The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) is dedicated to protecting the Constitution by restoring the civil rights of registrants and their families. In order to achieve that objective, ACSOL will educate and litigate as well as support or oppose legislation. The ACSOL website and recordings are provided as a service to registrants, registrants’ families, and others for general information only. The information on the website and in the recordings are not designed to provide legal or other advice or to create an attorney-client relationship. You should not take, or refrain from taking, action based on their content. Prior results and case studies do not guarantee a similar outcome in future representations. ACSOL accepts no responsibility for any loss or damages that may result from accessing or reliance on content on the ACSOL website and recordings and disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all liability with respect to acts or omissions made by registrants, registrants’ families and others on the basis of content on the ACSOL website.
Important News / Announcements
Janice's Journal
General News Feed
Hungary’s president Katalin Novák stepped down after pardoning a man convicted of helping cover up sex abuse
Source: theguardian.com 2/10/24 The Hungarian president has announced her resignation over her decision to pardon a man convicted of helping cover up a sex abuse case at a children’s home as the controversy posed a challenge for Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán. The pardon decision was made last year but only caught the public’s attention over the past days after a report by the...
NC: Warning about scam involving NC sex offender registry
Source: wsoctv.com 10/11/23 CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. — The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a new scam that involves someone impersonating a police officer and people on the North Carolina sex offender registry. According to the sheriff’s office, several people have reported that they were contacted by someone saying they were with the Lenoir Police Department. The person said that some sex...
VA: Alleged Predator Granny: A Life Ensnared By Virginia Sex Offender Registry
Source: legal-eagles.org 2/9/24 Recent Denial of Appeal: Tammy Lawson's Ongoing Struggle for Justice In the realm of legal battles, few narratives are as poignant as that of Tammy Lawson, whose life has been ensnared in the complexities of the justice system. Despite her unwavering innocence, Tammy's journey has been fraught with unjust consequences, the most recent being the denial of her appeal. see our...
IN: Indiana HB 1307 would mean register for life if moving to Indiana
Source: thestatehousefile.com 1/18/24 The Indiana House Courts and Criminal Code Committee discussed several bills Wednesday, including HB 1203 and HB 1307, both of which were held for ... ... HB 1307 was authored by Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn. “The first thing that 1307 does is if a sex offender moves from another state to Indiana, they would be required to register for the entire...
TX: Texas vigilante tricked sex offender into meeting him at park – then murdered him: police
Source: foxnews.com 2/6/24 [ACSOL is posting this as a warning to members of our community] A Houston man allegedly lured a convicted sex offender to his death in what is being described as a possible case of vigilante justice. James Lewis Spencer III, 24, is charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Sean Connery Showers, 37, who was found unresponsive, lying...
Janice’s Journal: Glimmers of Hope
There are glimmers of hope on the horizon for registrants and their families. Most of that hope is based upon recent court decisions. However, one piece of hope comes in the form of a recently published newspaper article. Both will be discussed below. One form of hope comes from a recently published newspaper article about a person charged with shooting and killing another person. The headline of that...
Appellate Court Reverses Denial of Petition (Good News!)
Source: ACSOL The Second Appellate District Court today issued a decision reversing a trial judge's decision to deny a petition filed on behalf of a California person required to register. As a result of this decision, the trial court judge must grant that petition which will in turn terminate the person's requirement to register. "Today's decision is the third appellate court decision reversing a...
Action Alert for all states: Sign petition to reinstate voting rights for returning citizens
Source: Rita Finley at change.org Why this petition matters: As an American citizen, I firmly believe in the principle that every individual should have an equal right to vote. This belief is not just personal but also echoes the words of Lyndon B. Johnson who once said, "Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason which can excuse...
NY: Poverty and Mass Incarceration in New York: An Agenda for Change
Source: brennancenter.org 2/23/21 SUMMARY: Criminal justice reform can save New York State money and reduce the racial wealth gap. The past year has been a reckoning. As a nation, we were finally forced to confront the reality and interconnectedness of racism, inequality, and injustice, which have permeated our institutions and systems for centuries. When the protests that began in Minneapolis made their way to New...
CA: People With Criminal Records Should Not Have to Hire a Lawyer Just to Get a Job
Source: truthout.org 2/4/24 State laws are restricting people with convictions from working as nurses, counselors and janitors. Finding work can be difficult for anyone, but Fernando Herrera faces an extra challenge. California has banned him for life from his dream job as a firefighter because of two felonies he committed as a teenager. Herrera went to prison for assaults he committed at ages 14...
FL: Florida drops death penalty pursuit for man accused of child sex abuse
Source: tampabay.com 2/2/24 The state attorney in Lake County said the case’s quick resolution could be attributed to Florida’s new law. Though Florida prosecutors sought the death penalty for a man accused of sexually abusing a child, making use of a new law Gov. Ron DeSantis signed last year, the accused man instead pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. Joseph Andrew...
CA: New California bill proposes law change to stop transient release of sexually violent predators
Source: cbsnews.com 2/2/24 ROCKLIN -- Outrage in Placer County over the placement of a legally designated sexually violent predator (SVP) was met with a possible solution Friday put forward by Republican Assemblyman Joe Patterson of Rocklin. Patterson introduced a new bill looking to ban all release of SVPs as transients into California communities. He wants to strengthen the definition of acceptable housing when these...
Lobby Day Date Changed to March 6
The date for Lobby Day 2024 has changed from Tuesday, March 5, to Wednesday, March 6. The location and schedule remain the same which means that Lobby Day training will be held at the Hyatt Hotel, 1209 L Street in Sacramento starting at 9 a.m. Meetings with legislators or their staff will begin at 1 p.m. and a reception will be held at 5...
General Comments Feb 2024
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of Feb 2024. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil. This section is not intended for posting links to news articles without additional relevant comment.
Here’s Why Donald Trump Doesn’t Have to Register as a Sex Offender
Source: thedailybeast.com 1/30/24 [ACSOL'S NOTE: This article is posted to show the differences between civil lawsuits and criminal prosecutions. It is NOT posted to show preference for any political party, both of which pass laws against registrants and sex offenses. Please stop all political party attack comments.] You’d think someone found liable for sexual assault would be considered a danger to society, but...
David French: When the right ignores its sex scandals
Source: twincities.com 1/29/24 Let me share with you one of the worst and most important recent news stories that you’ve probably never heard about. Late last month, the Southern Baptist Convention settled a sex abuse lawsuit brought against a man named Paul Pressler for an undisclosed sum. The lawsuit was filed in 2017 and alleged that Pressler had raped a man named Duane Rollins...
Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) Introduces H.R.6382 – Stop Sexually Violent Predators Act
Source: issa.house.gov 11/10/23 Poway – At a press conference in Poway, CA today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) introduced The Stopping Sexually Violent Predators Act the most comprehensive legislation to date to reset the broken system that is currently forcing sexually violent predators (SVPs) into communities and near children and families. "In California, Governor Newsom has made our communities less safe by essentially compelling communities...
CA: A Constitutionally Dubious California Bill Would Ban Possession of AI-Generated Child Pornography
Source: reason.com 1/26/24 The proposal seems to conflict with a Supreme Court ruling against laws that criminalize mere possession of obscene material. Back in 2016, a study found that it was increasingly difficult for subjects to distinguish between actual photographs of people and computer-generated simulations of them. The researchers suggested that development would complicate prosecution of child pornography cases. That concern has been magnified...
IL: Seventh Circuit Slams Illinois Civil Commitment Program but Reverses Injunction
Source: prisonlegalnews.org 1/1/24 “Very weighty interests are at stake when a state institutes a program of civil commitment for sex offenders who, though never tried for or convicted of a crime, are found too dangerous for release.” So began a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on July 24, 2023, in a challenge to a lower court’s order mandating...
CA: Appellate Court Overturns Trial Court’s Denial of Petition
Source: ACSOL The Second District Court of Appeals has issued a decision that overturns a decision by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denying a registrant's petition for removal from the registry. According to today's appellate court decision, the trial judge's decision was improper because the District Attorney failed to prove that the registrant poses a current danger to public safety. "This decision is...