Men charged as teens sue to challenge Alabama’s sex offender law
Herbert Stevens met the love of his life when he was 14, and they have been together ever since — now married and with three children.
When he and Candy first started dating, his now mother-in-law was angry. Candy was only 12. Three years into their romance, Candy’s mother reported Stevens for statutory rape when he was 17.
Regretting the decision, she later tried to get authorities to drop the charge, but it was too late. Stevens was tried as an adult, sent to juvenile boot camp and never finished high school.
Stevens is one of three men suing Alabama officials over what they say is the state’s “debilitating” sex offender registry laws. The plaintiffs, represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, filed the lawsuit on Thursday, arguing the registry is unduly harsh and restrictive on children charged as adults.
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What cases are pending in the 11th circuit that will further affect Alabama? I’m an RSO residing in Alabama.
McGuire v Strange, for one.
McGuire has been pending for quite some time to the point that I almost forgot about that one. I wonder why the lengthy hold up.
It’s clear they are trying to walk on eggshells. Nobody WANTS to be the ones to write an opinion on that one.
Florida, this is our circuit! The outcome of this case will be the law here. Like all such lawsuits, the process likely will take several years.
Florida has a reputation as being the most punitive state when it comes to former sex offenders. But Alabama’s worse.
Yes and no… Yes, Alabama is in the 11th Circuit, but a district court decision from Alabama would have to make it to the 11th circuit for it to have precedential value. That can take a long time, true. The good news is there are other Alabama district court decisions that are pending in the 11th circuit that are much closer to disposition and would be great for us, especially for homeless registrants and people who travel in-state.