided to Deadline.
"I'm thrilled to partner with HBO on Paul's incredible life story," Tillinger Koskoff also said. "He is a once in a generation talent whose brilliance created an indelible pop culture phenomenon. Audiences will be inspired and entertained by Paul's creativity, resilience, and determination as they get to know the person behind the iconic character."
Wolf added: "We all know Pee-wee Herman; it's time for the world to meet Paul Reubens. I can't wait to share his story."
Starting his career as an improv stage actor, Paul Reubens created the Pee-wee Herman character in the early 1980s. When Pee-wee proved to be a hit with live audiences, HBO produced a special about his stage show, giving Reubens his first taste of worldwide fame. This would lead to Reubens starring in two movies as the iconic character, Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-wee, in the late 1980s. He also starred in the popular children's show Pee-wee's Playhouse during that time.
Word is HBO's Paul Reubens doc will not only focus on the comedian's decades-long run as Pee-wee Herman, but also touch on his personal life as well, dating back to before he had created the character to the two decades he spent pursuing other projects in between his stints wearing the gray suit and red bow-tie. During that time, Reubens took on a plethora of more serious roles, including parts in the adult superhero movie Mystery Men, the teen-horror movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the cocaine-centric Johnny Depp movie Blow.
Reubens has since returned to the role that made him famous, embracing the suit and tie once again for the 2017 Netflix movie Pee-wee's Big Holiday. He has also returned to the stage with a resurrection of The Pee-wee Herman show on Broadway. Last year, Reubens had been touring with Pee-wee's Big Adventure for the 35th anniversary of the classic comedy, but the pandemic shut down the tour soon after it had begun.
For the most part, Reubens has been very private about his personal life. Because he is directly involved with the documentary, fans will be able to learn straight from Reubens more about the legendary performer than they ever knew before. Because HBO was also the place where Reubens got his television career started, it only makes sense for him to come full circle back to the cabler to tell his life story. There's no word yet on when the doc will be released. This news comes to us from Deadline.
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated March 31 2021
Matt Gaetz denied having inappropriate relationship with teen boy. Is there an underage girl too?
The latest round of allegations has people remembering the adage, "Where there's smoke, there's fire."
March 31, 2021
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is no stranger to controversy, but the past 24 hours have set a new standard. A bombshell report in the New York Times claims he is under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) official over his relationship with a teenage girl.
Last year, a mysterious teen boy turned up from Gaetz’s past that the far-right congressman claimed he considered his “son.” Gaetz had avoided even mentioning Nestor Galbán, now 19-years-old, during his political career in state and national politics.
The controversial congressman is not Galbán’s biological father and did not adopt him. Galbán was 12-years-old when he immigrated from Cuba and met Gaetz who has said the boy was his former girlfriend’s child. He did not name the boy’s mother and refused to talk about it beyond a brief statement.
“Our relationship as a family is defined by our love for each other, not by any paperwork,” the anti-LGBTQ congressman said at the time.: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/01/congresswoman-liz-cheney-blasts-republican-male-colleague-wearing-makeup/
The Times report says he is being investigated for his relationship with a 17-year-old and whether he paid for her to travel with him in exchange for sex.
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TX: CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN ARLINGTON MAYORAL RACE
March 4, 2021
[dallasnews.com – 2/28/21]
Arlington officials say a convicted sex offender can remain on the ballot for mayor after another candidates filed a complaint.
Jerry Warden filed for the Arlington mayoral race on Feb. 11, joining seven other residents seeking to become the city’s 27th mayor. Mayor Jeff Williams is serving his third and final term, and is not eligible to run again for the position due to Arlington term limit laws.
Warden holds a lifetime listing on the Texas Public Sex Offenders Registry after being convicted in 1996 on charges of kidnapping and sexually abusing a 24-year-old woman. Warden ended up serving a 15-year prison sentence, according to sex offender registry documents.
Jim Ross, another Arlington mayoral candidate, filed a inquiry with the city secretary’s office on Feb. 22, about Warden’s eligibility for the race. Under Texas Election Code, a candidate with a prior felony is only eligible for an election if they have been pardoned or had their full citizenship rights restored.
In response to Ross’ inquiry, city secretary Alex Busken said in a memo, that Texas Election Code limits his office’s authority to declare a candidate ineligible. A candidate can only be determined ineligible due to their application or the documents presented with the inquiry.
Busken stated that Ross had provided a document showing Warden’s listing on the Texas Public Sex Offender Registry and that the document conclusively established that Warden had been convicted of a felony. But, this document did not conclusively establish if Warden had received a pardon or had his citizenship rights restored, Busken wrote.
Therefore, Ross’ inquiry does not reveal that Warden is ineligible for the election.
Read the full article: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/03/05/convicted-sex-offender-allowed-to-remain-in-arlington-mayoral-race/
NJ: MURPHY REPLACES THREE MEMBERS OF BOARD THAT RESTORED LICENSE TO CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER
March 4, 2021
[newjerseyglobe.com – 3/4/21]
Gov. Phil Murphy has replaced three members of the embattled State Board of Chiropractic Examiners after a controversial vote to reinstate the license of a convicted sex offender from Paramus.
Murphy is dumping Brett Wartenberg, Thomas Senatore and Paul Lyons and replacing them with Kelly Blunder, Uchenna Abba Onyeani and Michael Kaufman. All six are chiropractors.
Despite warnings from the attorney general, the board voted to reinstate the license Dr. Bryan Bajakian, who in 2008 was convicted on charges of luring or enticing underage girls and illegally possessing a firearm.
He was accused sexual misconduct against an underage patient and admitted to the board keeping child pornography, attempting to meet children online and continuing to see underage patients after an order to cease.
Grewal sought to block his reinstatement, arguing the board relied on an improperly conducted psychosexual evaluation, but the board on Thursday shot down the attorney general’s motion.
Bajakian remains on parole and must register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.
Several legislators are seeking to dissolve the current board and reconstitute it, a move that would dump all of the sitting members.
Read the full article: https://newjerseyglobe.com/fr/murphy-replaces-three-members-of-board-that-restored-license-to-convicted-sex-offender/
NJ: ALL SIX CHIROPRACTORS WHO VOTED TO RESTORE LICENSE OF SEX OFFENDER RESIGN
March 8, 2021
[newjerseyglobe.com – 3/8/21]
Six members of the New Jersey Board of Chiropractic Examiners under fire for restoring a medical license to a convicted sex offender have resigned, an attorney representing the chiropractors said.
The resignations come six days after Gov. Phil Murphy announced that he was replacing Brett Wartenberg, Thomas Senatore and Paul Lyons on the state regulatory board.
The other three members — David Allen, Rosemary Calio and Albert Stabile – were on holdover status and in the process of being replaced.
“It is our understanding from recent government press releases as well as legislation that has been submitted in the New Jersey Legislature that all sitting chiropractic board members are to be replaced on the board,” attorney Jeffrey Randolph said in a letter on behalf of the six board members.
Grewal sought to block his reinstatement, arguing the board relied on an improperly conducted psychosexual evaluation, but the board on Thursday shot down the attorney general’s motion.
Bajakian remains on parole and must register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.
Several legislators are seeking to dissolve the current board and reconstitute it, a move that would dump all of the sitting members.
Read the full article: https://newjerseyglobe.com/governor/all-six-chiropractors-who-voted-to-restore-license-of-sex-offender-resign/
CO: JUSTICES CONSIDER RAMIFICATIONS OF DECLARING SEX OFFENDER SENTENCES ILLEGAL
March 11, 2021
[coloradopolitics.com – 3/11/21]
Colorado’s 23-year-old sex offender sentencing law is in the hands of the state Supreme Court, as the justices on Wednesday considered whether the Court should strike down a common method of sentencing those defendants charged with felony sex crimes.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office appealed a pair of cases to the Court following the 2019 decision of Allman v. People, in which the justices barred people from receiving both prison terms and probation when they are convicted of multiple offenses in a single case. The court reasoned that probation should take place instead of imprisonment, not in addition to it.
By requiring someone who receives a prison term with parole to also complete probation, the court labeled it a way of skirting the legal time limits on parole, and subjecting the defendant simultaneously to two supervisory authorities: the executive branch for their parole and the judicial branch for their probation.
Read the full article [UPDATE LINK 3/12/21]: https://gazette.com/colorado_politics/justices-consider-ramifications-of-declaring-sex-offender-sentences-illegal/article_d0f44e5d-0fa9-56a9-8039-fb6a3ce1bb95.html
UK: PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR STALKERS TO HAVE A REGISTER LIKE SEX OFFENDERS
March 16, 2021
[tyla.com – 3/16/21]
Following increased calls for the UK government to introduce greater safety measures for women, a Change.org petition is calling for a stalkers’ register.
Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service founder Laura Richards started the petition which has accumulated over 232,000 signatures.
“We need to act now to save lives by protecting women from serial stalkers and domestic violence perpetrators by extending the Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements to ensure that police, prison and probation services pro-actively identify, track, monitor and manage serial perpetrators,” explains Laura in the petition’s description.
Read the full article: https://www.tyla.com/news/news-life-stalkers-register-petition-domestic-abuse-bill-amendment-sarah-everard-20210316
FL: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE “SOLICITATION FOR PROSTITUTION REGISTRY”?
March 31, 2021
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 3/29/21]
in 2019, the Florida Legislature passed a Bill sponsored by Senator Lauren Book (SB 540) that was titled “Human Trafficking”.
…
The Bill passed and was signed into law, creating Florida Statute 943.0433, the “Solicitation for Prostitution Registry”. Individuals who committed the offense(s) on or after January 1, 2021 and are convicted (regardless of adjudication) on or after January 1, 2021 are currently being placed on the Soliciting for Prostitution Public Database.
So far there are none.
Read the full article and the see the empty registry: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/whatever-happened-to-the-solicitation-for-prostitution-registry/
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated April 01 2021
12 former 'Apprentice' contestants who have spoken out against Donald Trump
Season five's Summer Zervos says Donald Trump sexually assaulted her. She's now suing him for defamation.
At a press conference in November 2016, Zervos said that she was bringing a defamation lawsuit against Trump after he called her and other women accusing him of sexual assault "liars" during a 2016 rally and published a series of tweets calling the allegations "totally made up nonsense to steal the election" and "totally phoney [sic] stories."
In February 2021, following Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Zervos refiled the lawsuit, arguing that Trump can no longer make the legal argument that presidential immunity protects him from litigation, as he is no longer president. On March 30, 2021, the New York state Court of Appeals ruled in her favor.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York state's highest court on Tuesday cleared the way for a former contestant on "The Apprentice" to sue Donald Trump for defamation, after the former U.S. president called her a liar for accusing him of sexual assault. Trump had argued before leaving the White House on Jan. 20 that Summer Zervos could not pursue her case because a sitting president could not be sued, but the state Court of Appeals said in a brief order that "the issues presented have become moot."
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Gee; I do not want to interrupt the dive bomb of us all in our country; but the greatest movies I have ever seen suddenly had Harvey Einstein's name on it. Now he is in prison? Did not receive a fair trail? Say that to 90 present of sex crimes today. Say that for a country completely judgmental against the word sex. You can say that for all the false judgements gone back on America 3 fold; at least. Remember what I always say; when you point that stinky finger at someone, 3 fingers are pointed back at you. Remember how long Nazi's lasted? Not that long; in the scope of things and the history of the world. Fair is a word that never had to be compared to the constitution of America. Since it seems we have abandoned the constitution completely; why should we be surprised at our quick end?
Harvey Weinstein appeals rape, criminal sexual act conviction The former movie mogul, who was sentenced to 23 years in jail, contends that he did not receive a fair trial.
April 5, 2021, 2:15 PM CDT / Updated April 5, 2021, 2:57 PM CDT
The former film mogul Harvey Weinstein filed an appeal Monday seeking to overturn his conviction on third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual act charges.
Weinstein attorney Arthur Aidala argued that his client, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 23 years in jail, did not receive a fair trial. The trial judge disregarded well-accepted principles of New York law, Aidala contended, violating Weinstein’s constitutional rights.
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated May 01 2021
I have always liked Marilyn Mason's music. Mechanical Animals has always been one of my favorite shock rock albums. After all these years of us all knowing how insane this dude is; I guess this should not surprise us. It still got me down when I read it.
Esmé Bianco claims Marilyn Manson used Nazi weapons on her in rape lawsuit Esmé Bianco has sued both Marilyn Manson and his former manager for sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking after claiming Manson had used a Nazi-owned whip and knife on her. MAY 1, 2021 09:00: https://www.jpost.com/international/esm%C3%A9-bianco-claims-marilyn-manson-used-nazi-weapons-on-her-in-rape-lawsuit-666888
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I know I have said it so many times before but I really love Daily Kos. On the other hand I am really learning to hate Idaho. Good thing it is so cold and barren there and no one want to live there, anyway.
Idaho lawmaker resigns after a 'terrified' 19-year-old aide detailed rape allegations
Daily Kos Staff
Friday April 30, 2021 · 2:21 PM CDT
Hours after a legislative ethics committee voted that he should be suspended or permanently expelled for misconduct, an Idaho lawmaker accused of rape resigned Thursday, the Idaho Statesman reported. The former representative, identified as Aaron von Ehlinger, was accused of raping a 19-year-old intern.
Investigations against von Ehlinger began in March after the young staffer reported he raped her in his apartment after the two had dinner. After the Idaho House Ethics and House Policy Committee unanimously agreed that von Ehlinger engaged in “behavior unbecoming” with not one but multiple women at the Statehouse and decided to censure him, he resigned, denying all accusations and maintaining that the incident was consensual.
Read more here: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/4/30/2028352/-Idaho-lawmaker-resigns-after-a-terrified-19-year-old-aide-detailed-rape-allegations
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New Blogs Part 12 Updated May 04 2021
Unhinged GOP lawmaker arrested after trying to be a substitute teacher. He terrified the students.
He allegedly kicked a student's groin, asked teens about their masturbation habits, and ranted about a foster child that he claims attempted suicide because of lesbian parents.
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Kansas state Rep. Mark Samsel (R) berated the teens all day, pleading with them to follow God, asking them about their masturbation habits, demanding that the children he’s teaching “make babies” because “it feels good,” and claiming that a sophomore at the school is contemplating suicide because they have lesbian parents.
“High school students began recording videos of the lawmaker talking about suicide, sex, masturbation, God and the Bible,” the Kansas City Star reported. The videos documented what high schoolers witnessed prior to the alleged assault.
“Make babies. Who likes making babies? That feels good, doesn’t it?” he implored. “Procreate…”
He asked some of the students about their masturbation habits.
“You haven’t masturbated? Don’t answer that question… God already knows,” he reportedly said.
The next video documenting the sequence of events reportedly showed the student on the floor. This is apparently right after Samsel used his knee to hit the student in the “crotch” area.
“Did it hurt?” Samsel asked the floored student. He then invited the class of students to join in. “Class, you have permission to kick him in the balls.”
It, being his private areas. That is, unless another student wanted to, Samsel offered. “Do you want to check his nuts for him, please?” Samsel asked another student.
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NY: TOWN OF ROTTERDAM, POLICE DEPARTMENT FACE LAWSUIT OVER ARREST
April 2, 2021
[dailygazette.com – 3/31/21]
A man who was falsely arrested by the Rotterdam Police Department for improperly submitting a photo for the sex offender registry list is now suing the department and the town over the four days he spent in jail.
William Harwood filed paperwork March 25 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York seeking a jury trial and damages after he said he suffered emotional distress from the incident.
Harwood, who is representing himself, said in court documents that in 2018 he was required to provide the department with an updated photo for the registry, where he was listed as a Level 1 sex offender.
“In 2018, Plaintiff insisted on coming into the state to take his updated photograph and submit it to the sex offender database,” Hardwood said in the court documents. “Officer Claude Sawyer, an employee of Rotterdam Police Department, instructed Plaintiff to not come into the police station and instead text a current photograph to Officer Sawyer’s phone.”
It wasn’t until 2020 when another officer at the department was looking through the database that the department realized there was not an updated photo for Harwood.
Harwood said he was brought in for questioning and that is when he explained what had happened.
“The officers refused to listen to Plaintiff, and did not ask Officer Sawyer for his account,” Harwood said.
Harwood was placed in jail on April 10. During his time in jail, Harwood said he gave his brother Sawyer’s email address.
“Plaintiff’s brother emailed Officer Sawyer the weekend the Plaintiff was in jail and Officer Sawyer replied, admitting his mistake,” Harwood said.
Read the full article: https://dailygazette.com/2021/03/31/town-of-rotterdam-police-department-face-lawsuit/
MN: APPLE VALLEY SETTLES LAWSUIT OVER SEX OFFENDER RESIDENCY
April 2, 2021
[hometownsource.com – 4/1/21]
The city of Apple Valley has agreed to settle a class action federal lawsuit filed in 2020 that challenges the constitutionality of a 2017 city ordinance that limits where some sex offenders can live in the community.
The Apple Valley City Council, without discussion, approved a settlement agreement as part of the consent agenda during its March 25 meeting.
According to the agreement, one payment of $70,000 will be made to “resolve all claims for damages, fees and costs.” Of that total, two plaintiffs will reach receive $15,000 while the remaining $40,000 will go to their attorneys. In the agreement, none of the parties admit any liability or validity of the claims or defenses asserted.
The $70,000 settlement amount will be paid by the city’s insurer, the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, according to a statement provided by City Administrator Tom Lawell.
“Although the city disagrees with the premise of the challenge to the ordinance’s constitutionality and maintains that the ordinance is appropriately enforced, the city felt it was in the best interests of the parties to resolve the case. This resolution avoids additional time, expense, and uncertainties of the litigation process. Also, this settlement does not affect the lawful authority of the ordinance, going forward,” the statement says.
“The city takes seriously all violations that could affect the well-being of Apple Valley residents. The safety of residents is the city’s primary concern, and the city will continue to uphold all provisions of the sex offender restriction ordinance to help ensure safety concerns continue to be thoroughly addressed.”
In the original lawsuit filed Feb. 12, 2020, three unnamed sex offenders sought an injunction to prevent the city from enforcing the ordinance. They also sought judgment to recover attorney’s fees and costs incurred in bringing the action.
The lawsuit alleged that the restrictions imposed by the ordinance “are so severe that they effectively ban individuals subject to the ordinance’s restrictions from residing anywhere in Apple Valley,” according to court documents.
Read the full article: https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_thisweek/community/apple_valley/apple-valley-settles-lawsuit-over-sex-offender-residency/article_15b6584c-9332-11eb-b25b-f3a3946bc833.html
TN: JUDGE ORDERS STATE TO REMOVE MEN FROM SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
April 7, 2021
A federal judge ruled Monday that Tennessee’s sex offender registration act is unconstitutional, at least as it was applied retroactively to two offenders.
The ruling in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee affects only the two men who sued, identified in court documents as John Doe #1 and John Doe #2.
“I think the ruling, while it is narrowly tailored to our clients, does open the door to the possibility of a class action,” attorney Ed Yarbrough said in an interview.
U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson had already ruled in February that parts of the law violated the Ex Post Facto Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prevents people from being punished by a law passed after their crime was committed. On Monday, he ordered the state to stop enforcing any part of the law against the two plaintiffs and to remove their names from the sex offender registry.
SOURCE: https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/43613573/judge-orders-state-to-remove-men-from-sex-offender-registry
AZ: CHARLES RODRICK INDICTED, ARRESTED BY FBI
April 7, 2021
[ACSOL]
Charles Roderick, who charged registrants up to $500 to remove their personal information from websites he created, was arrested today by the FBI and taken into custody. His arrest followed a grand jury indictment for a variety of felonies and misdemeanors. If convicted of those charges, Rodrick faces between 12 to 23 years in prison.
According to reliable news sources, Rodrick was arrested in the Phoenix airport after returning from a vacation in Costa Rica. He is scheduled to appear in Maricopa Superior Court on April 14. In order to ensure he will appear in court on that date, Mr. Rodrick is currently wearing a GPS device.
In addition to Rodrick, the same grand jury also indicted his colleague Brent Oesterblad and Sarah Shea, former wife of Mr. Oesterblad for a variety of felonies including computer tampering, fraudulent schemes and artifices as well as illegally conducting an enterprise. Oesterblad and Shea are scheduled to appear in court on April 27. Additional information regarding this matter can be found at www.courtkey.com.
ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci challenged the actions of Rodrick and Oesterblad in federal district court in March 2013. The claims made in the lawsuit included violation of the federal RICO act which is often used in cases involving organized crime groups. Following a trial by jury, a federal district court judge granted a partial victory to the plaintiffs in the case in July 2016.
Read the full article on courtkey.com: https://www.courtkey.com/
Backstory:
Charles Rodrick is the ringleader behind a network of websites that extorted, harassed and stalked those who have been labelled as sex offenders. Mr. Roderick and his long-time business partner and friend, Brent Oesterblad were identified as the owners or operators of websites like Offendex.com, Offendex-data, Sexoffenderarchives and more. Charles Rodrick would later start harassing and profiling attorneys, reporters and other professionals.
Arizona man charged in scheme targeting sex offenders [sandiegouniontribune.com – 4/7/21] Related links: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/nation-world/story/2021-04-08/arizona-man-charged-in-scheme-targeting-sex-offenders
“THE BOOK” ON REGISTRATION LAWS BECOMING AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
April 16, 2021
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 4/16/21]
Professors Wayne Logan (Florida State University School of Law) and JJ Prescott (University of Michigan School of Law) have edited the textbook on sex offense registration laws, literally. The two professors, along with other professionals; Andrew J. Harris, Scott M. Walfield, Alissa R. Ackerman, Lisa L. Sample, Kelly Socia, Amanda Agan, Jill S. Levenson, and Elizazeth J. Letourneau, have written “Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Laws, An Empirical Evaluation” to serve as an academic textbook on the subject.
Read the full article: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/the-book-on-registration-laws-becoming-available-for-purchase/
AMERICAN SEX OFFENDER POLICY CONDEMNED AS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION BEFORE THE UNITED NATIONS
April 18, 2021
[justfactsnotfear.com – 3/19/21]
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7-zezT91pE
Visit justfactsnotfear.com/ : https://justfactsnotfear.com/
NY: MOTEL’S LAWSUIT SAYS SMALL TOWN’S EFFORT TO KICK OUT SEX OFFENDERS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
April 21, 2021
[lawandcrime.com – 4/21/21]
A small city in Upstate New York is being sued by the owners of a local motel who say they should be allowed to offer their services to people formerly convicted of sex-related offenses.
Shree Granesh LLC, the owner of an EconoLodge on Main Street, filed a lawsuit against the Town of New Paltz over a recent ordinance which aims to limit (and ultimately reduce) the number of registered sex offenders who can reside at a certain commercial address.
In fact, it might be a bit more accurate to describe the local law as an effort designed specifically to reduce the number of registered sex offenders who can reside at one particular commercial address.
That is, the law in question was passed in direct response to fulsome local outrage at the EconoLodge over their highly-publicized decision to house seven medium-high level sex offenders late last year.
SUNY New Paltz students were sent notices of the recent move-ins from October through November 2020. Those notices led to a town meeting focused on the issue and ensuing local media coverage.
Read the full article: https://lawandcrime.com/lawsuit/motels-lawsuit-says-small-towns-efforts-to-kick-out-sex-offenders-is-unconstitutional/
WI: WOULD-BE RESIDENT SUES HARTLAND, CALLS BAN ON MORE SEX OFFENDERS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
April 21, 2021
[jsonline.com – 4/21/21]
Karsten _____, 34, has been living with his parents in Nashotah, but he would like to move out to his own place in Hartland to be closer to his job but not too far from family.
Hartland’s police chief has warned Karsten _____ he’s not welcome, citing the village’s moratorium on any more sex offenders living there.
In a federal lawsuit, Karsten _____ contends that the village’s 2018 ordinance, applied retroactively, amounts to an illegal ex post facto law, in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
The “designated offenders” banned by the ordinance include anyone on the state’s sex offender registry. Karsten _____ is listed there because of a 2007 conviction for sexual assault of a child.
According to the suit, Hartland officials decided a few years ago that too many sex offenders — 32 — already lived there, a “saturation level” 6.75 times higher than other Waukesha County communities.
Read the full article: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2021/04/21/lawsuit-challenges-hartlands-limit-sex-offenders/7322327002/
MN: PSYCHOLOGIST AT MINNESOTA SEX OFFENDER PROGRAM CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO CLIENTS
April 23, 2021
[startribune.com – 4/23/21]
The psychologist, Michelle D. _______, 38, of Duluth, was charged with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving the men, who were undergoing treatment for sexual offenses. A warrant covering Minnesota and its border states has been issued for her arrest.
The assaults occurred between 2016 and early 2018 on the campus of the state’s secure treatment facility in Moose Lake, including in rooms where clients undergo psychological assessments and polygraph tests, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Carlton County District Court.
The charges follow a six-month investigation by law enforcement authorities in Moose Lake and come as Minnesota’s sex offender treatment program faces renewed criticism over the historically low rate of release from the program’s prisonlike treatment centers in Moose Lake and St. Peter. Some men have been held at the treatment centers for years or even decades after completing their prison terms for sexual offenses.
Max Keller, a Minneapolis attorney representing Michelle D. _______, said in an e-mail message Thursday that his client “categorically denies all the criminal accusations in the criminal complaint, and she will be proven not guilty when all the evidence comes out.” He declined to comment further.
In February, a federal appeals court in St. Louis allowed a group of clients at the program to proceed with a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Minnesota’s system of confining sex offenders indefinitely after their prison terms — effectively turning the program into what they say is a de facto life sentence.
The appellate court’s decision, which did not weigh on the merits of the case, followed weeks of unrest at the Moose Lake facility, where early this year detainees went on a two-week hunger strike to protest their indefinite confinements and demand a clear path toward release into the community.
Read the full article: https://www.startribune.com/psychologist-at-minnesota-sex-offender-program-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-two-clients/600049133/
Related links:
Psychologist For Minnesota Sex Offender Program Charged With Criminal Sexual Conduct [minnesota.cbslocal.com – 4/25/21]: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/04/25/psychologist-for-minnesota-sex-offender-program-charged-with-criminal-sexual-conduct/
WA: LAWSUIT: STATE OPERATION TO CATCH SEX OFFENDERS ENTRAPPED INNOCENT MEN TO BOOST ARREST NUMBERS
May 3, 2021
[spokesman.com – 5/2/21]
Quentin Parker believes the sting operation that identified him as a “dangerous child predator” in 2019 failed its mission. Though charges against him were ultimately dropped, he claims in his recent lawsuit against Washington State Patrol that dishonest detectives manipulated him and “forever tainted and destroyed” his life for their own financial gain.
According to the suit filed in Thurston County Superior Court this February, detectives funded by a nonprofit now under criminal investigation pretended to be women and girls on social media to entrap men, boost arrest numbers and gain hefty donations for their task force.
Parker, 32, was an active-duty soldier stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord south of Tacoma in February 2019 when he was arrested in one of Washington’s Operation Net Nanny stings, the complaint for damages said.
Washington State Patrol detectives used the handle “Rowdy Ronda720” to message Parker on a dating app called Skout. Detectives said they lost all but the last messages between “Ronda” and Parker, according to the suit.
“New in town. Single mom,” Rowdy Ronda’s profile said, according to the suit. “I have three girls to share. Looking for likeminded people that are into ddlg/incest/young taboo. No curious wanted, only serious. Young fun. Taboo.”
The suit points to Urban Dictionary’s definition of “ddlg” as Daddy Dom Little Girl, a kink fantasy in which one partner is a “caregiver or ‘daddy’ and the other is childlike. It is NOT a relationship between an actual father and daughter or any minor child,” the complaint said.
Parker showed up at the address “Ronda” gave expecting to role-play with her and another adult woman, according to the suit. At that address, a team of officers in SWAT-like apparel aimed guns at Parker and arrested him, the suit claims.
During Parker’s three-hour interrogation, he repeatedly told officers he showed up for a fantasy role-play with adults, according to the suit. Detectives knew the common definition of DDLG involved consenting adults but did nothing to prevent Parker’s malicious prosecution, the suit claims. Parker was charged with two counts of second-degree attempted rape of a child.
…
Hambrick was sentenced to 13 months to life in prison with a minimum of 10 years as a registered sex offender.
Though Parker’s charges were dropped, the lawsuit claims WSP and a nonprofit they partnered with continued to slander him as a “child predator.” Operation Underground Railroad, a nonprofit that donated thousands to WSP to fund Net Nanny operations when they began in 2016, published a news release naming Parker as one of 22 “dangerous sexual predators who targeted children.”
…
The suit filed by South Bend, Wash. attorney Harold Karlsvik seeks compensatory damages for Parker and his wife based on several alleged crimes, including illegal arrest, unnecessary force, defamation, malicious prosecution and abuse of process.
Read the full article: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/may/02/lawsuit-state-operation-to-catch-pedophiles-entrap/
OR: FORMER OREGON DEMOCRAT HOUSE MAJORITY SPEAKER ARRESTED FOR HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING
May 4, 2021
[thegatewaypundit.com – 5/3/21]
Former Oregon House Speaker and current Clackamas Community College board member Dave Hunt has been arrested and charged by Portland police in an undercover sex traffic sting operation.
Hunt, a Democrat, voted for the 2011 bill that he is charged under.
Read the full article: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/05/breaking-former-oregon-democrat-house-majority-speaker-arrested-human-sex-trafficking/
Look up bad sex-related bills in your state so you can fight them!(select your state and type “sex” in the search): https://legiscan.com/
MA: HIGH COURT TAKES UP WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIM THAT SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY BOARD VIOLATED LAW
May 5, 2021
[gloucestertimes.com – 5/4/21]
SALEM — Lawyers for the state will be back in front of the state’s highest court this week, this time trying to convince the court to find that the state’s whistleblower protection law does not apply in the case of the former sex offender board chairwoman ousted by then-Governor Deval Patrick over her handling of his brother-in-law’s case.
The hearing Wednesday before the Supreme Judicial Court stems from the long-running lawsuit brought by the former head of the Sex Offender Registry Board, who sued Patrick and the state in 2014 alleging defamation and violation of the whistleblower law. The SJC dismissed the defamation claim against Patrick in 2017.
The remaining whistleblower counts are still pending in Salem Superior Court. In January, 2020, a judge denied a request by the state to dismiss those remaining counts. The state, represented by the attorney general’s office, has appealed, leading to Wednesday’s hearing.
Saundra Edwards of Lawrence, a veteran sex crimes prosecutor, was chosen to head the Sex Offender Registry Board in 2007. It was located in Salem at the time.
Her lawyer says she walked into an agency beset by controversy over a hearing officer’s decision that Patrick’s brother-in-law, Bernard Sigh, did not have to register as a sex offender despite a 1993 spousal rape conviction in California.
Read the full article: https://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/local_news/high-court-takes-up-whistleblower-claim/article_d3c12a81-cf00-5dae-8acf-83306cc94bd3.html
SEVENTH CIRCUIT: INDIANA’S SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT’S ‘OTHER JURISDICTION REQUIREMENT’ UNCONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION OF RIGHT TO TRAVEL
May 8, 2021
by Douglas Ankney
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana’s opinion that found a provision of Indiana’s Sex Offender Registration Act (“SORA”) requiring registration of Plaintiffs who relocated to Indiana after SORA’s enactment violated their right to travel because the provision wouldn’t have required them to register if they had committed their offenses while residents of Indiana.
Plaintiffs Brian Hope, Gary Snider, Joseph Standish, Patrick Rice, Adam Bash, and Scott Rush (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) filed suit against the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Correction (“DOC”) and other officials (collectively, “Defendants”) challenging the constitutionality of SORA as applied to them. In the 1990s, Snider, Standish, Bash, Rice, and Rush were convicted of various sexual offenses in other states that were committed in the 1980s and early 1990s. After completing their sentences and probation, each relocated to Indiana (Snider in 2003, Standish in 2013, Bash in 2000, Rice and Rush in 2017) where they were required to register. (Snider was told he didn’t have to register any longer in 2010 pursuant to Wallace v. State, 905 N.E.2d 371 (Ind. 2009), but then in 2016, the DOC told him he had to register again.) Under SORA, they are deemed sexually violent predators (“SVP”) and required to register every 90 days for the rest of their lives.
Hope pleaded guilty to child molestation in Indiana in 1996 for a crime that occurred in 1993. He completed probation in 2000 and moved to Texas. In 2013, Hope returned to Indiana and was required to register for life as an “offender against children.”
Hope and Snider had to change residences in Indiana because their residences were within 1,000 feet of a park, daycare center, or other facility. Snider, Standish, Bash, and Rush could not attend their children’s school functions or parent-teacher meetings because SORA prohibits them from entering school grounds.
The Defendants asserted that each Plaintiff was required to register under SORA’s “substantial equivalency requirement” and the “other jurisdiction requirement.” The district court ruled that SORA violated several of Plaintiffs’ rights, including the right to travel, and that SORA’s requirements, as applied, could not stand. Defendants appealed. On appeal, the Defendants dropped their “substantial equivalency” grounds, relying only on the “other jurisdiction requirement.”
The Seventh Circuit observed that SORA was enacted in 1994. 1994 P.L. 11 § 7. It has been amended several times to remain in compliance with the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and, purportedly, to target those sex offenders most likely to recidivate. Each amendment expanded the number of offenses for which registration was required and/or expanded the duties required by registration. For example, the 1996 amendment required registration of offenders convicted in other states of offenses that would require registration if the offense had been committed in Indiana (“substantial equivalency requirement”). 1996 P.L. 32 § 2. This provision was made retroactive in 2001. 2001 P.L. 238 § 4. A 2006 amendment applied SORA’s requirements to any person who was required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction (“other jurisdiction requirement”). 2006 P.L. 140 § 5(b)(1).
Those amendments also made the burdens of registration more onerous: a registrant must report to the local sheriff in person at least once per year (unless the registrant was convicted of an offense that deemed him/her an SVP which requires a personal appearance every 90 days); the registrant must also personally appear before the sheriff of any county in which he or she works or attends school; homeless persons must personally appear every seven days; registrants at each appearance are photographed and must provide their physical descriptive information, birthdate, Social Security number, principal address, phone number, description and plate number of every vehicle they might drive, addresses of employers and schools they attend, email addresses and social media user names, and other information. If any of this information changes, the registrant must personally appear before a sheriff within 72 hours to report it. Registration requires several hours and often takes an entire day.
As mentioned above, there are also restrictions on where registrants may live, and registrants are prohibited from school premises. Registrants deemed to be SVPs or deemed “offenders against children” must register for life.
Due to these extensive burdens, the Indiana Supreme Court concluded that SORA “imposes significant affirmative obligations and a severe stigma on every person to whom it applies…. [And the] duties imposed are significant and intrusive.” Wallace. SORA has the effect of adding punishment beyond that which could have been imposed at the time of the offense; therefore, imposing the requirements on anyone whose offenses predated SORA’s enactment violates the ex post facto clause of the Indiana Constitution. Id.
Per Wallace, any Indiana resident whose offense occurred prior to SORA is not required to register – provided that person remained a resident of Indiana. But under the “other jurisdiction requirement,” any person relocating to Indiana must register under SORA if their previous state required that person to register. This “other jurisdiction requirement” applies even if that person would not be required to register if he or she committed the offense in Indiana and hadn’t left. That’s the reason why the provision violates the Plaintiffs’ right to travel, according to the Court.
The right to travel encompasses three related components: (1) the right to enter and leave a state, (2) the right of a citizen of one state to be treated as a welcome visitor in another state and not be treated as an unfriendly alien, and (3) the right to settle and become a permanent resident of a state and to be treated equally with other citizens of that state. Saenz v. Roe, 526 U.S. 489 (1999).
While the third component of the right to travel is not specifically enumerated in the federal Constitution, Saenz placed it squarely within the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Id. The instant case concerns the third component because Indiana created two classes of citizens: (A) residents whose qualifying offenses predated SORA’s other jurisdiction requirement and who never left Indiana, and (B) residents whose qualifying offenses predated SORA’s other jurisdiction requirement but who moved to Indiana from another state that required them to register. The former class of Indiana residents are not required to register while the latter class of Indiana residents must do so register.
The Saenz decision dealt with a California law that limited welfare benefits to newly arrived citizens for the first 12 months to no more than the amount they could have collected in their previous state. The U.S. Supreme Court concluded that “[n]either the duration of respondents’ California residence, nor the identity of their prior states of residence, has any relevance to their need for benefits. Nor do those factors bear any relationship to the state’s interest in making an equitable allocation of the funds to be distributed among its needy citizens.” Saenz. The U.S. Supreme Court recognized that states have a valid interest in preserving the fiscal integrity of their programs, but states “may not accomplish such a purpose by invidious distinctions between classes of its citizens.” Shapiro v. Thompson, 394 U.S. 618 (1969).
In the instant case, Indiana has a strong interest in protecting its residents from potential predations of sex offenders, the Court noted. But the Court explained that singling out only newer citizens with a history of sex offenses to the exclusion of more longstanding citizens with the same or similar criminal history doesn’t further the Defendants’ claimed interest. Doe v. Penn. Bd. of Prob. & Parole, 513 F.3d 95 (3d Cir. 2008). The distinction is irrational and violates equal protection. Id.
The Court concluded Indiana’s scheme under SORA places burdens on newer citizens and deprives them of the same rights and privileges of more longstanding citizens in violation of the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Consequently, SORA violates the Plaintiffs’ and other similarly situated Indiana residents’ right to travel.
Accordingly, the Court affirmed the judgment of the district court. See: Hope v. Commissioner of Indiana Department of Correction, 984 F.3d 532 (7th Cir. 2021).: https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=480482757006641182&q=984+F.3d+532+(7th+Cir.+2021)&hl=en&as_sdt=400006
Loaded on MARCH 15, 2021 by Douglas Ankney published in Criminal Legal News April, 2021, page 14
Source: https://www.criminallegalnews.org: https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2021/mar/15/seventh-circuit-indianas-sex-offender-registration-acts-other-jurisdiction-requirement-unconstitutional-violation-right-travel/
OR: SENATE BILL 499 SHOULD BECOME LAW
May 8, 2021
[eastoregonian.com – 5/8/21]
Earl Bain was wrongfully convicted in Malheur County in 2009 and spent six years in prison. After the complaining witness in his case recanted her story, with the help of the Oregon Innocence Project he was pardoned on the grounds of innocence by Gov. Kate Brown in August 2020.
For over six years of my life, I was wrongfully incarcerated in an Oregon prison. I was convicted in Malheur County of a crime I did not commit and falsely labeled as having abused my own child. I was living a nightmare, but I couldn’t wake up.
Last year, Gov. Kate Brown granted me a pardon on the grounds of my innocence, the first time she has issued a pardon on that basis. I no longer carry the labels of “felon” or “sex offender” but the problems stemming from my wrongful conviction are far from over.
Due to my conviction, I lost the good career I had in the military and can’t go back to it. I am a combat veteran who served my country in Afghanistan, but that didn’t count for anything when the state took everything from me and sent me to prison.
…
Trying to overcome all of this has been a tremendous struggle for me and my family. The stigma of my wrongful conviction is such that every time I meet someone new, I have had to worry about what they are thinking about me. I have had to try to find words to explain that I’m not who my conviction said I was.
I’m free now, and my innocence has been recognized, but I’m still trying to rebuild my life. I had to start over when I got out of prison and the challenges I face have not come to an end just because I no longer have the wrongful conviction on my record.
People like me are just asking for a fair shot. We lost everything and it was the criminal justice system that took it from us. I believe it’s time for Oregon to recognize exonerees and address the harm that has been done to us. I am an innocent man, but those are just words. How can the state be allowed to take everything away from me and shrug its shoulders after I am exonerated?
Read the full article: https://www.eastoregonian.com/opinion/columnists/other-views-senate-bill-499-should-become-law/article_e130ae0e-ae8b-11eb-b342-53ca129a927b.html
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Texas Deputies Say They Were 'Molested and Traumatized' by Colleagues During Federally Funded Prostitution Stings
ELIZABETH NOLAN BROWN | 5.25.2021 9:38 AM
Several high-ranking Harris County law enforcement officers are accused of sexually assaulting and harassing their female colleagues under the guise of stopping human trafficking. In a new federal lawsuit, women currently or formerly employed with the Harris County Constable's Office accuse Precinct 1 Constable of having "molested and traumatized" them in the course of conducting prostitution stings paid for by the federal government.
Read more here: https://reason.com/2021/05/25/texas-deputies-say-they-were-molested-and-traumatized-by-colleagues-during-federally-funded-prostitution-stings/
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Pastor arrested for secretly filming men using the urinal in the church restroom
Parishioners found the camera and turned in the wayward minister.
Thursday, May 27, 2021
West Virginia pastor William Page, 59, has been arrested for secretly filming parishioners using the men’s restroom of the church.
Authorities say in a criminal complaint that they were called to the church after members found “a smartphone had been placed upon a ledge above a urinal.”
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I want to personal and respectively bow my head to who ever hid Roman Polanski from the Nazis and the same for all those who are hiding him from the sex offender (Nazi like) obsessed, perverted justice system; of our country.
MAY 31, 2021 2:09 PM0
Director Roman Polanski Talks Holocaust Childhood in New Documentary Filmed in Polish Hometown of Krakow
The documentary also showed footage of Polanski meeting for the first time the grandson of Stefania and Jan Buchala, a Polish Catholic couple who hid him from the Nazis. The late Buchala’s were honored last year by Yad Vashem with the title of “Righteous Among the Nations” for helping to save Jews during World War II.
Kokoszka-Romer said the film does not mention the multiple sexual assault accusations against Polanski, who is sought for arrest by United States authorities.
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MI: BILL TO CREATE CHILD ABUSE OFFENDERS REGISTRY HEADS TO THE MICHIGAN HOUSE
May 11, 2021
[fox47news.com – 5/11/21]
Parents don’t always know just who is caring for or spending time with their children.
“I believe strongly that parents have a right to know if someone who is living with their children or if someone’s taking care of their children that they’ve had a history of child abuse,” said State Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. (D-East Lansing) who created new legislation called Wyatt’s Law alongside his brother Rep. Kevin Hertel (D-18).
The law which passed the Michigan Senate in late April would create a database much like the sex offenders registry, maintained by the Michigan State Police. The database would log the information of people convicted of child abuse and make it more accessible to the community.
Read the full article: https://www.fox47news.com/neighborhoods/state-capitol/bill-to-create-child-abuse-offenders-registry-heads-to-the-michigan-house
IN: EN BANC SEVENTH CIRCUIT HEARS CHALLENGE TO INDIANA SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY LAW
May 21, 2021
[courthousenews.com – 5/20/21]
Indiana argued before the full Seventh Circuit on Thursday that state law does not place unfair registration requirements on sex offenders moving to the Hoosier State.
At issue is a provision of the Indiana Sex Offender Registry Act requiring people convicted of sex offenses who relocate to Indiana to register as sex offenders, even if the crime was committed before the law was passed. The plaintiffs are challenging its retroactive application.
The requirement creates a situation where an Indiana resident who was not required register as a sex offender would have to register if they moved out of state and then chose to move back because they had a past conviction.
In January, a split three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit issued a ruling that upheld a lower court ruling and found that the registry requirement is unconstitutional because it creates two classes of citizens upon which it imposes a different set of rules.
“The other jurisdiction requirement of Indiana’s SORA imposes a duty to register and its attendant burdens upon a relocating citizen that it would not impose upon a lifelong Indiana resident. The privileges or immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits this differential treatment,” wrote U.S. Circuit Judge Ilana Rovner, a George H.W. Bush appointee, who authored the majority’s opinion.
However, the state disagreed with the split panel’s decision and asked for the case to be heard in front of the en banc Seventh Circuit.
Read the full article: https://www.courthousenews.com/en-banc-seventh-circuit-hears-challenge-to-indiana-sex-offender-registry-law/
TX: DEPUTY’S DYING CONFESSION LEADS TO CHILD SEX CRIME CHARGES
May 27, 2021
[abc13.com – 5/21/21]
A deputy reportedly confessed to sexual assault of a child before he took his own life. In the process, he reportedly implicated two female colleagues. They have now been fired, arrested and charged.
Watch the video: https://abc13.com/10675694/
IL: ‘PREDATOR HUNTER’ LEADER INDICTED AFTER ALLEGED STING OPERATION TO TRAP SUPPOSED SEXUAL PREDATORS
May 29, 2021
[nbcnews.com – 5/28/21]
An Illinois man who created a Facebook group known to track potential sexual predators was charged in connection with a sting operation that went awry in early January, prosecutors said Monday.
Kyle Swanson, 30, was indicted on a charge of unlawful restraint, obstruction of justice and assault in connection with his involvement with the KTS Predators Hunter Organization, according to court records. For more than two years, the vigilante group has posed as children on social media, tricked men into meeting up at public spaces in Illinois and uploaded YouTube videos of them confronting the supposed pedophiles.
During a Jan. 12 incident, prosecutors alleged that Swanson “enticed” a man into his car under a false pretense, refused to let him exit the vehicle and threatened to hit him, the charging document said. Because of Swanson, prosecutors alleged that the man deleted evidence of a crime from his phone.
Read the full article: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/predator-hunter-leader-indicted-after-alleged-sting-operation-trap-supposed-n1268910
IA: AUDIT SAYS EMPLOYEE AT IOWA SEX OFFENDER UNIT FALSIFIED HUSBAND’S WORK HOURS TO COLLECT MORE THAN $50,000
June 2, 2021
[msn.com – 6/2/21]
Iowa’s sex offender treatment facility is facing questions over falsified time card records said to have netted an employee and her husband more than $52,000 in unearned income.
For more than a year, the administrative assistant manipulated records to show her husband — a part-time employee of the facility — was working at times he wasn’t, according to an investigation released Wednesday by the state auditor’s office.
Over about 18 months, Renae Rapp was able to orchestrate at least $52,618.19 in excessive pay for her husband, Adam, the report said.
No criminal charges have been filed.
Read the full article: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/audit-says-employee-at-iowa-sex-offender-unit-falsified-husbands-work-hours-to-collect-more-than-dollar50000/ar-AAKDan1
LEGAL SCHOLARS TO CONSIDER ELIMINATION OF PUBLIC REGISTRY NEXT WEEK
June 2, 2021
[ACSOL]
Members of the American Law Institute (ALI), the most important and prestigious organization of legal scholars and prominent attorneys in the nation, will consider a proposal next week that could significantly change the nation’s sex offender laws. The most significant of those changes would be the elimination of public registries in all 50 state. The proposal also includes, but is not limited to, recommendations to abolish all public notification laws as well as most residency restrictions, internet restrictions and GPS location monitoring.
“The ALI drafts model laws that often become statutes as well as restatements of the law that are widely cited as authority in judicial opinions,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “ACSOL thanks ALI for focusing its attention on the plethora of laws that harm registrants and their families and that do not increase public safety.”
The outcome of the ALI members’ voting is uncertain. As of today, there appear to be at least three different groups of members — those who support the proposal, those who oppose the proposal because it goes too far and those who oppose the proposal because it doesn’t go far enough.
One organization that opposes the proposal because it goes too far is the U. S. Department of Justice. The federal agency stated in a formal comment that, if adopted, the proposal “would attempt to unravel sex offender registration and notification systems nationwide, severely limit law enforcement information-sharing capacity, weaken youth-serving organizations’ ability to conduct background checks to protect children, and strip victims’ and the public’s right to know if convicted sex offenders live, work, or go to school in their communities.” The federal agency sharply criticized the ALI proposal because the agency believes the proposal “relies on questionable and discredited research regarding the effects of sex offender registration and repeatedly draws conclusions that are unsupported by scientific evidence.”
In his reply to the U.S. Department of Justice comments, ACSOL board member as well as ALI member Ira Ellman, stated that “what is discredited by the clear and rather overwhelming consensus of the peer-reviewed scholarly work are the central factual assumptions…that are usually offered to justify the registry system.” Ellman explained that there are three kinds of studies that establish the limited value of a public registry. He also pointed out that a study commissioned by the federal SMART office concluded that residency restrictions are ineffective.
“It is important to keep in mind that the registry is not and cannot be justified or explained as punishment for the crime that triggers its imposition. Everyone required to register has already been punished,” Ellman stated. “No similar regime has ever been imposed on any other group of law-abiding former felons who have fully served the sentence for the crime they committed years earlier.”
Those who oppose the proposal include journalist William Dobbs because he believes the ALI proposal does not go far enough. Instead of restricting the registry only to law enforcement officials, Dobbs advocates the total elimination of all sex offender registries.
Download PDFs:
TD 5 DOJ Comments: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TD-5-DOJ-Comments.pdf
TD 5 Posted comment: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TD-5-Posted-comment.pdf
NY: A 7-YEAR-OLD WAS ACCUSED OF RAPE. IS ARRESTING HIM THE ANSWER?
June 3, 2021
[news.yahoo.com – 6/3/21]
At the forested edge of the Canadian border this spring, state police arrested a person from the hamlet of Brasher Falls, New York, population about 1,000. He was charged with rape.
The pain of such crimes often tears small towns apart without rippling beyond their borders. But following the March 23 arrest, news of the arrest ricocheted far beyond the hamlet.
The resident charged with rape was a 7-year-old boy.
Little is known about the circumstances of the arrest, the specifics of the allegations or the case’s disposition. The records of cases involving children are kept private. But in New York, the arrest reignited a discussion about how the justice system deals with so-called young offenders.
Judges, juvenile justice experts and lawyers who have handled such cases from both sides of the courtroom say arrests traumatize children, ensnare them in the legal system and increase their chance of recidivism. Arresting children so young, they say, ignores the science of brain development and in an attempt to seek justice often achieves the opposite result.
“What we know now is that the science doesn’t support prosecution of second graders,” said Dawne Mitchell, who leads the Legal Aid Society’s juvenile rights practice. Citing cognitive science that shows such young children lack true awareness of the consequences of their actions, and that emphasizes the psychological trauma of being cuffed and prosecuted, Mitchell is one of a growing number of experts across the country urging states to raise their age minimums.
Read the full article: https://news.yahoo.com/7-old-accused-rape-arresting-120427916.html
SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT DECLARES LIFETIME REGISTRATION WITHOUT COURT ASSESSMENT TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
June 9, 2021
[ACSOL]
The Supreme Court of South Carolina issued a decision today that declared unconstitutional lifetime registration in that state because the state does not provide registrants “any opportunity for judicial review to assess the risk of re-offending.” Specifically, the Court ruled that lifetime registration violates the due process clause of the 14th Amendment.
“Because of this decision, registrants in South Carolina will no longer be required to register for life unless and until a court assesses their risk of re-offending,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This is a big step in the right direction, however, it remains to be seen if registrants’ rights will be protected during those court assessments.”
In its decision, the Court determined that South Carolina’s current lifetime registration requirement is not “rationally related to the legislature’s stated purpose of protecting the public from those with a high risk of re-offending.” The Court then explained that “the lifetime inclusion of individuals who have a low risk of re-offending renders the registry over-inclusive and dilutes its utility by creating an ever-growing list of registrants that is less effective at protecting the public and meeting the needs of law enforcement.”
The Court noted in its decision that “there is no evidence in the record that current statistics indicate all sex offenders pose a high risk of re-offending.” The Court also noted that “recent empirical studies cast significant doubt on the pronouncement…that sex offenders’ risk of recidivism is ‘frightening and high.'” One of those studies, “Frightening and High,” was written by ACSOL board member Ira Ellman.
In its decision, the Court also ruled that the state government of South Carolina may lawfully publish personal information about a registrant on the internet, including but not limited to, the state’s Megan’s Law website.
Download a PDF of the decision:
Powell v. Keel – South Carolina – lifetime registration unconstitutional – June 2021: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Powell-v.-Keel-South-Carolina-lifetime-registration-unconstitutional-June-2021.pdf
June 14, 2021
Is It Time To Get Rid of the Sex Offender Registry? Emily Horowitz Says Yes.
The Unspeakable Podcast
Society & Culture
One sure way to lose a popularity contest is to fight for the rights of convicted sex offenders. But The National Sex Offender Registry, which was established during an era of panic over crime and child danger, has come with a host of unintended consequences. Sociologist Emily Horowitz is one of a handful of academics and researchers who speaking out against the registry, showing how it’s yet another blunt instrument of “tough on crime” 1990s legislation and ultimately does more to ruins lives than to protect kids. Emily spoke with Meghan about what led her to this work and why our assumptions about sexual predators are often wrong. She also explained some of the reasons why sexual abuse against children, and sexual violence in general, has declined over the last 30 years—for reasons having nothing to do with the registry.
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This ain't right.:
"We're becoming a sanctuary state for statutory rape."
Those are the words of a county official in North Carolina, where the minimum age for marriage was just 12 years old as recently as 2001. After years and years of struggle and haunting opposition, the minimum age for marriage has only just increased to 16 in 2021. This slow movement is not only dangerous for the children of North Carolina — it's attracting people from surrounding states who want to bring in kids to marry.
Since other states have been actually strengthening anti-child marriage laws, North Carolina has become a hot destination spot for child bride seekers. In most cases of child marriage, a young girl is yoked off to a much older man — an automatic power imbalance that often leads to severe abuse and cutting short of her childhood in a terrifying way, none of which she could have meaningfully understood or consented to.
Studies have shown that child brides have higher "rates of domestic violence, poverty, early pregnancy and the likelihood of negative physical and mental health outcomes." They are less likely to finish high school, college, and far more likely to eventually get a divorce. These literal children need our protection because, unfortunately, North Carolina lawmakers won't do it without us raising our voices. Sign the petition and demand that North Carolina raise the minimum age for marriage to 18 with no exceptions!
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Bravo to the great state of Pennsylvania. This man is dying. I have said this many times online; the one thing we all have in common is we are all going to die. That should also be the one thing that unites us.
Bill Cosby conviction overturned: Timeline of events leading to actor’s release – Fresno, California
Fresno, California 2021-06-30 14:47:03
2020
In the first major interview in 6 years, Camille Cosby broke the silence After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed to hear part of her husband Bill Cosby’s appeal to overturn the 2018 sexual assault case.
Read more here: https://eminetra.com/bill-cosby-conviction-overturned-timeline-of-events-leading-to-actors-release-fresno-california/619487/
Drag queen arrested for “sexual assault” after audience member complains about twerking stage act
The queen, a sexual assault survivor, was taken to jail in full drag and held for 38 hours after she fell on a woman during the performance and her costume got caught on the woman's top.
June 29, 2021
DC drag queen Kabuki Bukkake was arrested for “unwanted sexual assault” after she fell on top of an audience member during a Pride drag brunch. The performer was taken to jail in full drag and held for 38 hours before being released after prosecutors declined to file charges.
The queen had pulled the woman on stage during the performance when the accident occurred and her costume got caught on the woman’s top. One of the straps on the woman’s top ripped, but her breasts were not exposed.
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CO: MANDATORY LIFETIME JUVENILE SEX OFFENSE REGISTRATION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, COLORADO SUPREME COURT RULES
June 28, 2021
Source: denverpost.com 6/28/21
Juveniles cannot be mandated to register as lifelong “sex offenders” in Colorado if there is no way for offenders to be individually assessed or to later be removed from the registry, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday.
The 6-1 decision follows a new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday that eliminates mandatory lifetime sex offense registration for juveniles who commit multiple sex offenses. The law takes effect Sept. 1.
The justices found that mandating all people who committed multiple sex offenses when they were children to register for life as “sex offenders” constitutes cruel and unusual punishment that violates the Eighth Amendment.
“Mandatory lifetime ‘sex offender’ registration brands juveniles as irredeemably depraved based on acts committed before reaching adulthood,” Justice Monica Márquez wrote. “But a wealth of social science and jurisprudence confirms what common sense suggests: Juveniles are different. Minors have a tremendous capacity to change and reform.”
The case came before the court from a man who committed two sex offenses as a child, when he was 11 and 15. He was mandated to register as a “sex offender” for the rest of his life, but petitioned to be removed from the registry when he was about 20 years old because it was harming his career and making it difficult for him to secure an apartment.
The state Supreme Court found that mandatory lifelong “sex offender” registration for juveniles stands in “direct opposition to the goals of the juvenile justice system,” which focuses on rehabilitation and restoration over punishment.
Chief Justice Brian Boatright dissented from Monday’s ruling, finding that registration as a “sex offender” is not punishment, and so cannot violate the Eighth Amendment.
“I realize that there are challenges associated with ‘sex offender’ registration. I will even go so far as to say that lifetime ‘sex offender’ registration for juveniles, without the possibility of deregistration, is unfair,” he wrote in his dissent. “But something being unfair does not mean it is unconstitutional.”
See court decision file here: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Colorado-Sex-Offender-Registration-Act%C2%AD-Juveniles-Cruel-and-Unusual-Punishment-19SC690.pdf
CO: SUPREME COURT’S DECISION ON SEX OFFENSE REGISTRY LEAVES SOME EYEING A BROADER CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE
June 30, 2021
Although the Colorado Supreme Court insisted its ruling applied narrowly, advocates for defendants believe the justices have laid a foundation for challenging the constitutionality of the state’s sex offense registration laws more broadly.
On Monday, the Court decided by 6-1 that it violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment for Colorado to require repeat juveniles convicted of a sex offense to register for life on the sex offense registry without possibility of removal. Justice Monica M. Márquez, writing for the majority, found one overriding principle that guided the determination.
“[A] wealth of social science and jurisprudence confirms what common sense suggests: Juveniles are different,” she noted.
The decision was significant, given that federal and state courts in Colorado have repeatedly affirmed that sex offense registration is not punishment, and therefore cannot be cruel and unusual. At the same time, the detailed nature of the majority and dissenting opinions — 72 pages in total — was somewhat ironic given that
last week, Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation enabling juveniles who were not convicted of subsequent sex offenses as adults to be able to discontinue their registration.
Within the majority’s rationale for striking down the mandatory lifetime registration for children, however, some saw hope for challenging the constitutionality of similar requirements for other populations.
“I would not be at all surprised if, at some point in the relatively near future, someone argues that adult lifetime sex offense registry is punishment etc., and cites this opinion’s reasoning in support,” said Ian P. Farrell, a constitutional and criminal law professor at the University of Denver.
In the case at hand, an adult identified as T.B. committed two sexual offenses as a child, one at 11 years of age and the second at 15. Beginning in 2010, T.B. attempted to discontinue his sex offense registration, with his probation officer testifying that he did a “phenomenal job” in treatment, had completely changed from who he was as a juvenile, and encountered barriers finding a better job or an apartment because of his status as a registered “sex offender”.
The Court’s majority noted that the General Assembly did not intend for Colorado’s registry to be a form of punishment, but instead to aid law enforcement and allow the public to “adequately protect themselves and their children” from people who committed sex crimes. Yet, the consequences of being on a registry did, in fact, resemble punishment: retribution, deterrence, public shaming and — for juveniles subject to lifetime registration — an ordeal disproportionate to the goal of merely protecting the community.
“In an era of social media, these realities are especially striking for juveniles convicted of a sex offense who are branded with the label of “sex offender” before their adult lives have even begun,” Márquez wrote.
Turning to the question of whether the punishment was cruel and unusual, Márquez leaned heavily on prior court decisions and scientific literature showing a low likelihood of children reoffending after the first few years, and inherently less culpability due to their developing brains.
“Juveniles frequently exhibit an underdeveloped sense of responsibility, a greater susceptibility to outside pressures, and more transitory personality traits, all of which suggest that, over time, ‘a greater possibility exists that a minor’s character deficiencies will be reformed,'” she explained, quoting from a U.S. Supreme Court case on the subject of juvenile punishment.
The justices issued their ruling even though the new law prohibiting mandatory lifetime registration for juveniles takes effect on September 1. Gail K. Johnson, the attorney for T.B., said the Court did so because the injury to her client was ongoing.
“No one wants to be on a sex offense registry. It affects all aspects of one’s life,” she said. It affects the ability to get housing. It affects the ability to get a job. It affects the ability to find a romantic partner. It affects how one feels about oneself. It is far- reaching.”
A registrant must provide their name, including aliases, date of birth, address, place of employment, vehicle information, locations where the person works or attends classes, and re-register at least annually.
Márquez made it clear that the Court was not speaking to the
constitutionality of lifetime registration for adults, nor was it casting judgment on the practice of registering children in the first place.
However, Johnson and other attorneys believed the Court’s majority had presented a decent argument for striking down mandatory lifetime registration for other groups of people, if not for everyone.
“I believe this opinion opens up an attack for the 18-26 age group, that young adults whose brain has not fully developed can be rehabilitated and thus lifetime registration for this class violates the Eighth Amendment,” said Denver criminal defense attorney Christopher Braddock.
One passage in particular appeared to support the notion that the effects of mandatory lifetime registration amount to punishment universally.
“In sum,” Márquez wrote, “mandatory lifetime sex offense registration for juveniles imposes affirmative disabilities and restraints; resembles traditional shame-based punishments; promotes deterrence and retribution; applies only to criminal offenses; and does not bear a rational relationship to — and is excessive in light of — its nonpunitive purposes.”
Sandy Rozek of the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws said, in reviewing the Court’s opinion, that the “reasons given for juveniles regarding lifetime registration apply to adults also. The registry, whether applied to juveniles or adults, creates conditions which inhibit successful rehabilitation and is therefore against the best interest of society.”
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 first decided in Smith v. Doe that sex offense registries were not punishment, when it held that
Alaska’s sex offense registration protocol was constitutional. Other courts have generally abided by that ruling, with the Denver- based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit issuing two decisions last year reiterating that mandatory lifetime registration was not cruel and unusual punishment.
Although those subject to registration described the harassment and shunning they received by nature of appearing on the registry, the 10th Circuit dismissed such treatment as a “collateral consequence” of the law, and not an additional punishment beyond their criminal sentence.
“Courts have employed impressive logical gymnastics to avoid calling these laws punishments or to say they don’t count as punitive under the relevant constitutional clauses,” said Michael F. Caldwell, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Wisconsin- Madison who has written about juvenile sex offense recidivism.
Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright, the lone dissenter in the T.B. case, insisted that Colorado follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedent of declining to label registration as punishment. He added that age alone was not a factor that turns a consequence into punishment.
“I realize that there are challenges associated with sex offense registration. I will even go so far as to say that lifetime sex offense registration for juveniles, without the possibility of deregistration, is unfair,” he wrote. “But something being unfair does not mean it is unconstitutional.”
In recent years, cracks in the consensus have begun to form, as the T.B. case illustrated. Márquez pointed to a string of decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court treating children differently from
adults in criminal sentencing, such as the 2012 prohibition on life sentences without the possibility of parole. And earlier this month, the South Carolina Supreme Court struck down the state’s lifetime sex offense registration requirement, which afforded very little opportunity for removal from the registry.
In addition, requirements for sex offense registration and community notification have expanded since the
2003 Smith decision, to the point where one federal court described Michigan’s registration regime as “a byzantine code governing in minute detail the lives of the state’s sex offenders.”
Past court decisions have generally allowed changes in registration laws to apply retroactively, said Laurie Rose Kepros, the director of sexual litigation at Colorado’s Office of the State Public Defender, despite the U.S. Constitution’s Ex Post Facto Clause prohibiting the imposition of punishments more severe than they were at the time the crime was committed. Although
the T.B. decision is the first time the Colorado Supreme Court has found any part of the state’s registry unconstitutional, Kepros indicated that hundreds of people are prosecuted every year for failing to register, sometimes for logistical reasons.
“People on the registry are not entitled to court-appointed counsel to help them file petitions to discontinue registration when they become eligible,” she said. As a consequence, some registrants “found the bureaucracy of the process too overwhelming to navigate without legal counsel and often were unable to afford counsel themselves.”
According to a U.S. Department of Justice analysis, measuring recidivism for people who have committed sex crimes is difficult,
and studies attempting to estimate re-offense rates ranged
from 5% within three years of prison release to 24% after 15 years. One study from 2003 concluded that the re-arrest rate for people convicted of a sex offense was lower than for other types of offenses,
and research from 2004 found recidivism rates decreased the longer someone had gone without re-offending.
As of 2020, there were an estimated 20,000 people in Colorado’s registry. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation
reported processing 436 orders discontinuing registration in 2019. To discontinue registration, a court must weigh the risk that a person is likely to commit a subsequent sex crime.
Catherine L. Carpenter, a professor at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, believed Colorado’s Supreme Court may someday decide that lifetime registration for adults is punishment, but doubted the Court would find it cruel and unusual. An opponent of mandatory lifetime registration as well as registration for children, Carpenter said registration regimes do not necessarily further public safety.
“Sometimes we have laws in place and we make a big deal about them, a big performance out of them, only because it serves the public’s desire for it,” she said. “Taking off our shoes at the airport is a good example.”
Source: Colorado-6-30-21.pdf: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Colorado-6-30-21.pdf
PEOPLE CONVICTED OF VIOLENT CRIMES ARE RARELY REARRESTED FOR NEW VIOLENT CRIMES
June 30, 2021
Source: https://sentencingproject.salsalabs.org/recidivism_report?wvpId=19f4d241-0dae-46c2-869e-63270fff8d26
As featured by CNN this morning, today The Sentencing Project released a comprehensive analysis on recidivism, documenting the widespread evidence that people convicted of homicide and other crimes of violence rarely commit new crimes of violence after release from long-term imprisonment. International studies, too, find low rates of recidivism among this population, suggesting that we can release people much sooner than we currently do.
The report, A New Lease on Life, draws upon international, national, and state-level research, and revealed that racially charged fear-mongering by media and policymakers led to the lengthening of prison sentences. Indeed, most state-level studies show that people who are released from life sentences are imprisoned for new offenses at a rate of less than 5%.
The report includes compelling personal experiences by people who have been released from prison after being sentenced to life.
Click to watch Andrew Hundley of the Louisiana Parole Project and Michael Mendoza of California’s Anti-Recidivism Coalition share their experiences.
[Click here to view the original page with active links]: https://sentencingproject.salsalabs.org/recidivism_report?wvpId=19f4d241-0dae-46c2-869e-63270fff8d26
IS THE TIDE TURNING AGAINST PUBLIC SEX OFFENSE REGISTRIES?
July 2, 2021
On June 8, the American Law Institute, arguably the most prestigious non-governmental law reform organization in the country, concluded its national meeting.
One of its agenda items was to have its thousands of elected members—top federal appeals judges among them, who enjoy lifetime appointments after being confirmed by the United States Senate—vote on a draft of the revised chapter of the Model Penal Code for sex crimes. The Model Penal Code, first codified in 1962, helps guide legislation as well as interpretative decisions by courts.
ALI’s membership voted to approve the most recent draft, which included seismic proposed changes to state sex offense registries.
Perhaps most importantly, the approved draft states that these registries should be limited to law enforcement access for law enforcement purposes, as is the case in virtually every other country besides the US.
Currently, the identifies of people registered as having committed sex crimes can be searched on public online databases, along with a slew of other data including their home addresses. The rationale for this has been that it enables parents to make informed decisions about who their children can interact with. But it also means that exile, extortion and vigilante violence are often perpetrated against people with such convictions, and even their family members.
Today, Supreme Court jurisprudence still holds that public registries of this kind are not “punishment,” though lower courts are growing more skeptical.
ALI’s proposed changes would match the recommendations of the academic literature, which shows that people convicted of sex offenses have low reoffense rates and that public registration hinders rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Studies show that beyond rehabilitation, public registration is already such a thoroughly soul-crushing punishment that it disincentivizes following the law for people subject to it. Nonetheless, politically speaking, this change to state registries would be an almost impossible endeavor.
Several traditional victims’ rights organizations and one major prosecutor organization, the National District Attorneys Association, previously pleaded with ALI membership to reject the draft of the revised chapter. The NDAA represents elected top local prosecutors nationwide. On June 4, these groups sent a letter questioning sentencing ranges for certain crimes, which crimes qualify a person for the registry, and other items.
Influential groups on both sides of the debate have shifted.
What is actually surprising is what they left out.
The letter states that the suggestion that the registry be restricted to law enforcement access is problematic because there is “no exception for organizations conducting background checks for employment or volunteer positions which involve interaction with or care of children.”
This is a reasonable point of debate. The United Kingdom, for example, allows these types of organizations to inquire about its national registry on a need-to-know basis.
But the letter makes no following argument that registries should be public for all purposes for anyone who wants to know. This omission is essentially a tacit concession that there is no legitimate public safety argument to be made in favor of a public registry—that any marginal gains of parents being able to search online registries are outweighed by the well-documented harms of such public exposure.
So while the international outlier status of the US on this issue isn’t about to end, influential groups on both sides of the debate have shifted in that direction.
We should remember that some people are placed on sex offender registries for relatively innocuous reasons, such as close-in-age sexual relationships or public urination. Others have committed egregious crimes. Regardless, there is, as you’d expect, little public sympathy for anyone on the register.
That does not make it acceptable to treat people, even those who have done terrible things, as less than human. There has to be a way back into society, and the chance of a rebuilt life, for people who have been convicted or incarcerated.
Reasonable public protection measures, as we see elsewhere in the world, are warranted. But it is not justifiable that our official government policy is to put these people on a hit list for permanent shaming, ostracization and vigilante targeting. Nor should their loved ones be dismissed as collateral damage, like they are today.
Final Draft of Key Portions of The Model Penal Code: https://ww1.womenagainstregistry.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Key-portions-of-Tentative-Draft-No.5-May-2021-model-penal-code.pdf
HIGH PRICE FOR MORAL PANIC OVER HISTORICAL SEXUAL ABUSE
July 9, 2021
Have a look at these extraordinary figures. Two years into our National Redress Scheme (NRS) for victims of institutional sexual abuse, over $500 million has been paid to 5,920 of 10,000 applicants who have so far applied – a mere blip compared to the 60,000 victims assumed to be eligible.
The total cost of the scheme is estimated at an astonishing $4.01 billion, according to the Royal Commission’s report on redress. Responsible institutions, like the churches, are paying out part of this money but the Commonwealth Government has already handed out $55 million to social security to run the scheme, and state governments are also forking out for compensation for institutions like reform schools, which in NSW accounted for over a third of the payments to survivors.
Many would see this costly reparation as entirely appropriate compensation for the failure of our society to protect children from such suffering. Who could not have been moved by witnessing these troubled souls reveal horrific stories of abuse, which were paraded before us in nightly news programs throughout the Royal Commission?
There’s no doubt such abuse took place, and many children had their lives destroyed by dangerous people exploiting their vulnerability and the institutions which protected them.
That said, it is still troubling that this entire enterprise has been swept up in a moral crusade which prohibits any questions being asked about how many of the people who came forward were indeed survivors.
Richard Guilliatt, well-respected writer for The Australian Magazine, wrote in 2107 about disquiet in the legal community about the way the Royal Commission was being conducted. He reported the story of a man, BYA, who claimed for 40 years to have repressed his memories of being sexually abused by five leaders of the Church of England’s Boys Society – memories which he claimed resurfaced during therapy. As Richard pointed out, numerous authorities have warned that repressed memories can be false or unreliable, yet the Royal Commission accepted any number of similar recovered memory cases without questioning.
Indeed, the policy of the commission was to ask only “minimal questions” of the people coming forward with allegations. The commission went on the record assuring Guilliatt that “but for a few witnesses, evidence of individuals has not been challenged before the commission.”
That’s the pattern which has emerged in similar public inquiries across the world. Survivors are applauded for their courage in coming forward and telling their stories, their allegations not subjected to any proper examination and even the most inconceivable stories accepted as fact.
And woe betide any professional who asks too many questions about what’s going on here – particularly if he happens to be a well-known social work professor.
Intrepid Scottish social work professor, Mark Smith
I spoke recently on thinkspot to Mark Smith, professor of Social Work at the University of Dundee, in Scotland. Here’s the video of our long chat together.
Having started his career working as a social worker at a residential school, Mark told me of a school he knew where over 90 workers ended up being accused of historical abuse. This led him to become involved in examining and writing about the wave of allegations then sweeping the UK, including the Jimmy Savile saga.
During our conversation Mark describes how, following the “Giving Victims a Voice” investigation into Savile, conducted by the Metropolitan Police and a large children’s charity, police simply declared the man to be one of the UK’s most prolific known sexual predators – based primarily on a flood of allegations often with no attempt whatsoever at verification.
In fact, some of the allegations made about Savile were highly improbable, when accusers gave factually incorrect information about dates and other details of Duncroft school, which he was alleged to have treated like “a paedophile sweet shop”.
Like America’s McMartin preschool scandal where allegations of satanic abuse of children were ultimately disproved, many recent child abuse moral panics in the UK proved grossly exaggerated, if not based on total fabrications like Carl Beech’s infamous pedophile accusations about high-ranking members of the British establishment.
But in the current climate no one wants to subject these witchhunts to proper scrutiny. Mark mentioned being asked to write a review for a professional journal of a book which forensically deconstructed evidence supporting allegations of a huge Welsh pedophile ring. Mark wrote a favourable review of this careful, eight-year analysis only to have it knocked back by the journal editor who announced he didn’t think the social worker readers would like it.
Meaning, it challenged the “believe all victims” script which was capturing so much of his profession. That’s a mighty dangerous career move in this current climate – as the good professor has indeed discovered.
Yet, as our long conversation reveals, this thoughtful man continues to write about the risks of our current course: “Failure to question in a reasoned and suitably reflexive way allows other abuses of, for instance, due process or the presumption of innocence to seep, unquestioned, into the body politic which, in turn, leads to false allegations and wrongful convictions. Furthermore, from an academic position, failure to subject contested subject matter to rigorous scrutiny, just because it is sensitive, leads to the debasement of social scientific research.”
There are numerous false alarms
I first came across Mark Smith’s work in an excellent book, Wrongful Allegations of Sexual and Child Abuse, edited by Dr Ros Burnett who is a senior research associate at the Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford. Ros has written about why it is too easy for innocent people to be wrongly accused of sexual abuse.
Her article made the following point: “When the beep goes as a person walks through the airport metal detector, we don’t immediately assume that a terrorist has been caught. We know there are numerous false alarms. But when someone is caught in the spotlight of publicity after being accused of historical child abuse, s/he will be cast in the image of a sexual predator with usually no forensic means of revealing the error.” And usually cast in that image for the rest of his life.
Ambulance chasing lawyers
I had the most extraordinary chat this week with one of the many lawyers competing with the NRS for victims seeking compensation. Law firms across the country tout for business promising far higher payouts for survivors. MoodyLaw boasts online that they’ve settled civil clams “at five times the amount that the NRS would have paid”.
One of other key lawyers cheerfully explained to me that it is a piece of cake filling in the online NRS forms, requiring just a few paragraphs to hop the low bar required for the average payments – currently running at $84,000. Say you discover someone who was at school with you received a payout after making an accusation about a particular Rugby coach, then, “… there’s nothing to stop you saying the same thing happened to you,” he said. Get the accused’s name right, dates rights, and you’ll just sail through.
The civil claims took a bit more, he explained, with his clients having to go through psychiatric reports and front up to alternative dispute resolution but even here lawyers for the institutions are under orders “to just roll over”. Provided you were in the right place at the right time, and dates and names line up, no one questions the accuser’s story. And here institutions and our governments pay out far bigger bucks.
The price of keeping our heads in the sand.
The money is one thing but the dreadful damage to the reputation of these men, some of whom are being falsely accused, is even more worrying. And then there’s the corruption of our legal system as due process rights for accused men are undermined.
We all understand the moral hazard at play here, with such major incentives encouraging false accusations and faulty recollections.
It is most troubling witnessing this hijacking of our society’s good intentions of compensating people who suffered when we turned a blind eye to the abuse of little children. We’ve allowed this worthy cause to be overrun by a moral panic which has forced our institutions, our politicians, our professionals to cower before the baying mob while the rest of us are intimidated into silence.
Sara Jane’s Parkinson’s crooked cop husband evades justice again.
Many of you will have followed the chilling case of Sarah Jane Parkinson, who was sent to prison after making false rape and violence accusations against her ex-fiance, Dan Jones. The whole story is featured on Mothers of Sons, as Dan’s mother, Michelle explains the terrible damage caused to their family.
Despite the best efforts of the Jones family and many of my followers to lobby the ACT parole board, Parkinson was released after serving the minimum non parole period of just over 2 years. She is currently living with her suspended NSW police officer husband, Scott John White, in the Wollongong area and has changed her name to Sarah Jane White.
This has given her plenty of time to collude with Scott White who was facing a trial for perjury last week, on the 28th of June. The hearing was put off due to the Covid lockdowns and now the case looks likely to be heard in November.
White was charged with two counts of perjury some six months after Parkinson’s sentencing in 2019 – charges relating to his testimony at her trial in 2015. He stated that he had not assisted Parkinson to write her “statements” but there is undeniable evidence that he did coach her. White was inextricably involved right from the outset in helping Parkinson concoct her villainous allegations against Dan Jones. It was the discovery of their affair that led Jones to break off his engagement with Parkinson, and White and his other crooked cop mates were right in there, helping Parkinson try to destroy Jones and his family.
At the hearing this week, White’s legal representative approached the DPP and stated his client was willing to plead guilty to a lesser charge that did not involve jail time – an intriguing twist after endless adjournments of the matter over the last two years.
The Jones family is nervous that White plans to wriggle out of the serious charges he is facing and have expressed concern to the DPP. Their strong preference is that the DPP reject his “offer” and proceed to trial later this year so that White and Parkinson are put on the stand. Parkinson has never faced cross-examination, even at her own trial. Additionally, the evidence of other NSW police listed as witnesses could lead to additional charges.
The Jones family would love you to contact the ACT Attorney General Shane Rattenbury – rattenbury@act.gov.au – and put pressure on the DPP not to accede to White’s wishes. It’s very important these people are aware of community concern about the Jones case which has exposed bias and incompetence in the ACT justice system.
After two years, AFP Professional Standards in Melbourne still claims to be “investigating” the behaviour of police in the case – with absolutely no results to date. The Jones’ legal team continues their efforts to seek compensation but progress is extremely slow. And ACT authorities have endlessly sidestepped responsibility, avoiding the issue of an ex-gratia payment for the family as compensation for Dan Jones’ wrongful imprisonment. The saga continues.
Read here with links: https://all4consolaws.org/2021/07/high-price-for-moral-panic-over-historical-sexual-abuse/
WHY SEX OFFENSE LAWS DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD
July 9, 2021 ·10 Comments
By Deborah Jacobs
There are few crimes more heinous than child molestation. Whether violently attacked by a stranger or preyed upon by a trusted adult in the home, school or place of worship, children who survive such assaults are often left to walk a lifelong path of sorrow and pain.
Unfortunately, our government has failed to take steps that will make a meaningful difference in preventing sex offenses. Megan’s Law, civil commitment, and the newest trend in anti-sex offense legislation, banishment zones, which restrict people convicted of a sex offense from living within certain geographic areas, all play to the fears of the public. But when it comes to stopping sex assaults, these measures do more harm than good.
To understand why, one must look at the realities of sex crimes in America today. The vast majority of sex offenses are committed by trusted adults-family members, friends, clergy-and go unreported because of manipulation of the victims, unconscionable decisions by other adults, or both. We saw this most vividly when lawsuits uncovered that the Catholic Church hierarchy had hidden and ignored countless cases of child sexual abuse for decades, choosing to protect its reputation over the children under its care. Unfortunately, this happens in family hierarchies even more frequently.
Because the most common type of sex crime so often goes unreported, most people that have committed a sex offense never become part of the criminal justice system and therefore are not affected by Megan’s Law or banishment zone laws. As a result, these laws give the public a false sense of security, letting us believe that people convicted of a sex offense have been exiled from their neighborhood, or that if a person convicted of a sex offense does live nearby, we will receive notification of his presence. If we believe that, we are fooling ourselves and, worse, doing our children a disservice. People who commit sex offenses live in every American community, and children need supervision no matter what.
Laws like banishment zone ordinances actually make us less safe, as they impede rehabilitation and thereby increase the likelihood of reoffense. People who transition from prison into society face countless challenges, and most have very limited resources, financial or otherwise. People who want to lead law-abiding lives after serving a prison sentence need to establish stability in their homes, jobs and families. Those are difficult things to achieve, but add to this the consequences of Megan’s Law and limits to where people can live, and few have hope of succeeding. Indeed, the fear of the stigma of Megan’s Law can force people underground, out of the watchful eye of police and parole officers.
Banishment zone laws may very likely force people listed on the registry to move from environments in which they have support networks into other communities in which they have no support, putting residents in their new communities at risk. Further, people who are labeled as “sex offenders” lose jobs, get evicted, are threatened with death, and harassed by neighbors. Some have had their homes burned down or been beaten in acts of vigilantism. Coping with this kind of stress is almost impossible, and without exceptionally strong support systems, most are doomed to fail.
If you doubt whether we should care about the stress and suffering of someone who committed a sex crime, consider the consequences for society when the ex-offender fails. When nothing works out – job, home, family-individuals are more likely to give up and reoffend.
Rather than banishing people convicted of a sex offense and asking them to succeed in a hostile environment, we should focus resources on programs and policies that will actually reduce the likelihood of sex offenses occurring in the first place. We need to develop and fund public education programs that teach about the effects of sex abuse and the importance of reporting abuse so that it can be stopped.
We need to improve our systems for handling reports of abuse, looking to models like Wynona’s House in Essex County, which brings different agencies together to ease the burden on victims reporting abuse. And we need to provide mental health treatment for victims and people who commit offenses, in prison and out.
There is no simple fix to the devastating problem of sex abuse. Instead of politically popular measures that make no difference or in fact make us less safe, we need to turn our attention and resources to ways of addressing the epidemic of sex abuse that, while perhaps not as politically popular, will actually work so that more potential victims can be spared.
The issue is not whether our children should be protected from people who might sexualy offend, but how to accomplish that in an effective and meaningful way. Our children deserve nothing less.
Deborah Jacobs is the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.
ACSOL FILES LAWSUIT CHALLENGING RE-SENTENCING REGULATIONS
July 13, 2021
ACSOL has filed a lawsuit challenging regulations issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) that categorically exclude inmates required to register from re-sentencing opportunities provided in recent legislation. The lawsuit was filed on July 6 in Sacramento Superior Court.
“The regulations being challenged repeat the same mistake made by CDCR in its regulations implementing Proposition 57,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “That is, the re-sentencing regulations create a categorical exclusion of all registrants even though the legislation does not.”
The individual plaintiff in the case, Antoine Jordan, is currently being denied an opportunity for re-sentencing because he is required to register due to a sex offense conviction more than 30 years ago. He is currently serving a sentence of 26 years due to his failure to register at a second address. ACSOL is also a plaintiff in the case.
“What is even worse in this situation is that the legislature initially included in the legislation an exclusion of registrants, but later removed that exclusion,” stated Bellucci. “CDCR has chosen to ignore the final version of the legislation and therefore we expect this lawsuit to be successful.”
CDCR’s regulations implementing Proposition 57 were challenged in more than a dozen lawsuits which resulted in nine decisions from courts of appeal. In every court of appeals decision, CDCR’s regulations were declared unlawful. The California Supreme Court issued the final decision regarding CDCR’s Proposition 57 regulations on December 28, 2020. In its decision, the Court ruled that CDCR’s regulations were unconstitutional and ordered the agency to repeal its regulations. CDCR did not repeal its regulations until April 5, 2021.
“The greatest harm resulting from CDCR’s unlawful regulations in both cases is that inflicted upon inmates who are being denied opportunities to be released from custody and their families,” stated Bellucci. “There is also a financial cost to taxpayers for longer prison sentences.”
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Florida GOP chair accused of sexual harassment by male staffer
The married father of three denies the allegations, but party officials say they're taking the accusation seriously.
By Bil Browning Tuesday, July 20, 2021 Read more here: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/07/florida-gop-chair-accused-sexual-harassment-male-staffer/
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This should read Registered Sex Offenders; anyone could be next.:
The outing of a hypocritical priest is actually cause for alarm. Anyone could be next. The outing of a hypocritical priest is actually cause for alarm. Anyone could be next.
A right-wing outlet weaponized Grindr data it obtained to target a prominent, hypocritical priest. It's a disturbing extension of the religious right's attack on any LGBTQ people in the Church.
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Andrew Cuomo joins long list of big New York political scandals
August 11, 2021 | 2:53am | Updated
The Democrat said he will step down on Aug. 24 — with more than a year left in his third term — amid threat of impeachment and multiple investigations into the slew of sexual harassment allegations against him, as well as his handling of nursing homes during COVID-19 and his $5.1 million book deal on the pandemic.
Read more here: https://nypost.com/article/new-york-political-scandals/
FLORIDA LAWSUIT CHALLENGES CONTINUED REGISTRATION OF NON-RESIDENTS AND DECEASED PERSONS
July 13, 2021
A lawsuit was filed in a Florida federal district court today that challenges the continued registration of non-residents and deceased persons convicted of a sex offense. According to the lawsuit, the Florida registry currently includes more than 28,000 people who do not live in that state as well as more than 1,300 people who are dead.
The plaintiff in this lawsuit was convicted of having sex with a minor (17-year-old woman) who he later married and together they had a child. After the couple divorced, the plaintiff was awarded custody of the child who is now 12 years old. The plaintiff permanently left the state of Florida about four years ago and does not plan to return.
Continued registration on the Florida registry has resulted in a significant lack of employment opportunities commensurate with the plaintiff’s education and training, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff is also concerned that his child will discover on the internet that he is listed on the Florida registry.
The lawsuit asserts two legal claims — violation of plaintiff’s right of substantive due process provided in both the state and federal constitutions as well as violation of the state privacy laws. The plaintiff has asked the court to permanently restrain and enjoin the state of Florida from continuing Plaintiff’s sex offender registration and disseminating his personal information to the public.
Download a PDF: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Marcoux-v.-Swearingen-FL-out-of-state-and-dead-persons-July-2021.pdf
Marcoux v. Swearingen – FL – out of state and dead persons – July 2021
NE: JAMES FAIRBANKS SENTENCED: 40–70 YEARS IN MURDER OF PERSON LISTED ON THE REGISTRY
July 14, 2021
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — James Fairbanks, who pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in the killing of Mattieo Condoluci last year, was sentenced in a Douglas County on Wednesday morning.
3 News Now reporter, Jon Kipper was in the courtroom where a judge sentenced him to a total of 40–70 years on two counts: second-degree murder and possessing a firearm while committing a felony.
Condoluci’s daughter spoke in support of Fairbanks at the sentencing hearing and Condoluci’s son spoke against Fairbanks.
On May 16, 2020, Condoluci, 64, was found dead inside his home near 43rd & Pinkney St.
Fairbanks sent an anonymous email to the media, including KMTV, and later admitted he was the one who sent the letter in which he detailed why he killed Condoluci.
BELOW IS THE CONTENT OF FAIRBANKS’ EMAIL
Dear Media,
I am writing this email to let you know that I killed Matteio Condoluci Thursday May 14th around 9:45 pm. While out apartment searching and checking the neighboorhoods I wanted to live in i stumbled across his Sex offense registry info. I read where he had molested (raped) two children and beem convicted twice yet only served two years in prison. For RAPING CHILDREN! I seen his address was right around the block from where i was looking to move. I drove by and to my horror he was standing in his driveway pretending to wash his truck (no soap or water just a rag) while staring at a group of children playing in the street. I watched him for a few minutes and just felt sick to my stomach. He just kept staring at them. The kids thankfully left and he went inside. I went to drive away and noticed to my amazement this twice convicted person had a playground set in his backyard! No fence. Just a slide and a play house. I felt sick to my stomach. Having had my own experience with these type of predators I knew the damage he would do to those kids. It agonized me for days. I coudnt sleep. I researched him more and more and found he had victimized dozens of kids in different states. One kids mother had created a predator facebook page about him trying to warn people about him. Her son had been assaulted by him when he was 5 and the damage he did led the poor guy to die of a drug overdose years later and his mom directly bamed that incident on him.,,
I’ve worked with kids for years who have been victimized and i couldnt in good conscience allow him to do it to anyone else while I had the means to stop him. I’m willing to turn myself in even though im confident I woudn’t be caught because its my opionion that we need to fix this in our socitey. We can not let this continue to happen to out children. They must be stopped. I know in this messed up judicial system that means I will face far more severe punishment for stopping him then he did for raping KIDS. But I could no longer do nothing.
If you need proof the gun was a 9 milimeter, the front door was left open and the tv was on.
I’ll turn myself in as soon as I see this has beed released.
Regards
It said he was looking for an apartment in the area, knew of Condoluci’s past and saw him staring at children.
The letter stated he’d seen the impact abuse has on kids and couldn’t let Condoluci victimize anyone else.
Budget breakdown: Minnesota to review sex offense registry program 30 years after it became law
July 15, 2021
MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT DECLARES SEX OFFENDER LAWS ARE PUNITIVE
July 27, 2021
The Michigan Supreme Court today issued a decision declaring that the state’s sex offender law adopted in 2011 cannot retroactively be applied to a registrant convicted two years earlier. The Court based its decision upon the ex post facto clauses of both the Michigan and the U.S. Constitutions.
“Today’s decision is a significant victory not only for the registrant involved in this case, but also for all Michigan registrants convicted prior to 2011,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This decision can and should be used as a precedent in every state and federal court.”
In its decision, the Michigan Supreme Court found that the “aggregate punitive effects” of the state law “negated the state’s intention to deem it a civil regulation.” In addition, the Court found that the state law “bore resemblance to the traditional punishments of banishment, shaming and parole because of its limitations on residency and employment, publication of information and encouragement of social ostracism…” Further, the Court found that the law “appeared retributive” and “appeared excessive.”
At issue in the case were provisions of the 2011 law that created a tiered classification system as well as duties and requirements of each registrant based upon the registrant’s tier classification. One of those requirements was the publication of personal information on the state’s Megan’s Law website.
“The Michigan Supreme Court is to be commended for speaking the truth today in its decision,” stated Bellucci. “The court did not accept the government’s stated intention that its registration laws were civil regulations and instead examined closely the effect of those laws leading to the conclusion that the laws punished registrants.”
Download a PDF of the decision:
People v. Betts – Ex Post Facto – July 2021: https://all4consolaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/People-v.-Betts-Ex-Post-Facto-July-2021.pdf
CA: CALIFORNIANS CAN PETITION TO BE REMOVED FROM THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
August 5, 2021
In 1947, California was the first state to create a sex offender registry. Until July 2021, anyone convicted of being a sex offender in the state had to register for life with no exceptions. Now, for the first time, offenders can petition to be removed from the list.
Tami Martin is the legislative director of Equality California, a LGBTQ civil rights organization that helped sponsor the legislation altering the sex offender registry.
“The registry, I’m sure you know, has catastrophic consequences for people who are on it. It affects where you’re allowed to live, it affects whether you’re able to get a job, (and) it increases the likelihood you’ll experience homelessness,” Martin said.
She said there is context many people forget.
“One thing that’s important for people to know is that California’s registry was created in the 1940s. So, it was constructed around all of the stigma and the discriminatory laws that existed at that time, including laws that criminalized same sex conduct. Right now, you have people who are in their 70s and 80s who have been on the registry since the 50s or 60s for example – just because of discriminatory laws that are no longer around. So, those people will now be able to petition to come off of the registry and get their lives back on track,” Martin said.
Prior to 2021, California was one of just four states with a lifetime sex offender registry. The others were South Carolina, Alabama and Florida.
Now, the registry is divided into three tiers. Tier one is for low level offenders, tier two is for mid-level offenders, and tier 3 is for violent offenders, repeat offenders, and those deemed likely reoffend.
SB 384 is the legislation responsible for the tier system. It was passed in 2017 and signed into law by former governor Jerry Brown. It was co-authored by State Senator Scott Wiener who explained why change was necessary.
“It made the sex offender registry so massive, like 120,000 people in California, that law enforcement couldn’t even use it for its intended purpose, which is to monitor dangerous people,” Wiener said.
He said the bill was lauded by many disparate groups.
“We had a lot of support in passing this law, including from law enforcement, because law enforcement doesn’t want low level offenders clogging up the sex offender registry. They want to focus on the real bad actors, so we had a lot of support. But any time you’re talking about sex offenders, there’s going to be controversy because people jump to conclusions,” Wiener said.
ABC10 asked Senator Wiener about the belief that sex offenders cannot be rehabilitated.
“Anyone can be rehabilitated with very few exceptions, and the real sex predators are not coming off the registry. They will be on for life,” he said.
Wiener said the legislation means positive change for Californians.
“It means we will be more in line with the rest of the country, where we keep the real bad people on. But for low level offenders, we give them a pathway off,” he said.
It’s possible that very few people know as much about the legislation or its roots than Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney, Bradley McCartt, who helped write SB 384 after hearing about the need, perhaps most vocally from law enforcement.
“The Los Angeles Police Department did a study and found that 60% of their sex offender and tracking resources were being spent registering, at their annual registration, doing paperwork for no risk and low risk offenders,” McCartt said.
He said Governor Schwarzenegger’s administration created the California Sex Offender Management Board to study the issue. He explained that the science doesn’t support peoples’ fears.
“The period for recidivism is, after 10 years, there is a significant decrease in the chance of recidivating at all. At 17 years, it becomes a flat line of them recidivating,” McCartt said.
This is how the new system works: people in tier one can petition (beginning in July 2021) to be removed from the list after 10 years in the community with no additional offenses. People in tier two can petition to be removed after 20 years in the community with no additional offenses. People in tier three still remain on the sex offender registry for life.
McCartt said people’s lives are already beginning to change.
“I spoke with one of our major law enforcement agencies last week who told me about their first petition that they’d received and evaluated and it was for an individual who committed a misdemeanor 30 years ago, who has never committed another crime,” he said. “It was a low level misdemeanor that required registration, and they have done that analysis and submitted to the district attorney’s office.”
People do not automatically come off the list after 10 or 20 years. That’s just when they’re allowed to petition the courts to be removed. The courts will make the final call.
Stephen Munkelt is the Executive Director with the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, an organization for criminal defense lawyers, which provides education for members in criminal law subjects and advocates for criminal justice reform. He knows the new law well.
“Realistically, nothing has changed yet. The system just began its implementation on July 1. Attorneys are being asked, ‘How do I do this?’ And attorneys are figuring out the system. There’s new paperwork from the judicial council to help petition the courts and so on,” Munkelt said.
He said the law also makes sense when you look at the bottom line.
“It’s also extremely expensive for the state and the counties. There’s over 104,000 sex offender registrants in the state and it’s tens of millions of dollars every year to register them, supervise them and, for those who might have some violation, to try to enforce the rules,” Munkelt said.
“Many, many people who are on the registration list, and currently on there for a lifetime, have very minor offenses. They’re a one-time affair. They learned their lesson probably before they even went to court that this wasn’t a good thing for me to do, and so there’s no reason for us to effectively punish them by this public declaration that they’re unsafe to be around,” he added.
SB 384 also modified Meghan’s Law, the legislation requiring sex offender information to be posted online on the Meghan’s Law website. It did two things: 1: it removed the numerous exceptions allowing people to NOT be on the Meghan’s Law website and 2. When someone is removed from the sex offender registry, they will now also be removed from the website.
WI: WISCONSIN JUDGE TO PLEAD GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
August 5, 2021
A Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge charged in state and federal courts with multiple counts of possessing child pornography has agreed to plead guilty to the federal charges, according to a plea agreement approved by prosecutors and filed with the court on Wednesday.
Under the agreement, Brett Blomme, 38, would plead guilty to two felony counts of child pornography possession, forego his right to a jury trial and forfeit any property or assets connected to his crimes. Each count carries a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence, five years of supervision and up to a $250,000 fine.
A criminal complaint against Blomme was first filed in Dane County Circuit Court in March, in which prosecutors said he used the messaging app Kik to upload pictures and videos of child pornography on 27 separate occasions in October and November 2020 under the username “dommasterbb,” registered using his personal Gmail address.
After Kik and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tipped off agents with the Wisconsin Department of Justice in February, an investigation led by the state DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation connected transactions of child pornography to multiple other email address, phone numbers and IP addresses, including those at Blomme and his husband’s home in Cottage Grove, the Milwaukee home of Blomme’s friend and a Milwaukee County government building.
Blomme was arrested at his home in the Madison suburb in mid-March and charged in state court with seven felony counts of possession of child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of three years initial confinement and up to $100,000 fines and imprisonment of no more than 25 years, or both. He is currently incarcerated at the Sauk County Jail in Baraboo, according to court records.
The judge was indicted in federal court in May before he and his lawyer, Madison-based criminal defense attorney Christopher Van Wagner, signed the plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin on Monday. The agreement acknowledges that Blomme used his iPhone to distribute sexually explicit images of children on the Kik app as described in the indictment.
The plea agreement, which resolves all federal and state charges, does not include any discussion of sentencing or restitution, both of which remain to be determined by the court. Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson, who has presided over Blomme’s federal case, has not yet scheduled a plea hearing or sentencing hearing .
In a phone interview on Wednesday, Van Wagner emphasized that his client “has signed a plea letter because he intends to plead guilty” in the interest of admitting his guilt and resolving the matter as soon as possible, adding that he and his client would have it known that “nobody is as bad as their worst decision, nor as good as their best success.”
Blomme was elected to the bench in 2020 after defeating incumbent Judge Paul Dedinsky, an appointee of former Republican Governor Scott Walker. After taking office last August, Blomme worked in children’s court at the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center in the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa.
He previously served on Milwaukee’s board of zoning appeals upon appointment by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who also backed Blomme in his recent judicial election. Blomme was formerly the president and CEO of the Cream City Foundation, a local organization that mobilizes philanthropy to provide scholarships and other resources for the LGBTQ+ community.
NJ: N.J. SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH SEX OFFENDER SEEKING REMOVAL FROM MEGAN’S LAW REGISTRY
August 9, 2021
An amendment to Megan’s Law that tightens the rules on who can seek to be removed from a sex offender registry can’t be applied retroactively to crimes committed before the amendment was passed, New Jersey’s Supreme Court ruled Monday.
The case involved a man, identified by the initials J.D.-F., who was working as a manager at a McDonald’s in Hillsborough in 2001 when he was accused of improperly touching two teenage boys who worked there. He was convicted in December 2002 of criminal sexual contact and child endangerment and sentenced to time in the county jail and probation.
Under Megan’s Law, he was required to publicly register with law enforcement as a sex offender. The law allows offenders to apply to be removed from the list if they are offense-free for 15 years and are no longer considered a safety threat to others.
Earlier in 2002, between when J.D.-F’s crimes were committed and his conviction, the state Legislature had amended Megan’s Law to prohibit those convicted of certain offenses or of more than one offense from applying to end their registration requirements.
After J.D.-F applied for removal from the registry in 2019, a trial court and, subsequently, an appeals court denied his request on the grounds that the amendment applied to him since it was passed before he was convicted.
In Monday’s 7-0 ruling, however, the Supreme Court reversed and wrote that the amendment couldn’t be applied retroactively to J.D.-F’s case since the crimes had occurred before it was passed, and the date of those actions “triggers the legal consequences from which a person seeks relief.”
The case now goes back to the trial court for reconsideration.
A message seeking comment was left Monday with the attorney general’s office, which argued on behalf of the state.
Download a PDF of the decision in the Matter of Registrant J.D-F. (A-24-20) (084397) New Jersey Supreme Court | Decision Aug. 9, 2021:
TX: Family of Texas teacher suing police after sting operation
August 10, 2021
Source: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/family-of-texas-teacher-suing-police-after-sting-operation/
The family of a Texas teacher are suing a local police department, claiming that a detective drove him to suicide by unjustly arresting him as part of a sting operation. A 39-year-old junior high school teacher from Conroe, Texas, poisoned himself to death with carbon monoxide just days after being released from the Montgomery County jail in August 2019. At the..
New Bureau of Justice Statistics Study: 9:10 sexual assault victimizations were committed by someone the victim knew
August 10, 2021
A new study put out by the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, the United States’ primary source for criminal justice statistics, supports that notion that more than 9 out of 10 sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim. The study aggregates data from law enforcement in 20 states, as reported to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)...
Click here to read the full article on the FAC website: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/new-bureau-of-justice-statistics-study-910-sexual-assault-victimizations-were-committed-by-someone-the-victim-knew/
Click here to read the bjs.ojp.gov website article: https://bjs.ojp.gov/nibrs/reports/sarble/sarble19
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Nine charged in elaborate multi-agency sting targeting online predators at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Thursday August 19, 2021 · 7:43 PM CDT
In the last two years, when we’ve thought of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, we’ve thought about it as a superspreader waiting to happen. Remember, this was one of many acts of incompetence by arguably the nation’s most incompetent governor, South Dakota’s Kristi Noem. Under her watch, at last report, there are over 127,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases—over 14% of a total population of 886,000. That kind of incompetence takes some effort.
Last year’s rally was linked to 649 cases in 29 states. While it may be a while before we find out if there’s a similar casualty count for this year’s rally, at least some of the attendees may have something more immediate to worry about than the prospect of COVID-19: they’re facing charges for allegedly enticing minors and child sex trafficking.
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US looking into allegations of child trafficking during Afghan evacuation
Updated: September 5th, 2021, 09:00 IST
Washington: US Officials are looking into reports that in the frantic evacuation of desperate Afghans from Kabul, older men were admitted together with young girls they claimed as brides or otherwise sexually abused.
US officials at intake centres in the United Arab Emirates and in Wisconsin have identified numerous incidents in which Afghan girls have been presented to authorities as the wives of much older men. While child marriage is not uncommon in Afghanistan, the US has strict policies against human trafficking that include prosecutions for offenders and sanctions for countries that don’t crack down on it.
New Blogs Part 12 Updated September 11 2021 |
Oh but the Sex Offender Registry is not cruel and unusual punishment. Judge Jonathan Newell sure knew it was cruel and unusual. He chose death rather than be on it; or associated with being on it.
Maryland judge who was about to be arrested by the FBI kills himself, officials say
Agents were sent to arrest Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Newell on federal charges of sexual exploitation of a child, authorities said.
Sept. 11, 2021, 5:47 PM UTC / Source: Associated Press
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Maryland Eastern Shore judge who was about to be arrested at his home on federal charges of sexual exploitation of a child was found dead Friday, officials said.
FBI agents went to the residence of Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Newell in Henderson, Maryland, early Friday.
“Upon entering the residence the agents found Newell suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” a joint statement from Acting Maryland U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner and other officials said. “He was pronounced dead at 6:43 a.m. Maryland State Police will lead the investigation into the apparent suicide.”
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Texas governor seems to think crime can be solved with 'better parenting,' God, and discrimination
Daily Kos Staff
Monday September 13, 2021
With a swipe of the pen and single media appearance, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott managed to lay violent crime at the feet of parents, avoid any actual action to reduce crime, and impose a discriminatory law under the guise of making the state safer. “We need better parenting,” Abbott said at the Texas Pastor Council's Safer Houston Summit on Monday. He signed the Damon Allen Act into law the same day. “We need to restore God in our communities,” the governor said in a victory speech regarding the much-protested legislation. “If we do that, we will be able to reduce crime in this region.”
I’m not sure which bible Abbott uses, but nothing in mine recommends keeping poor people in jail while letting the rich out on bail, which the Damon Allen Act further promotes.
“Currently, most Texas jail releases are determined by the defendant’s ability to post cash, but some jurisdictions — particularly Harris County after losses in federal court — have recently shifted to releasing more people accused of low-level crimes on personal bonds, which don’t require cash but can include restrictions like GPS ankle monitoring or routine drug testing,” Texas Tribune writer Jolie McCullough wrote. “SB 6 will ban the release of people accused of violent crimes on personal bonds, requiring instead that they be able to post the amount of cash set by the court, or pay a percentage to a bail bonds company.”
SCANDAL ILLUSTRATES A MYTH ABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE
August 12, 2021
Source: psychologytoday.com 8/11/21
Key points
Prior to the reports of sexual abuse, Governor Cuomo was a popular and trusted public figure.
The Myth of the Evil Perpetrator suggests that we are psychologically biased to think of sexual abusers as only archetypes of evil.
In reality, even trusted figures are capable of sexual abuse (and often abuse from these individuals is even more prolific).
We must be cognizant of our bias against finding “good” people culpable for sexual abuse, and understand how this bias can affect victims.
“To cheapen or ridicule the pain a woman suffers from a sexual attack is disgusting—sexist and disgusting,” proclaimed New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2018, as the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was upended by charges of sexual misconduct.
Believe it or not, there was a time when Cuomo was wildly popular. Just months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuomo was described by CNN as “one of, if not, the single most popular politician in the country.” Polling numbers from April of 2020 showed Cuomo’s favorability among New Yorkers at a whopping 77 percent. Shockingly, even the majority (53 percent) of Republicans viewed him favorably at the time. While Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic eventually came under significant scrutiny, his three terms as governor and former position as a Democratic presidential front runner suffice to show that he had earned our nation’s trust and approval.
But all that’s over. Last week, the release of the long-awaited report the New York Attorney General’s Office found that Cuomo had engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment and abuse towards female employees that consisted of physical groping and offensive, sexually suggestive comments. (See the full report here.) The accounts of harassment were prolific, with investigators finding the accusations of 11 different women to be credible. In response, Cuomo agreed Monday morning to resign (effective in 14 days).
Cuomo’s behavior reinforces what the academic literature around sexual abuse has dubbed “the Myth of the Evil Perpetrator” (see e.g., Baumeister, 2012). Essentially, individuals want to believe that perpetrators of sexual abuse are simply bad people who do bad things. At our deepest psychological level, human beings are pattern detectors (Proulx and Heine, 2009). We continuously piece together connections from myriad stimuli and perceive our world in ways that comport with these relationships. It is profoundly uncomfortable (see cognitive dissonance) for us to encounter incongruities; to accept that a “good” person has done bad things. To avoid this psychological discomfort, we are biased to think that perpetrators of sexual abuse are two-dimensional archetypes of evil—trench coats and all. But this just isn’t the reality.
Click here to read more: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/making-sense-chaos/202108/andrew-cuomo-and-the-myth-the-evil-perpetrator
TX: FORMER STAFFERS CONDEMN CRUEL TREATMENT OF INMATES AT A TEXAN PRISON FOR SEX OFFENDERS
August 12, 2021
Source: reason.com 8/12/21
The men must keep masturbation diaries, wear ankle monitors, and even use penile circumference gauges.
Lenore Skenazy
For many men serving time for committing sex offenses in Texas, their prison term never really ends—even if they complete their sentence. That’s because they’re required to enter a live-in mental health facility before returning to society.
That facility—in Littlefield, Texas—is actually a former maximum security prison in the middle of a dirt field.
“It comes as a surprise,” says Mary Sue Molnar, founder of Texas Voices for Reason and Justice, a nonprofit dedicated to reforming the state’s sex offense laws and registry. “I often get letters from prison saying, ‘Oh my god, they’re going to civil commit me. What should I do?'”
Civil commitment is the practice of keeping people locked up past their release date, on the grounds that they are so dangerous they need therapy—years and years of it—before they can safely return to society.
Of course, Molnar notes, if the state really “wanted them to have treatment and counseling, they had plenty of time to get that done. In some cases, these men served 20 to 25 years” in an ordinary prison before being civilly committed.
This might seem just. But even as we feel great anger and sorrow on behalf of sex crime victims, we can also see that civil commitment is an extra prison sentence by another name.
Originally called clients or residents when the center opened in 2015, the men have been re-labeled “inmates” since Management and Training Corporation, a private prison company, took over in 2019.
“MTC does not run it in a therapeutic manner whatsoever,” says Mandi Harner, a former security officer at the facility who was fired for having a relationship with one of the residents. “They run it like a prison. I’m not going to tell you everyone in there is an angel. But there are some men who deserve treatment they’re not getting, and also some who did things as teenagers who don’t deserve to be there their whole lives.”
For their first year or two at the treatment facility, the men are required to wear electronic ankle monitors that they have to pay for, according to Harner. MTC declined a request for comment about this and other claims made by sources in this article, as did the Texas Civil Commitment Office (TCCO), the government agency that oversees the facility.
There is only one way to get out of Littlefield: The men must work their way up through four tiers of treatment before they are allowed to petition for their freedom.
Click here to read more: https://reason.com/2021/08/12/texas-civil-commitment-sex-offenders-littlefield/
NY: NICKI MINAJ’S HUSBAND KENNETH PETTY SUES TO HAVE HIS NAME REMOVED FROM NEW YORK’S SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
August 20, 2021
Source: the-sun.com 8/19/21
NICKI MINAJ’S husband Kenneth Petty is suing to nix his name off New York’s Sex Offender Registry and reportedly arguing that some imposter signed the documents while he was imprisoned.
Petty filed papers against the state’s Criminal Justice Services division to clear his name from the registry because he claims he wasn’t able to plea his case back in October 2004 while he was serving out a prison sentence.
The 43-year-old is hoping that he can delete his name off the humiliating and costly registry because he wasn’t afforded a chance to fight the category 2 sex offender risk level, according to TMZ.
Petty argues the “Kenny Petty” signature on documents agreeing to appear for a registry hearing is a forgery, the outlet reported citing the court papers.
The rapper’s hubby suggested he was actually behind bars so he couldn’t have been the person who purportedly signed them.
Petty is protesting how he was stripped of his due process to contest the registry risk level that he was being saddled with over nearly two decades decade ago.
Read the full article: https://www.the-sun.com/news/3506958/nicki-minaj-kenneth-petty-sues-new-yorks-sex-offender/
Related: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/kenneth-petty-sues-to-be-removed-from-sex-offender-registry/
CT: COMMITTEE CONSIDERS SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY CHANGES
August 24, 2021
Source: ctnewsjunkie.com 8/24/21
A subcommittee of the state Sentencing Commission is working to create a process to allow certain individuals to be removed from the public sex offender registry.
After at least two attempts to reshape the law regarding people who have committed sex offenses, the General Assembly’s Incarceration and Collateral Consequences of Criminal Conviction Subcommittee will hear a presentation Thursday on two narrow proposals to create a path for people to get off the registry.
The proposals are in their infancy and likely will be altered several times before they go before the entire commission, said Alex Tsarkov, executive director of the Sentencing Commission. “We’ve been trying to do this for a very long time. It’s a tough topic to work with.”
It’s a safety issue that is playing out as a political issue, said Amber Vlangas, executive director of the Restorative Action Alliance, which advocates for victims of sexual violence and those who have been subject to “state violence” through probation and parole policies after conviction.
“We believe this perpetuates the cycle of violence,” Vlangas said of sex offender registries.
The registries create shame, isolation, and an inability for people to meet their economic needs which in turn creates instability and a greater possibility of reoffending, Vlangas said.
“What is going to make people safe? Stability,” said Vlangas, who is a victim of military sexual assault and married to someone who is on Connecticut’s registry. “We are in full support of providing a path off of the registries.”
Read the full article: https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2021/08/24/committee-considers-sex-offender-registry-changes/
MN: LONG WEEKEND PROTEST ROCKS MINNESOTA’S SHADOW PRISONS
August 31, 2021
Source: texansagainstcivilcommitment.com 8/29/21
MOOSE LAKE MN. Behind barbed wire fences a protest movement is swelling for an end to Minnesota’s Shadow Prisons, “treatment facilities” that detainees say are an unconstitutional death sentence. Nearly 800 people are held indefinitely outside of any criminal proceedings, after finishing prison sentences or without being convicted of a crime on civil allegations of being “mental ill” and “sexually dangerous”.
Since Friday, and culminating in a protest led by detainees in walkers and wheelchairs this Monday, over a hundred detainees across racial lines have staged four days of protest marches inside Moose Lake’s Shadow Prison. While carefully staying within facility rules, protests have featured boisterous chants of “What do we want? To come home!” to intentional silence, songs, poetry, and a reading of the 88 names of those who have died in treatment.
“We’re doing everything our power to handle this the right way, but we’re dying left and right, a person every 40 days for the last five years” says Daniel Wilson, a detainee at the Moose Lake facility. “This is not treatment, in 26 years Minnesota taxpayers have spent over a billion dollars for 14 full releases and 88 deaths”.
The movement has also shown up in an avalanche of detainee made signs, armbands, necklaces, t-shirts and homemade protest art demanding the facility close. Art-making has been targeted by staff with threats and write ups, with at least one person receiving a 21 day sentence for making a protest sign. Staff say speaking against the facility is “counter-therapeutic”.
Read the full article: https://texansagainstcivilcommitment.com/2021/08/29/long-weekend-protest-rocks-minnesotas-shadow-prisons/
AN OLD ARREST CAN FOLLOW YOU FOREVER ONLINE. SOME NEWSPAPERS WANT TO FIX THAT.
August 31, 2021
Source: washingtonpost.com 8/31/21
The Boston Globe has joined a handful of newsrooms around the country doing something once unthinkable: changing old articles because they are ruining a person’s life. The newspaper on Friday launched its Fresh Start initiative, which allows people to petition to have information about them removed from or added to old stories, to have their names anonymized, or to have the stories delisted from Google searches.
The Globe will prioritize stories involving minor crimes and those from long ago, but will also consider ones about “embarrassing” noncriminal behavior. The initiative comes out of a reexamination at the Globe and many other newsrooms about how they cover race, prompted by last year’s nationwide protests over the policy killing of George Floyd. Journalists have increasingly questioned their reliance on police as primary sources after Floyd’s death. A recording of his killing by a bystander contradicted the initial police account. In the past few months, the Kansas City Star and the Los Angeles Times have apologized for how they covered local communities of color over the years, and both newspapers have published pieces explaining how their reporting contributed to racial inequities. In Philadelphia, 40 community organizations petitioned the Philadelphia Inquirer to change its crime reporting process and allow people named in older crime stories to appeal to have them removed from the paper’s website.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution considers requests to remove or update online content from people whose records have been closed to the public under a 2013 state law as part of an effort to make expungement easier. The Cleveland Plain Dealer launched its Right to Be Forgotten process two years ago as a way for people to have old stories and mug shots removed or amended. The Plain Dealer is now trying to remove problematic content even before someone petitions them to do so. Google awarded the paper a $200,000 grant in December to develop digital tools to help them identify those stories and photos.
Read the full article (requires payment): https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/old-arrest-boston-globe-fresh-start/2021/01/22/122cbd0c-5cd1-11eb-b8bd-ee36b1cd18bf_story.html
A CULTURE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF REDEMPTION IS A TOXIC CULTURE
September 1, 2021
Source: thriveglobal.com 8/31/21
The paradox of social media, and so much of our technology, is that it keeps us locked in an eternal present, while at the same time creating an eternal archive that never fades away. The result isn’t just higher levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness, it also makes it harder for us to grow and evolve — which is, after all, our essential purpose at the heart of every spiritual and philosophical tradition. Evolution did not stop when we evolved from the apes. There is an instinct embedded in us, our fourth instinct, beyond the more recognized instincts of survival, sex and power, that drives us to evolve and to grow through our mistakes, through pain, and through self-discovery.
But we’ve reached a dangerous moment in our culture where we assume a frozen ideal, a state of arrested development, from which no growth or improvement are assumed possible. Because growth cannot happen without the necessary ingredients of redemption, forgiveness and self-forgiveness. If we’re not allowed to learn from our mistakes, atone for them, become better people, then we can grow neither individually nor collectively. After all, the great documents we live by assume a progression — whether it’s the never-ending journey toward “a more perfect union” or Martin Luther King’s “arc of the moral universe” bending toward justice — and even our Constitution had amendments.
But true change at the systemic level has to be accompanied by change at the personal level. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn put it, “the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either — but right through every human heart.” Dr. King knew that, which is why he had made it clear that to change society, “you’ve got to change the heart.”
The word “redemption” comes from the Latin redemptionem — one of its meanings is releasing. Redemption allows us to thrive by being released from our worst moments. And that’s exactly what our modern technology and our current culture make it increasingly difficult to do. By keeping our worst moments in the foreground forever, by keeping all wounds fresh and preventing them from healing over, we’re never able to be released from them, to evolve and make ourselves and our world better. In business, we extol the growth mindset, but a world without redemption enshrines its opposite: the much-despised fixed mindset.
Read the full commentary: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/arianna-huffington-cancel-culture-redemption-forgiveness-growth/
I believe; like I have mentioned online before, that the police target LGBTQ folks for arrest. It is not average at any rate. I wish I had statistical data on that.
INDECENT EXPOSURE CHARGES FILED AGAINST TRANS WOMAN OVER L.A. SPA INCIDENT
September 3, 2021
Prosecutors filed multiple counts of indecent exposure this week against a transgender woman whose alleged conduct was at the center of a viral video that sparked a pair of violent protests outside a spa in Westlake this summer, officials said Thursday.
______ Merager was charged Monday with five counts of indecent exposure, relating to an incident inside the Wi Spa on June 23, according to a news release issued by the Los Angeles Police Department. The next day, a viral video emerged alleging a customer had exposed their penis in front of people inside the Wi Spa.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment or provide a copy of the criminal complaint against Merager, whom police described as a 52-year-old Riverside County resident.
Attempts to contact Merager were not immediately successful, though she denied all wrongdoing in an interview with the New York Post, which first reported the charges Thursday morning. Merager told the tabloid she is legally female and claimed that those making complaints to police were engaging in transphobic harassment.
An arrest warrant has been issued, but Merager was not in custody as of Thursday afternoon, according to the LAPD.
Police said she has a criminal history. Merager has been a person listed on the sex offense registry since 2006 as a result of convictions for indecent exposure in 2002 and 2003, according to the LAPD.
Indecent exposure can be filed as a felony or misdemeanor under California law, but Merager’s prior conviction led prosecutors to bring felony charges against her this week, according to a person with knowledge of the case who requested anonymity to discuss the matter candidly.
Merager is awaiting trial on seven counts of indecent exposure that were first filed in 2019, according to court records.
After the video alleging someone exposed themselves went viral…
Read full article here: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-09-02/indecent-exposure-charges-filed-trans-woman-spa
FL: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED
September 4, 2021
Source: nwfdailynews.com 9/2/21
As a counselor in the state of Florida, I think it’s time to address challenges concerning social media and illegal sex with minors, and the growing number of designated sex offenders in our state (356/100K – total 76,000 in Florida – 800K nationally).
All sex offenders are not child molesters. Pedophiles and rapists are.
The US Bureau of Justice reports the average age of a sex offender is 14! Policemen, prosecutors, and judges need to stand up against this bad law. It’s the only law that allows continued punishment after sentencing is served.
An educational solution for students about Florida laws against engaging in underage sex is urgent.
Read the full letter: https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/opinion/letters/2021/09/02/letter-sex-offender-registry-issue-needs-addressed/5603455001/
STATES OF INCARCERATION: THE GLOBAL CONTEXT 2021
September 9, 2021
Louisiana once again has the highest incarceration rate in the U.S., (Rates calculated per 100,000 people) unseating Oklahoma to return to its long-held position as “the world’s prison capital.” By comparison, states like New York and Massachusetts appear progressive, but even these states lock people up at higher rates than nearly every other country on earth. Compared to the rest of the world, every U.S. state relies too heavily on prisons and jails to respond to crime.
Click image to visit source with full article and graphs:
Looking at each state in the global context reveals that, in every region of the country, incarceration is out of step with the rest of the world.
If we imagine every state as an independent nation, every state appears extreme. 24 states would have the highest incarceration rate in the world — higher even than the United States. Massachusetts, the state with the lowest incarceration rate in the nation, would rank 17th in the world with an incarceration rate higher than Iran, Colombia, and all the founding NATO nations.
In fact, many of the countries that rank alongside the least punitive U.S. states, such as Turkey, Thailand, Rwanda, and Russia, have authoritarian governments or have recently experienced large-scale internal armed conflicts. Others struggle with “violent crime” on a scale far beyond that in the U.S.: South Africa, Panama, Costa Rica, and Brazil all have murder rates more than double that of the U.S. Yet the U.S., “the land of the free,” tops them all.
Even “progressive” states like Illinois, with incarceration rates below the national average, continue to lock people up at more than double the rates of our closest international allies
Continue reading full article with graphs: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/global/2021.html
DID YOU KNOW? THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY IS GOVERNMENT SPONSORED DOXXING THAT ENCOURAGES VIGILANTISM! [VIDEO]
September 9, 2021
Source: NARSOL on YouTube 9/8/21
In May of 2021, someone called the Wheatland, California police at 1 a.m. to say he had “just shot somebody dead.” The killer brought a loaded gun and a cell phone jammer to the residence of Ralph Mendez, a person on the sexual offense registry, because of a much, much earlier sexual offense, and killed him. The killer spared Mr. Mendez’s 88-year-old mother.
Police arrived and arrested Rory Banks, and the district attorney charged him with murder in the 1st degree. Police said they believe the murder was motivated by the victim’s doxxed information found on the state registry for sex offenders. Registered citizen live in fear that vigilantes like Mr. Banks will find out where they live and take the law into their own hands..
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3he6mB-IyEI
ID: JUDGE SAYS IDAHO CAN’T FORCE 2 MEN TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDERS FOR ‘CRIMES AGAINST NATURE’
September 10, 2021
Source: boisestatepublicradio.org 9/9/21
A federal judge said the state of Idaho has “no legitimate interest” in forcing two men to register as sex offenders for life due to the state’s “crime against nature” law and will bar officials from doing so.
Idaho District Court Judge Lynn Winmill issued a preliminary injunction against the state Wednesday to prevent Randall Menges and an unnamed man identified only as John Doe from having to register.
“Doe and Menges are harmed daily by being required to register as sex offenders and the violation of their constitutional rights,” Winmill wrote in his 47-page opinion.
“I’m grateful to the court for putting an end to my nightmare,” Menges said in a statement.
Those on the sex offender registry are limited in where they can live, what jobs they can hold and who they can interact with.
The injunction from Winmill suggests the men are “likely” to win their case in court and blocks the state from enforcing the law as litigation continues.
Idaho’s “crime against nature” law historically criminalized anal and oral sex, as well as bestiality. It’s considered a felony and brings with it a minimum five-year prison stay, with no maximum sentence.
Read the full article: https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/law-justice/2021-09-09/judge-says-idaho-cant-force-2-men-to-register-as-sex-offenders-for-crimes-against-nature
MD: MARYLAND JUDGE COMMITS SUICIDE AS FEDS MOVED IN FOR CHILD PORN ARREST
September 13, 2021
Source: nypost.com 9/11/21
A Maryland judge fatally shot himself just as federal law enforcement showed up to his home to arrest him on child porn charges Friday morning, authorities said.
Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Newell, 50, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound by FBI agents at around 6:43 a.m., according to the Maryland US Attorney’s Office.
The feds were at the judge’s Henderson home to arrest him on a complaint charging him with sexual exploitation of a child for allegedly filming teenage boys in the nude in his hunting cabin, The Baltimore Sun reported.
Neighbors reported that the FBI had arrived just after 6 a.m. demanding Newell come outside with his hands up before they heard a gun shot.
Newell had been on leave since July, after one of several boys that the judge had brought on a hunting trip on Hoopers Island discovered a hidden camera in the bathroom and called his parents, according to court documents obtained by the Sun.
Read the full article: https://nypost.com/2021/09/11/maryland-judge-jonathan-newell-commits-suicide-as-feds-moved-in-for-child-porn-arrest/
IL: DEMOCRAT-SPONSORED ‘TEXAS ACT’ WOULD ALLOW $10K BOUNTIES ON SEXUAL ABUSERS…
September 14, 2021
Source: nprillinois.org 9/14/21
Two weeks after Texas effectively banned abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a Democratic state lawmaker in Illinois is proposing a law based on Texas’ model — but turned on its head.
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), who in 2019 sponsored law defining abortion as a fundamental right in Illinois, is introducing a bill dubbed the “EXpanding Abortion Services Act,” the acronym of which spells TEXAS.
The Texas law is uniquely designed, allowing private citizens the right to bring a civil lawsuit against anyone who performs an abortion, gets an abortion or aids in someone getting an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Opponents of the law have described the minimum $10,000 in damages up for grabs as a “bounty.”
Cassidy’s proposal instead would instead give Illinoisans the right to seek at least $10,000 in damages against anyone who causes an unwanted pregnancy — even if it resulted from consensual sex — or anyone who commits sexual assault or abuse, including domestic violence.
Read the full article: https://www.nprillinois.org/statehouse/2021-09-14/democrat-sponsored-texas-act-would-allow-10k-bounties-on-sexual-abusers-those-who-cause-unwanted-pregnancies
IS SEX OFFENDER SENTENCING GETTING HARSHER?
September 14, 2021
Source: newsanyway.com 9/14/21
Sex crimes are taken very seriously by the state. Despite the harsh punishments that are attached to these crimes, they do nothing to deter the situation. In fact, in the past few years, sex offenders are some of the most harshly punished criminals in the country.
However, the punishment doesn’t always fit the crime. Instead of focusing on the harm that was caused, sex crime penalties are focused on deterring repeat offenses instead of actually fitting the crime committed.
How Sex Offenders are Prosecuted
Recent political discussions have seen arguments for reduced sentencing when it comes to firearm or drug possession. However, the top sex crime attorneys would agree that sex offender laws continue to become more severe.
For example, Megan’s Law was passed in 1996 and requires sex offenders to be put on a registry for the rest of their lives. The problem with the registry is that it doesn’t differentiate between different sexual crimes.
The Problem With the Sex Offender Registry
A person who urinates in public and another person who is a rapist are both placed on the sex offender registry, despite the fact that their crimes have very different implications. Another problem is that being on the registry severely limits a person’s ability to seek employment, be able to travel, use the Internet, or find housing. This often leaves those on the sex offender registry without jobs or homes, forcing them to live on the street.
Read the full article: https://www.newsanyway.com/2021/09/14/is-sex-offender-sentencing-getting-harsher/
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