Texas rules barring some sex offenders from using certain websites were thrown into jeopardy Monday morning after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar statute in North Carolina violates the First Amendment. Full Article
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SCOTUS Rules Justly in Packingham Case
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously today that a North Carolina law which prohibits all registrants from accessing commercial social networking websites used by minor children violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. “This is a tremendous victory for the registrants of North Carolina as well as registrants throughout the nation,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized for the first time that registrants have First Amendment rights including the use of social media websites including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.” In its decision, the…
Read MoreSC: ‘Skinhead’ said God told him to kill sex offenders, wanted conviction tossed out
An unapologetic white supremacist serving three life sentences for killing two people in 2013 was denied a new trial Friday. He claimed God told him to kill sex offenders. Jeremy Moody, 34, of Union County, pleaded guilty in May 2014 to two counts of murder, burglary, kidnapping and other charges. He later filed a post conviction relief lawsuit claiming his court-appointed lawyers should have done more in the case to explore his mental illness. Moody asked for the convictions to be tossed out. Full Article
Read MoreIL: Task force seeks consensus on sex offender proposals
A statewide task force considering changes in how Illinois tracks sex offenders reached consensus this week on some key points, but agreement on reforms to several politically sensitive measures that could make it easier for offenders to start over after a conviction will require more deliberation. Full Article
Read MoreMO: Woman discovers sex offender using her address for registry, has to fight to remove it
What would you do if you discovered your house was wrongly listed on a statewide registry as the home of a sex offender? That’s exactly what happened to a Missouri woman who has been fighting for months to get the mistake corrected. Full Article
Read MoreLA: FAMM Praises Louisiana for Repeal of Mandatory Minimums
Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) today commended Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards for signing into law SB 220, which repeals most of Louisiana’s mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws. The bill is a significant component of a larger criminal justice package that passed through the Louisiana legislature this session. Full Article
Read MoreAR: Salesville, resident at impasse over sex offender sign, Nazi flags
A large sign identifying a sex offender — and apparently the controversial flags the resident has reportedly displayed in protest — will not be coming down, Mayor Tim Mayfield told a concerned businessman Tuesday night. The sign, maintained by the city and sitting in front of the Salesville Fire Department, identifies Charles Wade Floyd as a Level 4 sex offender and lists his address. Floyd, reportedly as a form of protest against the sign, has three Nazi flags and two Confederate flags displayed on his property along AR Hwy. 177…
Read MoreOne Strike and You’re Out: Is Redemption Possible for Luke Heimlich?
Luke Heimlich made this week after a missed registration deadline presented the Oregonian with an opportunity to revisit his past misdeed. Until his past was dredged up, Luke, a rising college baseball player, was slated to be a first day pick for the major league amateur draft. Predictably, there was immediate backlash with people crucifying Luke for his supposed duplicity and calling for more punishment. Then on Friday, Luke released a statement in which he excused himself from playing in the super regionals. The extremely harsh public reaction to Luke’s…
Read MoreFL: Bill requires moving companies disclose employed sex offenders
When a mover comes to your house, do you know who you’re inviting in? A new Florida law wants to make sure you’re notified if a sex offender is working for the moving company you hire. Full Article
Read MoreNY: Murphy Lauds Bill That Bans Lifetime Sex Offenders From Internet
The State Senate approved, 59-2, legislation prohibiting Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders from using the internet for social networking or for accessing pornographic sites involving sexual relation with minors for life. Full Article
Read MoreIN: Child abuse database launched
A person’s name will appear in the search results if they’ve been convicted of child neglect, battery or sexual assault against a child or child selling — crimes that statistics show are being reported more regularly throughout the state. Full Article
Read MoreLA: Here’s why some sex offenders eligible for early release have to stay in prison
More than 400 Louisiana prisoners who are otherwise eligible for early release can’t leave correctional facilities because they are unable to find an approved place to live that complies with the state’s sex offender requirements. Full Article
Read MoreVA: Child porn producers should be “shot,” federal judge suggests in a Norfolk courtroom
From the bench this week, a federal judge unafraid of offering blunt opinions suggested anyone who produces child pornography should be shot. An exact quote of what Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Doumar said Tuesday during a case involving the collection of child porn was not available, but in an interview Thursday, the octogenarian reiterated the comment multiple times. “I said it. I said that they should be shot,” said Doumar, whom President Ronald Reagan nominated to the bench more than 35 years ago. Full Article
Read MoreNJ: Sex Offender Cannot Use Mistaken Age Defense
A former Cape May business owner who claimed a 13-year-old boy, with whom he had a sexual encounter, lied about his age cannot use that as a defense at trial, Appellate Court judges decided May 31. Full Article Related http://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2017/a0741-15.html Grindr not liable for man’s sex encounter with minor, federal judge rules
Read MoreOK: Two suspects identified in homicide of inmate at Oklahoma County jail
An inmate at the Oklahoma County jail who died in early February was the victim of a homicide, the first at the troubled facility in almost three years, an autopsy report shows. Two suspects already have been identified and are in custody, authorities said. … Windle had served time in prison for a 2003 attempted rape and indecent exposure. He was jailed in September after telling police he had been living in a Del City park since April 2014 and sleeping underneath a bridge. He was awaiting trial on two…
Read MoreIL: Supreme Court asked to review McLean County sex offender issue
The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review a case against a Normal man to determine the constitutionality of Illinois’ rules mandating that sex offenders report all their internet activity to authorities. Full Article
Read MoreIL: Starting over – Task force examining sex offender laws
At the end of June, ____ ____ will mark the 20th anniversary of two life-changing milestones: the year he was convicted at 21 of sexually abusing a teenage girl, and two decades without an arrest for another sex offense. ____ spent 60 days in jail and served two years’ probation for aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 1997. His identity also was included on a statewide sex offender registry for 10 years. Removal from the registry made it easier for ____ to start over in the community. But in November 2011,…
Read MoreIN: Man Exonerated After Serving More Than 25 Years for a Rape DNA Testing Proves He Didn’t Commit
A judge today granted a motion by the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office to dismiss the 1992 rape charges against William Barnhouse based on new DNA evidence proving Barnhouse’s innocence of the crime. With Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Arnold’s consent, the Innocence Project and the Wrongful Conviction Clinic at Indiana University McKinney persuaded a Delaware County court to reverse Barnhouse’s conviction on March 8, 2017 based on this new evidence. Further proceedings in the case were scheduled for May. Arnold’s decision to dismiss the indictment against Barnhouse, who has dealt…
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