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.
“I’m grateful to the court for putting an end to my nightmare,” Crimes against nature? Ambiguous term at best. This is a cultural term not a precise definition of behavior to be criminalized.
Lawrence v Texas again. For any ex post registrant the nightmare was not self inflicted. That is why Judge Matsch was necessarily compelled to recognize the cruel nature of registration. Slavery to machine. One property keeps you from another automatically via promulgation.
Rehnquist majority was either stupid or got something on the back end.
This of course to save children! (Sarcasm)
You know what should be a crime against nature putting teenagers on the registry for life.