It happened again. Another CA registrant was murdered by vigilantes for no reason other than he was required to register as a sex offender.
This horror began when four men went shopping together to buy pliers and bolt cutters, common tools later used to torture and kill a registrant. A 61-year-old man who had paid his debt to society and was living peacefully in the community.
The men used the pliers they bought to break into the registrant’s home. It is not known, but can only be imagined, how they used the bolt cutters to murder the registrant who was taking a shower at the time they entered his home.
This vigilante attack and murder is an outrage and must be remembered! Just like the murder of Michael Dodele who was stabbed to death in Lake County in 2010. Just like Bobby Ray Rainwater who was stabbed to death in Orange County in 2012. And just like Donald Crisp who was shot to death in Monterey County in 2013
Future vigilante attacks must be prevented. But how?
We are a non-violent community and this is not a call to arms. Instead, it is a call to travel down a path of peace and justice.
First, we must hold accountable reporters and newspapers that write and print stories that are not based in truth. For example, the report of this recent tragic death falsely states that the registrant had a “sordid past” even though he was convicted of a single offense. The same report includes additional false statements such as that his victim was a minor when instead he was a 32-year-old adult. Finally, the report included unsubstantiated reports that police detectives were investigating sexual assault allegations previously made against him more than 30 years ago.
Second, we must ensure that those who murder registrants are held accountable. That means their charges and convictions must reflect that the reason the perpetrators chose their victim was because the victim was required to register as a sex offender. It also means that the perpetrators must be properly sentenced, a sentence that is not reduced because their victim was a registrant.
Finally, we must continue, if not redouble, our efforts to educate the public about the truth regarding registrants, including the true rates of re-offense and the fact that most people (more than 90 percent) who sexually assault children are not on the registry, but instead are family members, teachers, coaches and members of the clergy.
We can only accomplish this essential and humane task by Showing Up, Standing Up and Speaking Up. It’s easy to do so by joining us at a monthly meeting. We hope to see you there soon!
— by Janice Bellucci
Read all Janice’s Journals
Related
CA: 4 men charged with killing Redondo Beach sex offender during home-invasion robbery
4 charged in killing of Redondo Beach sex offender no strangers to court
Thank you Janice. I am at every LA meeting that you hold and will continue. Thank you for advancing this story, especially so that all can be aware. You are our living guardian angel.
This is exactly why the registry is only available to the police in the UK. The Labour party knew this would happen if they did it in exactly the same style as the US. But you know what? This is a good thing. This man is going to just add to the list of names that’s going to be read in the final hearing when this issue gets to the supreme court. And this nonsense will finally be behind us.
Amen.
Where did the reporter get the misinformation? My bet is the police justified the murder and the reporter repeated it.
https://www.ocregister.com/2007/03/28/death-sentence-the-deadly-jail-beating-of-john-chamberlain/
I’m behind you every step of the way, Janice!
Fellow registrants, this is a clear reminder that WE CANNOT ISOLATE and “hide in a hole”, hoping that we will be left alone. The predators will come into our seemingly-safe hole and get us. And politicians will continue to pass more and more laws to make our lives even worse.
Let’s all work as a team! Let’s get involved by following Janice’s Action Alerts!
Together WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Janice; I agree it’s illogical and pretty hateful to define a individual by one act in their life, many times years, if not decades in the past. Can you point the way to some resources that can be used to hold these reporters accountable?
Four in California killed, and three in Alaska were beaten by the same man who sought out registrants. These are hate crimes, and they would not have happened except the Meghan’s law makes them targets. Besides, the perpetrator knows pretty surely that there will be no weapons in the house for the victim to defend themselves. So Megan’s law gives criminal your name, address, and assurance you don’t have gun in the house, why doesn’t Megan’s law just require the location of the house key?
So we get convicted of a felony and we get placed on a list afterwards …. for the rest of our lives. Now anyone can look at that list and know that we don’t have a gun in the house because we’re not allowed to possess firearms. That makes us very easy targets for anyone hoping for an easy break-in where they won’t have to worry about the homeowner defending himself or herself.
Why do they call it Megan’s List – why not just call it “Open Season List”?? 😡
(Yeah, it’s time for me to get a 2nd Malinois!)
The way the news article about the murder was written is strikingly exploitative and inflammatory to the victim- The writer wrote the victims last name at least 25 times ( I counted- in a few short paragraphs) vs a few times referencing the names of the assailants. What other victim of a crime is treated this way??? It is a technique used to manipulate the reader and neutralize the crime, with or without being in cahoots with law enforcement.
The media plays a huge role in vigilantism because they control the narrative of people’s false realities.
I think chastising the journalist/editor in the comments section is a good first step. I would also write a letter to the newspaper itself.
finally should of been, hey!! megans list should be for the police to see *only* they say its to protect the community but registrants are a part of the community, so once again is megans web site actually doing what its supposed to do besides give all registrants that bullet sign? California should of came out with a bill for 2018 stating or relating to,, if a community member is concerned or suspicious about a individual inform/go into police station and inquire-file a report about that particular individual, let the police look into that, license plates are open to view *easy/open* information, or if living in apartments and theres a person that lives there and acts/does/says something to endanger a child, go to management and make that issue, continue to police station and let their private Megan’s law website look to see if that individual is on, or look to see his/her information for tickets or warrant, so i agree with you jack about megans website only being viewed by police.
Janice ,,,,, ,, I don’t see why cases like this is not enough to put a stop to this on “lie” registry , sure you bet I want to be peaceful , you bet I do , as I am sure all of us want this , and you know this to be true Janice , But how is it that cases like this happen than most of us ever hear about , you know being killed , a good many of us dodge some kind of bullet in our lives every so often , always wondering when that day or night is going to come when we are not on your toes , and you can even be so connected with what’s going on in your circle , and feel when the air even changes for even a sec , and still have some crew of fools bust in and kill us , At what point is it going to be enough to stop this public registry ? how many more must die ? how many unintended victims , like from someone burning down an RC’s home ? I am having trouble understanding how they can disarm people and leave them at the mercy of thugs some will encounter all the time , there must be some kind of a plan to end this , even going back to LE only would be much better , and making it illegal for even LE to hand out fliers to landlords or anyone else for that matter , Heck with this registry its like a Hunters Club and the all the game that’s being hunted is all on 10 ac of land with no way out and now way to hide , and I see no brush pile for us or our familys to hide in ,
As a currently unpublished offender, I worry of what will happen when I am put online in 2021/2022 because of my “high” SARATSO/Static score. People who view the Megan’s Law website will *assume* that just because someone has a “high” SARATSO/Static score, that they are automatically the worst of the worst. If publication hasn’t been necessary for many years — and we’ve lived offense-free many years as well — then why is the state legislature saying it will suddenly be necessary in 2021/2022? Not to mention, how does sudden publication not violate Ex Post Facto punishment (as Ex Post Facto is barred by the Constitution)? I know precedent says it’s not punishment; but who are they kidding? If Megan’s Law website publication isn’t punishment — with all the pains, humiliation, and danger that come with it — then what is?!
This is a prime example of intellectual dishonesty by our judges and courts.
I hope this post can give piece of mind to a few. I’m gonna list several cheap ways to up security for your outside doors.
You can Amazon search these for a picture. And your local big box hardware store will have all of these in stock.
Where I live, New construction requires a fire door on multi dwelling units. A metal door and metal door jam. That setup is fairly secure.
Latch guard. Protects against prying the door jam or credit swiping the lock. This is for an outward swinging door. About $10
This one is made by several companies. It’s a bar that fits tightly under the door knob and leverages against the floor. ‘Master lock dual function bar security’. inward swinging door only.
Security striker. This is $10 and replaced the metal inside the door jam. It may require chiseling to install. Helps reinforcement from being kicked in.
Fake camera. These can be as cheap as $10.
Bar lock. This is unsightly. But it’s the 2×4 across the door. Inward swinging doors only. You need. An open bar bracket. And closed bar bracket. $5 each. 3 inch screws and a 2×4 cut to length $4.
If I could just win the lottery, or come up with the money to publicize information such as…
Anyone not a virgin at 18 is a sex offender, just not caught and documented as such.
Adam Walsh should turn himself in for sex with a 16 year old.
Those who pushed IML (I saw the YouTubes of them) should be investigated to see if any of them had sex before 18, and if so also be required to register.
Also get out to the public than it is more likely to be arrested for a sex crime than to be a victim.
Just saying….
TV adds running on every channel, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook. Use everything to get the message out about this stupidity…..
If THIS isn’t enough of a reason to create a law to BAN the registry, I don’t know what is. If banning the registry saves ONE LIFE then we have done good for society, to think otherwise is Un-American. Let’s call this law Donald’s Law in the Memory of Donald who died under their heinous circumstances.
I have emailed the journalist and pointed out the dangers all of us face. How the registry puts not only registrants in danger on a daily basis, but family and friends as well. I noted that looking at a picture can have the government place a citizen in danger for life, but taking the lives of a bus load of children due to a D.U.I. does no more than some jail time. I asked him if he got into hos profession to drag people through the dirt, or point out injustices to the citizens that trust him to print the truth in a non bias way.
Even a law enforcement only registry would be useless. What would be there that isn’t already in the federal and state databases? Nothing. In fact, the databases even list crimes charged but not prosecuted. Is a query to a database so cumbersome that a separate registry is necessary? And considering costs, updates, and the extremely low re-offense rates of RSO’s (the overwhelming majority being registry offenses), is it even worthwhile? Not to mention those queries are routinely made in virtually all investigations anyway. Granted, they might have been useful when created in the 40s, but the information age made them obsolete.
I would still argue that requiring to update LE-only registries after sentences are completed is reminiscent of parole or probation (though admittedly less restrictive) and thus punishment. And still unnecessary, as a person’s whereabouts can be found easily enough with a little database knowledge and detective work.
Janise you are right the most important thing to do is to correct false news about any of this if we all educate ourselves on the facts we can hold these fear mongers accountable and educate the public. Please everyone spend a few minutes a day looking for news that is false and comment the facts. Also hold the judiciary and legislature in your state accountable by contacting them and attending town halls and bill hearings find out who in your area is on board with the truth to testify, find articles and vids that speak the truth.
Here is the link to reporter Altmans follow-up story, which appeared in todays newspaper
https://www.dailybreeze.com/2018/01/15/4-charged-in-killing-of-redondo-beach-sex-offender-no-strangers-to-court/
In addition to the excellent comments made by Janice, we need to do the only one that will actually matter: Kill the registry. No Price club membership I’ve ever been aware of has a consequence of homicide. The registry is unconstitutional. Always has been. Always will be. How much is enough to mount the right case to take to the Supreme Court? How many people have to get executed? 5? 50? 500? How much is enough?
Does Laura Ahearn who founded and SPEARHEADS “parents for megan’s law” know that this inhumane violence tword “her” registrants is happening?
I just watched the video of the Tucker Carlson show with Jeff Sessions as the guest. He stated that between 2003 and 2009 there were 69000 CONVICTED illegal immigrant sex offenders. I call BS. That would be over 10000 per year CONVICTED in addition to citizens convicted. Not sure the numbers match up to current registry growth statistics.
http://dailycaller.com/2018/01/16/jeff-sessions-tucker-carlson-immigration-crime/
I think the recent uptick in vigilante assaults and murders can be directly correlated and attributed to the #metoo movement. It’s most likely a byproduct and spillover of the anger, hate and revenge-based hysteria that is being stirred up in the media and we’re easy (and accessible) targets for that revenge fantasy to give victims of abuse instant gratification.
If community notification is for “advisory purposes,” then the ends doesn’t justify the means, unless the authorities want to call it what it truly is – a silent genocide.
Can we push for a hate crime law? Just name it after a teenager RC who was killed and it should get passed easily?
@ Janice it would be wise and effective to designate groups to counter news agencies and any anti-movement efforts also good to create think tanks about political and other tactics! Good idea to have alliances built in the legal fields as well as psychological fields of study to counter garbage theories and junk science etc…. we the people can afford to help in silent and intellectual ways and more! I hope you agree with the idea to take away the registry! Thanks for your time and work!