Category: California

CA: California laws go easier on rapists who attack their spouses

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[UPDATE: California Legislature Stalls Efforts to End Spousal Rape Distinction – newuniversity.org – 5/15/21] [sfchronicle.com – 5/12/21] Stanford law professor Michele Dauber thought pushing for changes to the state’s spousal rape laws would be a no-brainer. After all, this is 2021. In so-called progressive California. Why would anybody support old-fashioned laws distinguishing spousal rape from rape, making the latter subject to far more serious consequences? The legislature would surely rubber-stamp it and quickly move on. Nope. It can’t even get a hearing. “I’m shocked. Absolutely shocked,” said Dauber, best known…

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CA: Unanimous Opposition Expressed to Re-sentencing Regulations

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[ACSOL] During a telephonic hearing marked by significant technical difficulties, more than 20 members of the public expressed their opposition to regulations proposed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) that would exclude groups of people, including those required to register as well as those sentenced to Life Without Parole, from re-sentencing opportunities.  A total of 43 members of the public participated in today’s hearing. “If the current version of these regulations is made final, we will challenge the regulations in court,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. …

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CA: Supervisors approve better public notification of people listed on the registry

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[10news.com – 5/5/21] The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved methods intended to increase public notification about people listed on the registry and placement of people labeled as “sexually violent predators”. One way, according to Supervisor Joel Anderson’s office, would be advance notification of the district attorney, supervisors and other community leaders before people convicted of a sex offense are placed in or move into a neighborhood. Based on a recommendation by Supervisor Jim Desmond, the board also approved better notification for Native American tribes, if people…

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CA: Registrant Gains Access to Section 8 Housing

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A registrant in California has gained access to Section 8 housing.  This is a significant change because in the past all California registrants were denied access to Section 8 housing because they were required by state law to register for life. “This is a significant milestone,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “With the help of ACSOL, a registrant was able to persuade the federal government that he is no longer a lifetime registrant.” The registrant, who wishes to remain anonymous, applied to live with his fiance in Section 8…

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CA: SJ County loses $220 million because of old criminal records, legislation proposes relief in SB 731

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[recordnet.com – 4/30/21] A criminal reform bill is making its way through the California State Senate that could automatically seal criminal records after a person has completed 2 full years out of the criminal justice system. This new bill – SB731 – proposes criminal record relief, where records are sealed after a person has served their time, completed their probation and parole time, and spent 2 years without no new convictions, offenses or charges pending. … Formerly incarcerated people are more likely to experience homelessness – and homeless individuals could have a history of incarceration that’s keeping them on…

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CA: East County is ‘dumping grounds’ for sexually violent predators, official says

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[fox5sandiego.com – 4/28/21] SAN DIEGO – The fight to keep violent sexual predators out of a home on Mt. Helix intensified Wednesday as Supervisor Joel Anderson joined the effort in asking for change. “Sadly, East County has become the dumping grounds for all our sexually violent predators,” Anderson said, claiming roughly 67% of the overall predators have been placed there. “I will not allow my neighbors to be tortured by these violent criminals who are being rewarded for their disgusting behavior,” said Sarah Thompson, a woman who lives in the…

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CA Senate Bill 615 Temporarily Suspended

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[ACSOL] Senate Bill 615, which would have limited the discretion of judges and harmed members of the LGBTQ community, has been temporarily suspended.  The suspension is due to the author’s removal of the bill from consideration today by the Senate Public Safety Committee. “Because Senate Bill 615 has been withdrawn from consideration by committee, the bill is suspended for the remainder of this calendar year,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “It is possible, however, that the bill could be advanced next year before the current legislative session ends.” The…

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CA: Coalinga State Hospital employee accused of sexually abusing child, deputies say

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[yourcentralvalley.com – 4/19/21] COALINGA, California. (KSEE/KGPE) – A Coalinga State Hospital employee accused of sexually abusing a child was arrested last week in Fresno County, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday that Baltazar _______, Jr. was arrested by the Sanger Police Department on Wednesday, April 14 for lewd acts with a minor. Read the full article  

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CA: Aryan Brotherhood defendant says guards at Sacramento prison conspired to kill inmates

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[sacbee.com – 4/20/21] Lawyers for an Aryan Brotherhood inmate held at California State Prison, Sacramento, have stepped up their efforts to have their client moved to a new facility, filing new allegations that guards there have been involved in killing inmates and planted evidence against others. … Other evidence shows that officers provided the inmates committing the homicide false information that Aguilar was a child sex offender, knowing that the information would cause him to be targeted for murder. After the killing, officers are believed to have falsely reported that…

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CA: 57 Arrested In San Joaquin County Child Sex Predator Operation

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[sacramento.cbslocal.com – 4/17/21] SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY (CBS13) – Dozens of people were arrested as part of a child sex predator sting throughout San Joaquin County over the last week. In total, 57 people were arrested and 37 were cited over a five-day span from April 12-16. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said the operation “targeted out-of-compliance sex offenders and persons on probation or parole for sex crimes, sex traffickers, prostitution, pimping, and pandering.” Over 100 total officials from all assisting organizations were stationed throughout the county and made contact…

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Action Alert for CA: Oppose CDCR Regulations That Exclude Registrants From Resentencing Opportunities

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[ACSOL] The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has issued proposed regulations which exclude most registrants from resentencing opportunities.  Comments upon the proposed regulations can be submitted to CDCR  before or on May 7, 2021.  In addition, CDCR will conduct a public hearing on May 7 at 10 a.m. regarding the proposed regulations. “CDCR is repeating the same mistake it made when it issued its Proposition 57 regulations, that is, the agency is excluding registrants from the benefits of legislation,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “We must strongly…

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CA: El Cajon neighbors outraged over placement of 10 registered sex offenders together in one house

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[cbs8.com – 4/15/21] Neighbors in El Cajon are livid, after learning that ten registered sex offenders are now living together in one house in their kid-friendly community. Calling it “a living nightmare,” these parents say they are now fearful for their children’s safety, and are demanding answers from the state. According to California’s Megan’s Law website, the crimes these registered sex offenders living here are convicted of range from sodomy with a minor under age 18, to lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14. Dozens of El Cajon…

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ACSOL Urgent Action Alert for CA (April 14 deadline!): Support CDCR Repeal of Its Prop. 57 Exclusions

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[ACSOL] The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is proposing the repeal of its categorical exclusion of individuals required to register as sex offenders from early parole consideration.  According to the proposal, most registrants in custody will be referred to the Board of Parole Hearings for early parole consideration no later than July 1, 2021. “If CDCR’s proposed repeal becomes final, thousands of registrants who have been denied early parole consideration for more than four years will finally receive the benefits of Proposition 57,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice…

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Action Alert for CA: Support for the release of Mr. Badger to San Diego County by April 9

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San Diego County residents are fighting the supervised release of Douglas Badger, a 78-year-old registrant designated as a sexually violent predator, to a community in that county.  A judge previously granted Mr. Badger’s release from Coalinga State Hospital provided that he is able to find housing. “ACSOL requests that members of the registrant community state their support for the release of Mr. Badger to San Diego County,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “The deadline for doing so is April 9.” San Diego County will conduct a public meeting on…

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CA: East County neighbors angered over plan to house sex offender

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[fox5sandiego.com – 4/2/21] EL CAJON, Calif. – Residents in unincorporated El Cajon are pushing back ahead of a hearing this month that could place a man convicted of multiple sexual assaults in a supervised home in their neighborhood. A hearing will be held next month to determine whether to place Douglas ____, a 78-year-old man convicted of several sexual assaults, in a supervised home in unincorporated El Cajon. (Provided) The hearing is scheduled for April 20 after California’s Department of State Hospitals recommended 78-year-old Douglas ____placed in a home on…

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CA: Sexually Violent Predator Must Move Out Of Napa, Court Rules

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[patch.com – 3/30/21] NAPA COUNTY, CA — As a result of a hearing Monday in San Francisco Superior Court, a convicted sexually violent predator living in Napa County must be transferred to San Francisco County, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced in a news release. Charles Leroy _____, 76, was released in September 2020 to live at 4018 E. 3rd Ave. in Napa County, where for six months he lived in close proximity to two schools and within a one-mile radius of 62 children, the Napa County District Attorney’s…

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Action Alert for CA: Make Calls Now That Senate Rules Committee Advanced Senate Bill 615

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[ACSOL] UPDATED NEWS: CA Senate Bill 615 Temporarily Suspended The California Senate Rules Committee advanced Senate Bill 615 by assigning the bill to the Senate Public Safety Committee.   Although the Public Safety Committee has not yet set a date for consideration of SB 615, the deadline for the committee’s consideration is April 30. “It is now time to start calling the five members of the Senate Public Safety Committee and to state your opposition to Senate Bill 615,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “Each call will take one minute…

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CA: California May End Archaic ‘Spousal Rape’ Distinction in Punishment

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[nbclosangeles.com – 3/22/21] California is one of 11 states that still distinguish between spousal rape and rape, after Minnesota most recently eliminated the exception in 2019, according to proponents. The law currently requires anyone convicted of rape to register, but those convicted of spousal rape must register only under certain circumstances such as if the spouse was sentenced to state prison. It wasn’t until 1979 that a husband was first prosecuted in the United States for raping his wife, Stanford University law professor and sociologist Michele Dauber said. Though all…

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