After a convicted sex offender who lives in Connecticut was arrested for not providing his email address to the state police, he filed a federal lawsuit.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer ruled that having to provide internet identifications is unconstitutional.
The judge states, “Despite the fact that the disclosure law has been in place for more than 15 years, the state cannot point to a single example of when its database of sex offenders’ email addresses and other internet communication identifiers has helped the police detect or solve any crimes.” (CTPost, “Judge: CT should not require sex offenders to register web IDs,” Daniel Tepfer, September 16, 2023)
My point has been made. So many are in fear of never getting off the hit list if they stand up for their rights. Truth is that they do not want to let anyone off of that list and they will always find a way to keep you on it. The best way off of the list is by challenging every part of it until the list gets struck down by the Supreme Court. The more wins we get on illegal ordinances the more it shows that the registry is punitive and in direct violation of the Constitution.
If they can keep us afraid of challenging them they will win. No I do not want to be on their list forever however since there is no clear path for anyone (by clear path I mean that even if you jump through all their hoop-s they don’t have to let you off) then what’s the point of simply allowing them to get by with their harassments?
Yes I did say that if they arrest me for violating an illegal ordinance it would actually help me. I am not independently wealthy however what I am is a person that is very capable of doing research on case law and have an ample amount of time to fight. Not knowing the procedures and not having the money to challenge stops me from the fight. But if arrested the costs involved are a moot point. The “Public Pretender” knows the procedures and has to file the appropriate motions. The law is clear on the what is required by appointed counsel.
F.A.C or Florida Action Committee should change their name to:
F.A.C Freedom And Change, as that is what we are seeking.
One of my favorite songs is by Sam Cooke, “A Change is gonna Come”. If you have never heard it, check it out on youtube or another music platform. If it doesn’t move you, I don’t know what will.
We need more of these kinds of wins to spread around. We’re still screwed here in Florida for now, though.
“….has helped the police detect or solve any crimes.”
Hmmm, and any Registry….” has helped the police detect or solve any crimes. “???
I’ve made that exact point hundreds of times over the past few years. No one can find where the registry was useful in the detection, investigation, or prevention of any crime whatsoever except registry violations.
Beyond that, even in the few-and-far-between cases of registrant recidivism, the registry is still useless. 99% of the time, registry status is unknown until after arrest.
Not saying it never happened, but I’ve never run across an account of a recidivating registrant who was also noncompliant with all reporting mandates and such. And even if there is, I doubt there’s even a reasonable theory regarding how updating a registry entry would have prevented the new crime.
Further still, there are hundreds of examples of law enforcement using the registry to investigate crimes apart from registry violations that turned up absolutely nothing helpful, resulting in astronomical waste of resources and delaying (perhaps preventing) solving the investigated crime. Most notably the unfortunate Dru Sjodin case, for which the federal registry is appropriately named.
Despite the fact that her assailant was a registrant, the registry was absolutely useless in the investigation of her case. Several thousand man-hours (and God knows how many dollars) chasing registry leads were wasted before they bothered to look at security footage featuring the assailant’s car, which is how they actually found him.
My comment to the newspaper article (for better or worse, it’s how I feel)
The well known fact is that most sex offenders NEVER reoffend. They have the lowest rates of reoffense of any crime type by a factor of 1/10th!
I did my time. I did my probation. I paid all fines, fees, restitution and court costs IN FULL.
My debt to society is PAID IN FULL.
The government has no right to intrude in my life! I paid my debt! So put away your torches and pitchforks!!!
There are about one million of us currently forced to register. And we are getting more and more fed up with the torch and pitchfork crowd.
Excellent reply! We were the original people to be “cancelled” as in a social death. We have certainly paid that price in many cases for decades.
Enough is enough of this proven totally useless shaming list bullshit. Let us move and have the 2nd chance that is one of the corner stones of American values. It is for ALL Americans!
Yes, a class action would have been helpful…Too bad Florida, like Connecticut, doesn’t have an ex lawyer on its registry willing to go to bat for all of us or even someone with unlimited funds to fight this state.
Trial for our EPF II challenge is scheduled for November.
Is the trial somewhere we can attend?
Yes. It will be held at the Northern District Federal Courthouse in Tallahassee. We will provide details as the trial date draws near, The date range of Nov 6-20 is an estimate but we do not have exact date of the trial.
Did Judge Hinkle ever rule in the summary judgment? I thought we were waiting on that
I was under the same impression. I’m confused about the status of both Ex Post Facto cases, actually.
@Lauren Not
Don’t feel bad, I am always confused about everything that has anything to do with registry hearings and court cases. One state gets a big win and another state crushes peoples dreams.
I am astonished at the number of judges who stay silent and just let it be another judge’s problem. I think they are afraid to get labeled as being soft on people labeled as sex offenders.
some states have found this unconstitutional and some that.
in the end it only gets worse for those of us that stay in the state of Florida. indecent exposure because you got drunk and took a piss outside shouldn’t get you on the sex offender registry for life in the same category of sexual predators. I dont know how the Judges and elected officials cant see that. This state is long overdue for a tiered system with the ability to be taken off, and just like everything they pass that hurts us it should be retroactive
And that is the problem….what is it with other states were the judges rules this and that is unconstitutional, but, what makes Florida impervious to lawsuits, rules and so on?…What makes Florida, who has the worst track record in treating the Sex Offenders community so harsh, inmune to what is obvious. This should be called then “The Tefflon State”….
while I feel for you Florida residents, (california resident here), we have essentially no restrictions to every day life, and now a tiered system that needs improvement, (on tier 3 as a non contact, one time CP federal, where I will off the registry in 10 years no trouble, and will move to another state if need be) In any case Florida is a champion of terrorist registry laws, and from my prospective, FL and other states like it make it all the more likely a case is finally going to hit the SC and have all this BS declared unconstitutional. The worse FL makes it on you guys, the quicker this happens. If I lived there, I would move anyplace else.
Ivan
If you move from Florida, you are still publicly registered for life on Florida’s website. Otherwise, I think all of us would move.
I am well aware of that, however if you move you are no longer under any restrictions that Florida has. Also I understand there are a number of lawsuits against FL for keeping people registered after they have long since moved away.
I can’t for the life of imaging staying in a state that has your zoning restrictions, your requirements to report every coming and going for vacations in person and so on. You live in California, you go once a year and register, your done, you won’t be talking to them again for a year, live where you please, go where you please, tier one will not show your info. Don’t get me wrong. I love parts of FL, would love to buy a house on the intercoastal with a nice boat, relax for a week in SouthBeach picking up stonecrabs at the whole foods there. That for me is over and will never set foot in the state again ever.
I moved out of Florida in 2005 after being harassed in my neighborhood and my building. Moved to West Hollywood CA and once able to I petitioned to be removed from the registry in CA which was granted.
Things are better the moment you leave the sunshine state. I just returned from celebrating my 63rd birthday in Barcelona. First trip in a decade and I could never have done it if I was still in Florida.
Leave an never look back.
Now those of us who have left (and those who will) we need to finally get the state to remove all of us who have left the state as there is no truly legitimate need for this (except as punishment) and as our sentence has been served and the intent of the registry is to give citizens relevant information then old listings of persons no longer residing in the state should be removed.
At some point it should be considered harassment as it is pointless just as much as their entire registry scam/scheme itself.
@Offender truth
There is no greater scam (That effects everyday people) than the sex offender registry. Even the neighbors are being scammed into thinking they have to live in fear.
I had so many good neighbors until Nextdoor came out and reminded people to check the registry to see who you are living near. Now they drive by my house waving pitchforks (metaphorically) Middle fingers.
Sex offender implies we are actively offending. And I am “Offended” that they think I am offending, which is offensive.
Exactly, it is really slander to list anyone who has done their time and especially in this sensationalized way which as you point out makes it appear that we are active perverts.
I’m not sure where you are in California, but I’m restricted from being able to visit my friend in San Francisco because he is surrounded by several parks.
It’s because they have most RSO cowed and afraid to speak out. Go to your county clerks office. Get the ordinances. Find the grounds for suit and do some of the leg work. The only way to get things to change is if everyone stands up and fights.
I recently went up against the Hernando County Sheriffs office because they were pushing an illegal ordinance. A commenter here praised my bravery because he would have been afraid to get arrested. That is the problem, FEAR. Getting arrested is not fun nor is it my wish. However if they did arrest me (or do on Halloween) for violating the ordinance they will be relieving a huge financial burden from me. because I will now be appearing in front of a judge and can challenge the Ordinance and supporting statutes as unconstitutional without having to pay costs. I also won’t have to wait for hearing dates as with a civil suit.
I would say to everyone that EVERYONE needs to stand up and fight this absurdity they call the registry.
James
I am not “Afraid” to get arrested. The problem is, at least in Florida, if you get arrested, you are then never allowed again to petition to get off the registry.
Hard enough to get off without any additional arrests.
I can understand that. However if arrested and acquitted they cannot hold the arrest against you. Yes it’s a gamble however in any fight there is risk. I knew before I took the ordinance in that they could try to silence me with an arrest, however I also knew that i had enough documented evidence that I would win in court. The biggest thing to me is that if they did arrest me then they would have to foot the bill for the ordinance being challenged.
James, if arrested you will not get off the hit list as it stands now. The law is clear that an ARREST will prevent you from getting off the list it does not matter if state drops charges or you won at trial it is still an arrest and you will not be able to get off the list. wish that would get challenged but there are 100 other issues as well that should be challenged and i don’t have 50,000.00 – 100,000.00 laying around collecting mold to challenge that issue. as i was falsely arrested twice for failure to register and state dropped charges. thus im screwed for life! but been on hit list 22 years and my life is coming to an end soon and then i will be free at last! and that’s the only way ill get off the hit list in my life time
I really do understand what you are going through. I am 76 years old and on the down side of my life. As I try to explain to my wife, after I die things for her will get better. However, once dead, I will still be on the Registry for at least one more year.
Florida politicians think the only way they will get reelected is to show how strong they are on crime. So they continue to try to pass laws that hurt folks like you and me.
@tired
They have to make sure you are good and dead and don’t pull a ” and when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”
The real reason is so they can keep getting registry funding.
Actually sir, you still won’t get off the list in Florida in death as I understand it, there you shall remain for eternity, omg!!!
@ Boke poor
Here in Florida, even though a judge ruled there had to be a path forward to get off the registry, no judge is forced to allow you off even if you have been a Saint the entire time after your release.
Several people on here have said they got denied even though they had zero registry violations or arrests. I just do not understand how it is not punishment that law enforcement comes to our door whenever they please.
That is harassment that is as bad as probation.
Name any other group not on probation where cops can show up at your door and if you do not verify your address, you can be arrested. And if you piss them off, they will find a way to arrest you, even as far as lying to make it happen.
Groups of people have been treated badly and lied on for centuries. Jews, Black people, Native Americans and more. I know those all have to do with race or culture, but evil is evil no matter who you treat unfairly.
Yes. Hate is hate.
And when the government foments it and endorses it, it becomes an especially evil form of hate.
@ Boke:
Hate to tell you, but you’ll still be on Florida’s registry after you’ve passed away.
We are picking away one law, rule, and ordinance at a time. But at this rate, we will all be in a rocking chair by time they just go ahead and admit the entire registry idea is unconstitutional, punitive in nature and does more harm than good.
Like Moses leading the people to the promised land and freedom, we need someone on the Supreme court to lead us to our freedom, through truth and justice. Eyes that have been closed, need to be unveiled. Ears that have been plugged, need to hear, and voices need to ring out like the Liberty bell on the courtyard.
🙂
Can I get an Amen.
@Tired
Amens are free my friend, Liberty apparently is not though 🙁
Now, what about Florida?
So the dominos are falling?
Slowest Rube Goldberg machine EVER! 😭