The New York Times: “Louisiana is the world’s prison capital. The state imprisons more of its people, per head, than any of its U.S. counterparts. First among Americans means first in the world. Louisiana’s incarceration rate is nearly triple Iran’s, seven times China’s and 10 times Germany’s.” That paragraph opens a devastating eight-part series published this month by The Times-Picayune of New Orleans about how the state’s largely private prison system profits from high incarceration rates and tough sentencing, and how many with the power to curtail the system actually…
Read MoreYear: 2012
WA: Two sex offenders shot dead by Patrick Drum – Wife of one speaks out (Video)
PORT ANGELES, Washington — The wife of a convicted sex offender who was targeted and killed over the weekend said Tuesday she’s sickened by people who have called the man accused in the crime a hero. Gary Blanton was one of two sex offenders shot and killed by Patrick Drum in Clallam County, investigators said. Full Article [hana-flv-player video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBYsNGrOlwE” width=”360″ description=”” player=”5″ autoload=”true” autoplay=”false” loop=”false” autorewind=”true” /] Original Video
Read MoreFrom Perverts to Pranksters: Problems with Sex Offender Registries
Just hearing the term “sex offender” elicits an almost visceral feeling of disgust in most people, so it’s not surprising that laws regarding sex offenders tend to only get tougher. These laws usually have been passed in reaction to a high-profile sex-related crime, often bearing the names of the victims (e.g., Megan’s Law, the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act). Accordingly, a vote against the law is seen as a vote against the victim. Legislative hearings include highly emotional testimony from victims of sex crimes, but predictably few arguments from the…
Read MoreWA: Suspect in slaying of 2 sex offenders planned more killings, prosecutors say
PORT ANGELES—A prosecutor on Monday requested that Patrick B. Drum, 34, of Sequim, who was arrested Sunday for the slaying of two registered sex offenders, be denied bail bcause Drum allegedly told police he planned to kill another sex offender. A bail hearing is set for Wednesday. Full Article
Read MoreVideo: Help For Sex Offenders
I created this video because there are a lot of guys out there who are on the registered sex offender list, whether by fault of their own or not. One thing all Registered Sex Offenders or RSOs have in common is the hardships that many of the draconian laws stack on top of them. I hope the information in this video reaches many of you and helps you to not only survive but thrive in life. God bless! Youtube Link
Read MoreOK: Convicted sex offender fights for rights
OKLAHOMA CITY — Convicted sex offenders are prohibited from using Facebook, Linkedin in and other social media outlets. Law makers say the goal is to deter predators from easily finding new victims but others say it’s unconstitutional. Denishio Cook is a convicted sex offender. That’s not the label this former OSU football player thought he would wear the rest of his life. Instead of the “OS” on his letterman jacket, he’s now bearing the scarlet letters “SO” after pleading guilty to raping a teen more than a decade ago. Full…
Read MoreTX: Life On the List
A single mistake when he was 12 landed Josh Gravens on Texas’ sex offender list. He’s been paying for it ever since. When Josh Gravens was 12 years old, he made a terrible mistake. He and his sister, who was 8, had sexual contact, twice. “Like, where my body part touched her body part,” he says. “It was never penetrative. Obviously, it couldn’t have been what they call consensual, but it was playing.” Josh’s sister told their mother, who was alarmed. She wanted to ensure that, even if Josh’s intentions…
Read MoreCA RSOL Meeting in L.A. on June 16
California RSOL will return to Los Angeles on June 16 for a regular monthly meeting. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. and be held at the ACLU Building, 1313 W. 8th Street, Los Angeles. The meeting is open to registrants, family members and supporters only. The meeting will include presentations by attorneys, psychologists and registrants who have successfully challenged residency restrictions and parole conditions. There is no charge to attend the meeting. For additional information, call (805) 896-7854. View Larger Map
Read MoreIN: Sex offenders fight for right to use Facebook, LinkedIn
INDIANAPOLIS — Registered sex offenders who have been banned from social networking websites are fighting back in the nation’s courts, successfully challenging many of the restrictions as infringements on free speech and their right to participate in common online discussions. The legal battles pit public outrage over sex crimes against cherished guarantees of individual freedom and the far-reaching communication changes brought by Facebook, LinkedIn and dozens of other sites. Full Article
Read MorePublic-Place Laws Tighten Rein on Sex Offenders
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Convicted sex offenders are barred from surfing at the famous pier in this Orange County city. In nearby Dana Point, they are prohibited from casting a fishing line in the harbor. And if they wander into a public park in Mission Viejo, they could be shipped back to jail for six months, following the City Council’s vote this year to ban them from a host of places where children congregate. “We need to protect our kids,” the Orange County district attorney, Tony Rackauckas, had told the…
Read MoreRape conviction reversed; Long Beach football star exonerated
LONG BEACH — A man convicted of rape nine years ago walked out of court Thursday an innocent man. Brian Banks, a promising football star at Long Beach Poly High with a scholarship offer from USC, had his 2003 conviction reversed by Long Beach Superior Court Judge Mark Kim after the victim in the case recanted. Nine years in the making, Banks’ battle to be exonerated lasted less than 30 seconds in court. It took only moments for the District Attorney’s office to “concede the matter” and Banks was no…
Read MoreOK: Gov. Mary Fallin signs Oklahoma sex offender bill
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin has signed legislation that bans registered sex offenders from living with minor children. Fallin signed the measure into law on Tuesday. Its author, Rep. Mike Sanders, says it will help protect Oklahoma children. Previously, state law didn’t prohibit a sex offender from living with a minor child. Sanders says he was surprised to learn that a sex offender was living with a child in his district. Full Article From HB NO. 3049 – Section 590 B. It shall be unlawful for any person…
Read MoreLA: Man labeled child sexual predator awarded $160,000
A judge has awarded $160,000 to a Bayou Blue man who said he was labeled a child sexual predator via a series of emails and flyers sent out by Houma Police. Full Article
Read MoreLife term for Briton who killed innocent man he suspected of pedophilia
LONDON — A 28-year-old Englishman was jailed for life Tuesday over the murder of a man he wrongly suspected of being a pedophile — bashing the older victim to death after the pair had sex. Christopher Hunnisett killed 57-year-old Peter Bick at the victim’s flat in Lewes — southeast England — after embarking on a crusade to “rid the world of pedophiles,” the Lewes People reported. Hunnisett was sentenced in London, having earlier been found guilty at Lewes Crown Court of the January 2011 killing. Full Article
Read MoreSan Bernardino County – Ban on RSOs Participating in Halloween
May 22, 2012 – SB County Board of Supervisors directs County Counsel to research and return to the Board with a recommendation on an ordinance that restricts the activities of sex offenders on Halloween that reside within the unincorporated areas of the County. From the Agenda: Some of these restrictions include: Having a porch light on during usual “trick-or-treating” hours of 5 p.m. to Midnight on Halloween; Decorating their home for Halloween; Hosting a “haunted House” on their property; Handing out candy; Answering the door for anyone other than law…
Read MoreCity of Santa Ana Parks Ban Ordinance
City Council Meeting May 21, 2012, 6 pm 60 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, California First Reading to adopt an ordinance to the Santa Ana Municipal Code pertaining to the proximity restrictions of registered sex offenders to children’s facilities. (The Main Library is to be included in the list of children’s facilities. ) Agenda – see page 154
Read MoreTX: Registered sex offender wins election in small Texas town
The controversy surrounding city elections in a town in the Texas Panhandle continues. That’s because one of the newly elected city council members has a checkered past. A pair of two-year terms on Skellytown’s city council were up for grabs Saturday. The results are in now and not everyone is happy. That’s because one of those spots is now being filled by a man who is a former mayor forced to resign. He is also a registered sex offender. Full Article
Read MoreIL: Charges Dropped Against Man Who Served 20 Years for Rape
Lake County prosecutors on Tuesday dropped sexual assault charges against a man accused in a decades-old Waukegan rape. “I’m feeling great,” said Bennie Starks. “The fight is not over yet. We still have one more hurdle, but it’s a great day.” Starks, convicted in 1986 of assaulting a 68-year-old woman, had served 20 years of a 60-year sentence when DNA evidence was retrieved that excluded him from the crime. Full Article
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