LA: Court Strikes Louisiana’s ‘Sex Offender’ ID Requirement
A WIN!!!
Louisiana’s requirement that people convicted of certain sex crimes carry a state-issued ID card with the words “SEX OFFENDER” printed on it in orange capital letters is unconstitutional, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The 6-1 ruling upholds a decision by a state judge in Lafayette who last year threw out a charge filed against a man who altered his card to remove the label.
State attorneys had argued that the state had a legitimate interest in having the information on the ID card: to let law enforcement officers know the cardholder’s criminal history.But Justice James Genovese, writing for the majority, said there are less restrictive ways to inform law enforcement than requiring someone to show the branded card every time they are required to produce a government ID.
“A symbol, code, or a letter designation would inform law enforcement that they are dealing with a sex offender and thereby reduce the unnecessary disclosure to others during everyday tasks,” Genovese wrote.
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pyrrhic at best
So if it is wrong in LA shouldnt it be wrong in FL? the code on our licenses basically comes up child molester even if some of us have not been charged with that crime how is that not unconstitutional?
So many things about the registry are found unconstitutional in different states why doesnt the supreme court see the same thing?
NO hope
Do you ever watch the news? Every time I see anyone on the news that has been charged with a sex offense, the news calls them a child molester. I once looked up someone they called that and the person was charged with urinating in public.
Good Lord man, these reporters need to have this happen to them so they can see their lies are destroying families.
AND, while speaking of that, WHAT IF the person is found NOT guilty? The news already prosecuted them. Viewers cannot UN-SEE or un-hear that.
Further more, they almost NEVER print or report a retraction when they are wrong. AND the Freedom of the press act almost always covers them from liability no matter whose lives they destroy.
“…to let law enforcement officers know the cardholder’s criminal history”
What a weak argument! Does every felony in LA have their charge on their license? No! Cops run your ID when you hand it to them so they will know in a few seconds anyway.
So how is it unconstitutional in Louisiana but okay in Floriduh? Why doesn’t every felon in Floriduh have their charge on their license? This is called unequal treatment under the law. Oh, that’s right, Floriduh doesn’t recognize the 14th Amendment when it applies to those forced to register!
Each state has their own constitution.
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Does this open the way to fight for same in FL or does one of our current lawsuits cover this?
They keep mentioning a ‘code’, ‘symbol’ or ‘letter’ would be more constitutional. But they do not take into consideration that even those are a problem when LE starts to spread the word of what to look for when someone has to show ID. IT’S THE SAME THING!!!!
FL puts status code for SO and uses (sex predator) in red print on DLs. But what about murders, repeated offenders, drug charges etc or even robber. All criminals be labeled on IDs? Maybe Corrupted govt official get their ID labeled. What’s next tags stickers. Sounds like becoming Germany with Hitler labels Jews with stars pin on them. I think LE be only ones have ability to see records. This labeling is growing way out of control. It’s all ways to get people in jail for money trail or so. What’s next police be like move Judge Dress. P.s. bad cops then should be labeled and their police / work record public. Officer may been having issue with not doing their job correctly.
LunchBox
The last time I got my driver’s license renewed, the clerk said out loud enough for everyone to hear, “You know your license has a sex offender designation on it right”?
I know she did that on purpose. I asked for a supervisor, and found out SHE WAS the supervisor. What a “B” she was.
Those things are not labeled because they don’t involve sex and there is not enough hatred in the general public unless sex is involved. The criminal regimes cannot create and continue this harassment without enough hate to support it.
Of course, the criminal regimes and law enforcement criminals don’t need the label or have any legitimate use for it. It can all be looked up via their computers, just like every other relevant piece of information WILL be. The point of having the label is to try to shame the person and cause them problems in general, in as many ways as possible.
If that label is “needed”, then surely they must also need to encode the person’s entire driving history on there. I would think DUIs would be especially pertinent. Perhaps robberies? Kidnappings? But nope, just sex, because the point is to cause problems.
And it doesn’t matter if the label is big red letters or is just encoded, people will know what it is. Most people are not as stupid as Registry Supporters/Terrorists.
Thank God! Finally a win….any win!! Seemed like everything else lately has been losses. 😖
There have been other wins but few with national significance. One day, as more federal courts deem the Registry as punitive and not just administrative, our constitutional right to freedom from cruel and unusual punishment will be recognized. Patience and vigilance in litigation must go hand in hand!
dont thank god so quickly whenever something goes our way 2 things go against us
No hope
It is not God’s fault we were arrested. Although I did not get a fair court hearing, I cannot blame anyone but myself for getting into this situation.
Hey cherokee jack correct me if I’m wrong but when you were in law enforcement and you pulled a car over the first normal thing to do is run the tag right ? So since we have to register any vehicle we own or drive or is affiliated with us in any way ( like your room mates,or spouses car wouldn’t that tag check tell law enforcement that its possibly an registered citizen in the car ? So why again do they need it on our license ? Oh ya so the teller at the bank can know or the clerk at the store who asks for ID when you pay with a check.
Tim
It is funny you say that. I got pulled over and the Deputy didn’t even notice the FL Statue # on my license and didn’t even mention anything until he ran my license and tag through his system.
He was cool and just gave me a warning to slow down so not all cops are jerks.
You are right though, why does every bank rep, and anyone else who takes your I.D have to see that? I mean we did our time, can we not change? We sure as Hell are not given a chance to prove that by NOT being on a registry.