The numbers are alarming. California voters thought they had locked down all sex offenders in the state, preventing them from living near where children congregated. But a change in policy spurred by a court decision has dropped that number under the state’s residency restriction from 100 percent to 24 percent. Full Article
Read MoreCategory: California
CA State Legislature to Consider Presence Restrictions Bill on Jan. 12
The Assembly’s Public Safety Committee has scheduled a hearing on January 12 during which it will consider Assembly Bill (AB) 201. The bill, if passed, would allow local governments to adopt laws that restrict where a registered citizen may be present such as parks, libraries, swimming pools and fast food restaurants. If the bill is passed, the lawsuits filed during the past two years that eliminated presence restrictions in the state of California would be overturned. “We stopped AB 201 in 2015 when we showed up, stood up and spoke up in opposition to this…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Preparing for the Spotlight
This is not a movie review. It is, however, my reaction to a movie. A movie that could bring negative attention to all who have been convicted of a sex offense. The movie is “Spotlight” which has just been released and has already been nominated as best picture by the Screen Actors Guild and may be nominated for an Academy Award. The movie is about a small group of reporters at The Boston Globe newspaper. The movie is also about a multi-decade cover up by the Catholic Church. Finally, the…
Read MoreCA: Most Sex Offender Parolees Exempt from Ban
Three-quarters of California’s paroled sex offenders previously banned from living near parks, schools and other places where children congregate now face no housing restrictions after the state changed its policy in response to a court ruling that said the prohibition only applies to child molesters, according to data compiled at the request of The Associated Press. Full Article In other news outlets http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ap-exclusive-sex-offender-parolees-exempt-ban-35750104 http://www.redding.com/news/wire-news/most-sex-offender-parolees-exempt-from-ban http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2015-12-14/ap-exclusive-most-sex-offender-parolees-exempt-from-ban http://m.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2015/1214/AP-Exclusive-California-sex-offenders-exempt-from-ban-on-housing-location
Read MoreLawyer: sex offender dad keeping custody was the right decision
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — An attorney representing a registered sex offender says he’s happy with the court’s ruling to not award custody to the child’s mother. Full Article Related Registered sex offender keeps custody of daughter
Read MoreThe County: sexual assault and the price of silence
How law enforcement officers in Kern County, California, secretly tried to ‘buy off’ victims in sexual misconduct cases against the men sworn to protect them. Full Article
Read MoreAttorney Ordered to Reimburse Attorney Fees to Registered Citizen
A Los Angeles attorney was recently ordered to reimburse most, although not all, attorney fees paid by a registered citizen and a family member seeking to obtain relief from registration after an arbitrator from the L.A. County Bar Association found that the clients “were clearly given bad advice”. The attorney in this matter advised his clients that the best available relief from registration was a Writ of Mandate. The attorney also advised his client that he was not eligible to apply for a Certificate of Rehabilitation (COR). The registered citizen paid the attorney a total of $4,500 for…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Tenacity Results in Victory in Carson
Our tenacity paid off! More than 18 months, 3 lawsuits and 2 protests later, the City of Carson has repealed its presence restrictions. In a vote of 3 to 0, the City Council decided to rid the City of Carson of its presence restrictions which both violated state law and denied the civil rights of more than 100,000 individuals. This important vote was taken despite a proclamation in 2014 by a member of the City Council to “declare war” upon registered citizens. This important vote was taken because we did…
Read MoreCarson Revises Presence Restrictions [updated with media]
Media links at the bottom – The Carson City Council agreed on December 1 to revise the city’s ordinance which restricts where registered citizens may be present. As a result of the revisions, registered citizens may soon visit public sites such as parks, libraries, and swimming pools as well as private sites such as fast food restaurants. “At long last the City of Carson has decided to comply with existing state law by revising its ordinance,” stated CA RSOL president Janice Bellucci. The City ordinance was initially challenged in a…
Read MoreRedding man takes plea bargain in shooting of registered sex offender
REDDING, California – A 28-year-old Redding man pleaded guilty today in Shasta County Superior Court to attempted murder and use of a firearm in connection with the September shooting of a registered sex offender. In exchange for his guilty plea, Timothy Joseph Gould will be sentenced Feb. 2 to 15 years in prison. Gould must serve 85 percent of his sentence — about nearly 13 years — before he’s eligible for parole. Full Article Related Deputies: Man was shot ‘because he’s a sex offender’ http://www.krcrtv.com/redding-man-accepts-plea-deal-for-shooting-sex-offender/36746668
Read MoreSue-Happy Sex Offender Frank Lindsay Throws His Latest Legal Papers at Long Beach
A San Luis Obispo County sex offender who sued Santa Ana in May 2014–and has sued several other California cities in attempts to overturn local laws targeting perverts–now has his legal team trained on Long Beach. Janice Bellucci, president of CA Reform Sex Offender Laws and Lindsay’s attorney, tells the Weekly she has filed suit in federal court in Los Angeles to challenge Long Beach’s sex offender residency restrictions. Specifically, it’s an ordinance adopted by the City Council that prohibits most registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of…
Read MoreSex offender sues Long Beach for right to live near schools, parks, day care centers
A San Luis Obispo County man is suing the city of Long Beach over restrictions that he says make it impossible to move to or even visit the area. Frank Lindsay says in legal papers that a 2008 ordinance prevents him and other registered sex offenders from living, either temporarily or permanently, in much of the city. Full Article
Read MoreJudge: Man wrongly convicted is eligible for compensation
RED BLUFF, California – A Tehama County judge ruled Tuesday morning that a 48-year-old Red Bluff man deserves to be paid for the 15 years he spent in prison after being wrongfully convicted. Tehama County Superior Court Judge Matthew McGlynn said that ____ ____ was “factually innocent” of the child molestation charges that landed him a 24-year prison sentence and is thereby entitled to monetary compensation. ____ will “automatically” receive more than $750,500 – about $140 for each day he was imprisoned — in light of McGlynn’s ruling, his attorney…
Read MoreTwelve Sex Offenders Arrested Along the American River Parkway
A dozen sex offenders were taken into custody last weekend after law enforcement made a sweep of the American River Parkway. During a three day operation, Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies talked to 284 people, and arrested 28. Deputy Tony Turnbull says of those arrests, 12 were sex offenders. Full Article
Read MoreEven after release, California convicts contend with digital trail
Visitors to the 1998 California state fair were treated to demonstrations of a novel criminal justice tool: a computer that allowed them to look up information about registered sex offenders. Nearly two decades later, the novelty has vanished. A few clicks on a personal computer summon the name, address and record of sex offenders filed in the state’s Megan’s Law database. Every state in the nation now maintains a database of registered sex offenders. Full Article Related REGISTRANTS SUE CA DEPT OF JUSTICE — DEMAND IMPROVEMENTS TO, OR END OF,…
Read MoreRegistered Citizen Challenges Long Beach Residency Restrictions
A sex offender (“registrant”) wishing to relocate to the City of Long Beach where he conducts business filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging sex offender residency restrictions. An ordinance adopted by the City Council of Long Beach prohibits most registrants from living within 2,000 feet of a child day care center, park, or school. The lawsuit will be served tomorrow on the City of Long Beach. CA Reform Sex Offender Laws President and attorney Janice Bellucci filed the lawsuit today on behalf of plaintiff Frank Lindsay. “Long Beach’s residency…
Read MoreSex offender kicked out of Vallejo motel after outcry
A violent sex offender released from a psychiatric hospital last month and forced to live as a transient was kicked out of a motel in Vallejo this week amid public outcry, including critical statements from local police and city officials. _____ _____ ____, 51, who committed five sexual assaults over 15 years, was evicted Wednesday from the Motel 6 on Enterprise Street after police and residents discovered he had been secretly placed there, Vallejo officials said Thursday. “It appears that Motel 6 did not know that they had rented a…
Read MoreEducating Attorneys That they CAN WIN – Las Vegas, NACDL, November 19-20, 2015
RSOL is excited to announce that Janice Bellucci will lead our exhibit at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (NACDL) Sex Crimes Training Seminar in Las Vegas. This exhibit is a fantastic opportunity for RSOL to network with and appeal to attorneys to join with us because the NACDL is the premier national organization of defense lawyers. We often hear that RSOL should clone Ms. Bellucci so that we can file challenges across the country. We agree, and believe that she is the best person to represent us at…
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