There is an update in the pending case challenging the SORNA regulations. The federal government has withdrawn its appeal of the Preliminary Injunction, however, the federal government is continuing to pursue a motion to dismiss the case. Although both the federal government and the plaintiffs have waived oral argument regarding that motion, the judge has scheduled a hearing on that motion during which oral argument may be required for June 5 at 9 a.m. Plaintiffs are required to file their brief opposing the motion to dismiss no later than April…
Read MoreMonth: April 2023
Janice’s Journal: Are California Judges Getting Smarter?
There are two recent court decisions, one from an appellate court and the other from a trial court, that may be evidence that California judges are getting smarter on issues of importance to the registrant community. In the appellate court decision, three judges decided that the District Attorney must prove that a person required to register poses a current risk before a court can require continued registration beyond the minimum amount of time required under the Tiered Registry Law. In doing so, the appellate court overturned a trial court decision…
Read MoreCA: Assembly Public Safety committee faces pressure for blocking fentanyl, rape and other crime bills
Source: kcra.com 4/20/23 SACRAMENTO, Calif. —The Chairman of the California Assembly Public Safety Committee, Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, is responding to the mounting pressure his committee is facing after his committee decided to block or stall several crime-related bills. This week, both Republicans and Democrats have held or are scheduled to hold news conferences to speak out against the committee for not taking action on fentanyl. … The committee, which is made up of mostly progressive Democrats, has been known for blocking penalty enhancements broadly for fear of mass incarceration and…
Read MoreCO: Allegedly murderous stepmom tried to pin stepson’s disappearance on wanted sex offender
Source: lawandcrime.com 4/19/23 An FBI special agent testified on Wednesday that an allegedly murderous stepmother tried to pin her stepson’s disappearance on a wanted sex offender, whose unrelated case was publicized in local news. In truth, however, there was no indication that this man, Quincy ____, had anything to do with victim Gannon Stauch, 11, going missing on Jan. 27, 2020, said FBI Special Agent Amber Cronan. Prosecutors in Colorado Springs, Colorado, point the finger at the child’s stepmother, Letecia Stauch, 39, who they say stabbed Gannon 18 times, shot…
Read MoreFive Evidence-Based Policies Can Improve Community Supervision
Source: pewtrusts.org Community supervision, most commonly probation and parole, is a key component of correctional systems in every state and involves more people than are serving prison or jail sentences. At the end of 2020, almost 3.9 million Americans—or 1 in 66 adults—were on probation or parole in the U.S., compared with nearly 1.8 million in jails and state and federal prisons.1 Community supervision also presents a different set of challenges for policymakers and for the people affected by it than does incarceration. Individuals on probation and parole must earn…
Read MoreACSOL Action Alert Nationwide: Ask your US senators to declare April as Second Chance Month
Source: prisonfellowship.org 4/15/23 President Biden has proclaimed April 2023 as Second Chance Month, but the U.S. Senate has yet to act! Now more than ever, it is crucial that we raise awareness about the challenges encountered by individuals with a criminal record, even after facing their consequences. When we extend second chances to men and women with a criminal record, our communities can become safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Using our quick and easy tool, find your lawmakers and send a letter urging them to take a stand for justice…
Read MoreCA: Authorities investigate death of jail inmate
Source: lakeconews.com 4/17/23 LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said an investigation is underway into the death of a jail inmate who died at an out-of-county hospital over the weekend. Inmate Jason Ray, 41, died on Saturday, April 15, in the care and custody of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office while being treated for a medical condition at Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Placer County, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Lauren Berlinn. Berlinn said the sheriff’s office activated the critical incident protocol and has begun an investigation into Ray’s…
Read MoreNew UN-backed legal recommendations normalize sex with minors, outraged critics say
Source: foxnews.com 4/17/23 A shocking report issued by international legal experts with the backing of the United Nations appears to open the floodgates to normalize sex with minors. “Sexual conduct involving persons below the domestically prescribed minimum age of consent to sex may be consensual in fact, if not in law,” the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists wrote in March with an assist from UNAIDS and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The report is titled “The 8 March Principles for a Human Rights-Based Approach to…
Read More10 tips for parents to teach children about boundaries
Source: dailyherald.com 4/16/23 The statistics are sobering: one in three females and one in 20 males will experience sexual abuse or sexual assault by the time they reach age 17. The idea that anyone would sexually abuse a child is terrifying, especially for parents and caregivers. But like any risk our children might face, we need to be able to empower them with information that will help them recognize unsafe situations. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a good time to share the message that all people have the right…
Read MoreFL: Florida Lawmakers Unanimously Advance Bill Seeking Death Penalty for Pedophiles
Source: ntd.com 4/13/23 A new Florida bill allowing capital punishment for those committing sexual battery on children under 12 cleared the state’s rules committee this week and is now heading to the full Senate. Senate Bill 1342 (pdf), a bipartisan effort by Sen. Lauren Book (D-Fla.) and Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fla.), cleared the Florida Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday by unanimous vote, and the state House committee is scheduled on Thursday to consider its version of the measure—House Bill 1297 (pdf). The proposal stipulates that defendants 18 or older could…
Read MoreINTERPOL and UNICEF sign cooperation agreement to address child sexual exploitation and abuse
Source: unicef.org 4/13/23 The two organizations to coordinate efforts to support governments in protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse, including in digital environments LYON, France/NEW YORK, 13 April 2023 – INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell have signed an agreement of cooperation that will support national governments around the world to prevent and address online child sexual exploitation and abuse and other child protection issues. Under the new agreement, the two organizations will cooperate in supporting national law enforcement agencies globally to improve their…
Read MoreCA: Terminating Sex Offender Registration
Source: California Attorneys For Criminal Justice By Pat Ford, Esq. Effective January 1st, 2021, Senate Bill 384 restructured the sex offender registration requirements, establishing three tiers of registration, primarily based on the offense of conviction, for periods of at least 10 years (tier one), 20 years (tier two) or life (tier three). (See Penal Code section 290(d).) Section 290.5(a)-(c) provides the procedure for a person to seek termination from the sex-offender registry if the person has completed the mandated minimum period. Once the termination request is made, the prosecution…
Read MoreCA: San Diego County Supervisors Call on Nathan Fletcher to Resign Immediately
Source: msn.com 4/12/23 The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday calling for the immediate resignation of Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, rather than waiting for his planned May 15 departure date. Fletcher announced his resignation on March 29 after admitting to an affair with a Metropolitan Transit System employee who is suing him for alleged sexual assault and harassment. He has denied the allegations. Chairwoman Nora Vargas introduced a non-binding resolution of no confidence in Fletcher for Tuesday’s special meeting and requested that Fletcher immediately resign. The…
Read MoreTX: After 30 years, a father is exonerated in ‘satanic panic’ sex case
Source: tpr.org 4/11/23 With a few strokes of a pen, Judge Christine Del Prado dismissed the case against 74-year-old Melvin Quinney — giving him his good name back. “Mr. Quinney I have signed the dismissal,” said Del Prado “And I thank you sir for your attendance. You are now discharged from this court.” Applause broke out from onlookers in the same court that 32 years ago had convicted Quinney of indecency with a child and sentenced him to 20 years. This was the final courtroom step in Quinneys exoneration —…
Read MoreMI: Court: Sex offender registry not cruel and unusual
Source: thealpenanews.com 4/11/23 ALPENA — An Alpena man’s lifetime appearance on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, the Michigan Court of Appeals said. … ____’s argued through his attorneys, Christine Pagac and Steven Helton, that his lifetime listing on the registry was unduly harsh because the trial court hadn’t proven he demonstrated an ongoing risk to the community and because the lower court hadn’t done an individualized assessment of his risk of reoffending. The appellate court ruled the registry listing was not harsh because…
Read MoreMN: Minnesota sex offender released after turning life around
Source: benningtonbanner.com 4/10/23 BENNINGTON — In a case that touched on the meaning of rehabilitation in the criminal justice system, a Bennington judge ended the probation of a Minnesota woman — Rosa Maria ____ — guilty of luring a minor and sexually assaulting the victim. That decision came Monday, after a hearing last week in which ____ ‘s attorney argued that she had cleaned up her act and rehabilitated her life. ____ , now 27, the mother of two young toddlers, appeared via video link in a Bennington courtroom last…
Read MoreCA: San Diego County Board of Supervisors Call Emergency Meeting Urging Nathan Fletcher’s Immediate Resignation
UPDATE: San Diego County Supervisors Call on Nathan Fletcher to Resign Immediately 4/12/23 Source: nbcsandiego.com 4/9/23 The San Diego County Board of Supervisors will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday morning calling for Nathan Fletcher’s immediate resignation from office and pass a resolution of no confidence him, according to a release from Supervisor Jim Desmond’s office Sunday night. Desmond’s office reminded constituents that while the board does not have the ultimate power to remove Fletcher, the resolution would serve as a powerful statement for him to resign. Read the…
Read MoreUPDATED on 4/24: Support CA SB 809 by calling in today or tomorrow or showing up
UPDATE 4/26/23: CA Senate Judiciary Committee Approves SB 809 [ACSOL 4/26/23] UPDATE 4/24: The 4/25 hearing for SB 809 is still scheduled! However, when you click here to look at the schedule you will see there are 3 priority “special order” bills that will be heard starting at 9 AM. It is unlikely that they will be finished before the 12-1:30 lunch break, but when those 3 bills are completed then the committee will immediately start on the rest of the bills. As you can see in the list, SB…
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