Vanderwall puts state on notice over new sex offender laws
By Rex Hodge . . . A new sex offender ban is now in effect in North Carolina.
The new law bans offenders whose victims were under 18, or anyone legally deemed a threat to children, from many places kids may gather. It replaces a previous law a judge deemed too vague in 2009.
Haywood County leaders say the new law lays out specific places sex offenders can’t go.
“It would prevent people who are registered sex offenders from going into libraries, from going to schools, from going to the fairgrounds when the fair is on,” County Manager Ira Dove said.
“I think it’s good. They need to stay away,” parent Amber Williams said.
“I think once you’ve committed a crime against children, there’s no going back,” parent Heather Russell said.
The law is named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old girl from Gastonia, who was killed by a sex offender after she moved to Florida in 2005.
The new law also bars sex offenders from going within 300 feet of places like shopping centers or other public places used mainly for the care or supervision of minors.
Not everyone thinks the law is fair. The North Carolina president of “Reform Sex Offender Laws” said it’s overly restrictive, narrowly interprets “sex offender,” and calls the restrictions “unconstitutional deprivations of liberty.”
“There must be some scrutiny, some level of scrutiny that protects people who are no longer under any court order, who are no longer serving any kind of time,” Robin Vanderwall, President of the North Carolina chapter of Reform Sex Offender Laws, said.
“I understand it in that perspective. But, I still don’t think…I mean…doing better or not…they still did what they did,” Russell said.
Opponents of the law plan to fight it.
“Our essential hope, legally speaking, is to finally put the state up against the wall when it comes to the presumption of dangerousness,” Vanderwall said.
Parents remain resolved.
“No kid needs to be around that. It’s awful. It is,” Williams said.
Please see full news video on WLOS News ABC 13
Majority of sex offenses are committed by those related to the victims, i.e. near family relatives. How are these new restrictions going to stop sex offenses?
Rather North Carolina ought to put these people labelled as sex offenders in a separate county, may be, like in a segregation like in the good ol’ days, like in a concentration camp?; and while the state is at its best, may be implement its eugenic program like it did to the blacks not long ago?
Do you really think that everyone that has been convicted of a sex crime is guilty? “Although defendant presented evidence to contradict testimony of c.l. and m.l., upon a motion to dismiss, such discrepancies must be resolved in favor of the state.” and thus ended my freedom for a crime that never happened. Only in N.C. could this kind of abuse of power be possible.
Ahh not just that state
People who rely on emotions to tell them what is right or wrong instead of facts will never be able to understand that.
I still hope my story will put doubt in a few minds, But it does seem hopeless on this issue at times. Governments are corrupt and always will be i guess, and the blind follow them like little lost puppies waiting to be told what to believe and how how to set about furthering their agenda of corruption.
I know. Most people won’t even consider a different perspective until it happens to them or someone they know. However the registries are growing so rapidly and becoming increasingly more oppressive that the numbers of those effected by it are growing too.
i hope you are not serious. i can’t imagine anyone wanting to return to that type of environment. who’s next; Jews and gypsies?
I too am new to this abuse. If I had not had a family member condemed as a sex offender I would not have understood the graveness of this label. It is so saver that feels like we are so convinced this label give us the right to be judge, jury and executioner. Our politioners are getting the votes while we fight against each other. And they sit back and take our taxes and smile…The register is unconstitutional and why states want to add to them is even worse…
It’s not about fair or just. Nor is it about protecting the children. The laws are all about banishment and messing with offenders lives until they die. It’s the new leper colony.
Its simplier than even that. Its about money and votes.
Absolutely ridiculous!! All the punishment of sex offenders. Let them do their time and get on with their lives. So unfair, so, so unfair!!
Since damn near everything sexual can be considered an “offense” these days, this registry is growing faster than the speed of a zombie apocalypse.
What’s going to happen when nearly half of the country is on the registry for some type of nonsense sex offense? Will people finally open their eyes to it’s ridiculousness when they find out a loved one has been charged with a sex crime?
How about the people in government? Let’s see one of their teenagers end up sexting their BF/GF in high school and watch how fast that politician will clear his/her kid’s name and plead with the judge and prosecutor that their son/daughter doesn’t belong on the registry. Ha! Cuz that’s exactly what they’d do.
I went to the ‘news’ site link, but there is no video, just the text of the article and some photos of the ‘feel-good’ signs at park entrances. Maybe the ‘parents’ looked like the cowardly fools they are, and that is bad for the overall business of the propagandists, ah I mean ‘njews.’….
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Martin Niemöller
Two people I once worked with became registered sex offenders. One drove from VA to FL to be with a 14 year old girl. The girl of course was a cop and he was arrested, posted bail and never served a day.
The other guy was supposed to meet a 14 year old boy in a park who also was a cop. He drove through a local park, never stopped, never even got within 100 yards of the “boy” but was pulled over, arrested, put in jail for about 18 months was found guilty and served 7 years of a 50 ish year sentence.
Keep in mind in both case the literally no victim.
Both were found guilty and both became registered sex offenders. They had to do the classes and were on probation for many years.
They are both incredibly intelligent men and enjoyed working for them both but of course as registered sex offenders neither of them could land a decent job again.
From the start I was 100% convinced they would NEVER doing anything like that again the reality is under our system they are effectively punished for life.
This isn’t right and something needs to change.
Two people I once worked with became registered sex offenders. One drove from VA to FL to be with a 14 year old girl. The girl of course was a cop and he was arrested, posted bail and never served a day in jail or prison.
The other guy was supposed to meet a 14 year old boy in a park who also was a cop. He drove through the local park, never stopped, never even got within 100 yards of the “boy” but was pulled over, arrested, put in jail for about 18 months was found guilty and served 7 years of a 50+ year sentence.
Keep in mind in both case there literally was no victim… Just cops pretending to be young people.
Both were found guilty and both became registered sex offenders. They had to do the classes and were on parole for many years.
They are both incredibly intelligent men but as registered sex offenders neither of them could land a decent job and still haven’t after all these years.
Under our system they will effectively be punished until death.
This isn’t right and something needs to change.
Another “feel good” law because parents are freaked out about sex offenders with no accurate facts. What was life like back when the registry didn’t exist? There were still so called “sex offenders” back then but because know they are listed and scrutinized by the media, people are panicking.
We need sociologists, psychologists and other mental health professionals to educate parents, communities and politicians about sex offenses and recidivism BEFORE these feel good laws are enacted. Wouldn’t that make more sense? But according to my recent film interview (for my upcoming documentary) with a Weber State University Professor, only a few states have these types of programs.