TWIN FALLS – A man convicted of felony aggravated battery for beating a 69-year-old man was sentenced Monday in Twin Falls County District Court. Bradley Houser, 35, was sentenced to the state’s retained jurisdiction program. He will attend the Correctional Alternative Placement Program through the Idaho Department of Correction. After the program, a judge can either put Houser on probation or send him to prison for an underlying sentence of three to 15 years. Houser was also ordered to reimburse the county public defender’s office for $500 and was ordered to pay…
Read MoreMore News
General won’t plead guilty if it means sex-offender registry, defense says
(CNN) — The defense and prosecution were hammering out a plea deal Tuesday in the court-martial of Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair, but no matter what the negotiations hold, the defense says three things are off the table. First, Sinclair won’t plead guilty to sexual assault, said Josh Zeitz, a spokesman for the general’s defense team. Nor will he plead guilty to any charge that will land him on a sex-offender registry. And lastly, Zeitz said, Sinclair will not plead guilty to threatening his accuser or her family. Full Article
Read MoreAre Record Numbers of Sex Offenders a Bad Idea in Downtown L.A.?
Downtown L.A. is going through a growth spurt: New bars and restaurants open almost every week, lofts are filling with tenants and even young families heeded the DTLA call and have begun to set roots in the area. But there is one population that has gone largely unpublicized; sex offenders. Full Article
Read MoreW.A.R. on ‘It Could Be You’ KABF 88.3 FM, Arkansas
From W.A.R. Facebook – “It Could Be You”, a talk-radio program on Little Rock, Arkansas, station KABF 88.3 FM (“The Voice of the People”) airs Wednesdays 2:00–3:00 PM Central Time. “It Could Be You” is a forum through which social justice organizations, criminal justice reform organizations, community activists, and persons and organizations providing help to those in need can discuss their work, their goals, and how the public can contact them, offer their assistance, or more effectively reach out to the underserved in the community, the state, or across the…
Read MoreThe Trial That Unleashed Hysteria Over Child Abuse
It has long been said, in varying language, that a lie travels halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on. You do not have to reach back 200 years to Scotland to find enduring wisdom in that adage. You need return only to the 1980s and to the subject of this week’s Retro Report documentary video, part of a series re-examining news stories from the past. This week’s subject is the notorious McMartin Preschool abuse trial. Full Article
Read MorePUTTING THE CARLOS MOLINA STORY INTO PROPER CONTEXT
The recent arrest of IBF Jr Middleweight World Champion Carlos Molina has made a lot of noise throughout the boxing world. He was all set to defend his title Vs. Jermall Charlo this past Saturday, but his big fight was canceled due to being arrested. Let’s take a look at some facts here. Let’s put things into the proper context as well. Firstly, Carlos Molina is no sexual predator. The title of “Sex Offender” is a very broad brush. Let me explain. Anyone that has sex with an underage girl…
Read MoreME: Bill prohibiting sex offender living restrictions raises worry
CONCORD — A bill prohibiting residency restrictions for registered sex offenders and offenders against children which was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month is causing concern among some legislators, who say the bill would strip communities of their ability to protect children. HB 1237 is based upon two court decisions where judges found local ordinances restricting residency for offenders to be unconstitutional. One of the cases cited came out of Dover District Court. In August of 2009, Dover’s ordinance that prohibited registered sex offenders from living within…
Read MoreFL: Longer sentences linked to increased recidivism
Letter to the Editor – The conclusion of Florida’s 2014 Legislature will see children at greater risk, not safer. Principal among the proposals “strengthening” laws to protect children are measures to lengthen prison terms for sex crimes, and widening the range of sentences that lead to eligibility for civil commitment. The Colorado Department of Public Safety issued a report in February 2008, “What Works —Effective Recidivism Reduction and Risk-Focused Prevention Programs.” Numerous evidence-based studies were cited that uniformly and conclusively linked longer prison sentences with increased recidivism. Full Article
Read MoreCouncil expanding sex offender prohibition zones
Sex offenders who committed crimes against children will have a hard time finding a place to live in Grover Beach if the City Council gives final approval to an ordinance amendment increasing the size of protected areas. The council unanimously approved the revisions on a first reading Monday. The amendment must come back for a final vote, likely at the next meeting March 17, before it can be enforced. Currently, child sex offenders are prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of the city’s 13 designated parks, schools and day care center.…
Read MoreAssembly Bill Would Increase Sex Offender Rights
The State Assembly is actively considering a bill, AB 1640, that would eliminate the registration requirement for sexual offenses that the California Supreme Court and several Courts of Appeal have ruled violate the equal protection rights of registered citizens. The bill was introduced by Assembly member Jones-Sawyer (Democrat, Los Angeles) and is sponsored by Los Angeles District Attorney Lacey. “Assembly Bill 1640, if passed, would be an important step toward restoring the civil rights of registered citizens,” stated CA RSOL President Janice Bellucci. “The bill would ensure that courts throughout the state of California consistently…
Read MoreUK: Jamie is 13 and hasn’t even kissed a girl. But he’s now on the Sex Offender Register after online porn warped his mind…
(April 2012) Jamie was ten years old when he saw his first pornographic sex scene. During a sleepover, a classmate offered to show him ‘some funny pictures’ on his laptop. ‘At first I found it a bit scary and a bit yucky,’ Jamie told me as he shifted uncomfortably on his chair during our therapy session. ‘I didn’t know it was possible for people to do those sort of things — and there were lots of nasty close-ups. But it gave me funny feelings and the pictures started to stick in…
Read MoreSan Diego’s public defender system: Does it need work?
A San Diego man wrongly accused of raping a 14-year-old girl is free, thanks to Team 10, in a case that is now shedding light on what could be some problems with the local court system you help pay for. Much of the case against ____ ____ was not as it seemed and it soon became clear that the victim, who was actually a woman in her 20s with three children (who she does not have custody of), had not been forthcoming with the truth. Full Article
Read MoreCT: Council drops proposal to ban sex offenders in Wallingford parks
WALLINGFORD — Regulations preventing sex offenders from entering parks won’t be pursued by the Town Council, the ordinance committee determined Thursday night. Town Councilor Craig Fishbein, chairman of the committee, said the opinion of the Law Department was sought after the committee spoke on the issue in past meetings. Fishbein said Corporation Counsel Janis Small issued memos to the committee — made up by the Town Council — on Feb. 26 and Feb. 28 with information on how other municipalities and states handled similar bans. Other municipalities in Connecticut have…
Read MoreSouth Pasadena agrees not to enforce city’s presence restrictions
The City of South Pasadena has agreed not to enforce its presence restrictions which prohibited all registered citizens from “loitering” in the city’s parks, library, school bus stops, restaurants with children’s playground, etc. The City formalized its agreement in a letter from City Manager Sergio Gonzalez dated February 24 (below). The City’s agreement was reached after California RSOL notified the City that its presence restrictions were in violation of two recent decisions by the California Court of Appeal which stated that similar restrictions in Orange County and the City…
Read MoreWriting to Legislators – Make it a Good Letter
The following was a comment on “International Travel – Mexico” but it applies universally. So, you’re going to write a letter to Congress? Good idea. Make it a good letter. People who think members of Congress pay little or no attention to constituent mail, are plain wrong. Concise, well thought out personal letters are one of the most effective ways Americans have of influencing law-makers. But, members of Congress get hundreds of letters and emails every day. Whether you choose to use the Postal Service or email, here are some…
Read MoreOK: Sexting Teens Wouldn’t Be Sex Offenders Under New Bill
Minors convicted of sexting wouldn’t be labeled as sex offenders under a bill passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The House unanimously approved HB 2541 by Rep. Terry O’Donnell (R-Catoosa) on Tuesday. Under current law, teens who exchange sexually explicated messages and photographs can be charged with child pornography and labeled sex offenders. Full Article
Read MoreWhen Government Fears the People, There is Liberty
When the craftsman sets out to learn his trade, for example, woodworking, he spends a great deal of time learning about his craft. He must learn not only the tools to use, but also the proper types of wood to work with. He must be totally versed in all aspects of woodworking if he want to be considered a master of his trade. This is true of any field of endeavor, except for one, our Public officials. For some reason many of our politicians feel that they will gain more…
Read MoreNew Zealand: Another attempt to establish a sex offenders register
The Police Minister says research has been done on how to establish a sex offenders register in New Zealand. Police and the Corrections Department are working on the proposal and legislation enabling a register could go to Parliament before the election. Police Minister Anne Tolley says they’ve had a look at problems that were identified when former ACT MP Deborah Coddington tried – and failed – to establish such a register a decade ago. Full Article
Read More