Protesters gathered along Foothill Boulevard in La Crescenta Saturday as they fight to keep a person convicted of a sexual offense from being moved into their neighborhood.
Video Transcript
– Protesters in La Crescenta sending a message to a judge trying to prevent a person convicted of a sexual offense from being released in their community.
– Eyewitness News Reporter Leanne Suter is live in La Crescenta, where neighbors gather to express their outrage over the possible release of that man, Leanne.
LEANNE SUTER: Veronica and Jory, the proposed home for Calvin Grassmier would be just a couple of blocks away from this park. And residents say it would put dozens of children at risk. Protesters rallying along Foothill Boulevard in La Crescenta as they fight to keep a person with a sex offense conviction from being moved into their neighborhood.
EMILY VINCENT: There’s more children than homes in this area. There’s schools, nearby parks. People walk their dogs. People walk their kids. This is not a place for someone of this degree of a criminal.
“HARRY LEON: This area is close to less than two miles away from two schools, less than two miles away from a park, less than two miles away from churches.”
Are you kidding me?! How the heck do these people feel that this guy will be a threat to any public safety AT ALL living almost two miles away FROM ANYTHING much less a church, school or playground.
Any would-be sexual predator who wants to take advantage of a child is not going to let a mile or two of distance stop them. Just living further than a required buffer-zone does not prevent anyone from traveling closer (inside) the buffer zone. This is nonsense beyond all logic. Remember, 95% of assaults on children are committed by persons known to the child/family. So now they are only protecting the balance of the 5% maybe??
This is all “Not in my neighborhood” and “I better cover my a$$” kind of thing – along with a “Hey, I’m running for office and I care about your family (all of a sudden) – well heck, what else was I going to run on? I got nothing more!”.
I am on the fence about this article. The residents do have a valid point, although the man has been released and is to be considered “free” for purposes of the law. Of course the slippery slope argument comes into play. If they can stop him from moving there, then how long until they stop anyone they deem as unfit by their standards,
I’m an ex offender/no longer required to register. The registry creates hysteria. Evil! Pedophile! How would the neighbors feel if a gang member? Drug dealer? Murderer? Moved in? Drive by shooter? How about a Muslim Jhiad? Or, how about 63 thousand illegal immigrants coming across the border? (Many with multiple felony convictions?) How about that? How about a guy with (1) 17b, expunged and a COR who is no longer required to register? Ex offender????
I’ll bet a million dollars this guy gets dumped in a low income neighborhood.
People who live in poor neighborhoods that support the registry don’t even know that their supporting SVP’S being dumped in their backyards.
Good luck 🤬
Interesting, I thought when this news report first came out the news was reporting the SVP was getting a humanitarian release due to terminal illness.
So these people are saying , they are in argument with the fact that he fulfilled his obilgation/deal with the state ?
Wouldn’t be a issue if politicians didn’t make it one? Sex crimes have always occurred and a hit list won’t stop it. Restrictions on free citizens causes more problems for the community and country. Politicians will never admit the failure of these unjustified laws.
[ACSOL Moderators edited out racist comment] Yet, we are just worrying about 1 guy! What about people who drive drunk? Drug dealers? We have illegal massage parlors throughout our state (many located near schools/residential areas) who are actually brothels? Gang members? Pimps? Murderers? Wife beaters! I’m now off the registers (thanks to Janice’s advice) and live a simple life: Leave the guy alone!
A community hearing is concluding on WebEx right now. One really good thing: protesters were quickly schooled at the start about their speculative misinformation regarding Mr. Grassmier’s convictions, which were in actually in 1988, and did NOT involve any minors. He had self-committed to a mental hospital in Coalinga in 2007 upon his prison release for those convictions and there have been no further sexual offenses.
Prior to this hearing on the suitability of his placement in La Crescenta, there had been 400+ hysterical and venomous emails sent to the District DA from the community about how their young children would not be safe if he were released in their neighborhood.
Mr. Grassmier is present and looks clean and in his right mind, not like his creepy Meagan Mug Shot, and his Doctor stated that after 33 years of custody, he has made tremendous progress, and is deemed ready to start his new life under the stringent monitoring of conditional release. Only 50 SVPs have been given this opportunity so far.
Poor Police and Fire Emergency response time is now the “con” focus, since there are some winding roads and poor cel phone/ GPS signals in the foothills; and also that there are so many adult survivors of child sexual abuse in the area. Also that a lot of young children in the area means young mothers, and they could be victims.
I feel as though I am the only crazy person that would be more worried about the repeated DUI/drug addict/thief or mentally parolees being released into my neighborhood? Especially since I most likely would not be informed prior to their release.