Mississippians placed on sex offender registry for years for unconstitutional sodomy law
According to Mississippi Today, “Mississippi will have to pay more than $400,000 in attorneys’ fees after the attorney general’s office spent years defending a sodomy law that criminalizes oral and anal sex.”
This law was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003. Yet, this law remained on the books in Mississippi with people being placed on the sex offender registry because of it.
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Ah, Mississippi. Whose Attorney General claimed in her opposition to the revised Model Penal Code that without the registry, schools and day care centers would never know if they are hiring a prior sex offender.
Apparently in Mississippi, sex charges aren’t included in one’s state criminal record, and state officials do not submit sex charges to the federal NCIC. Meaning, at least in Mississippi, sex charges wouldn’t turn up in a routine criminal background check that is part of virtually every job application process.
Seems odd to me, but I don’t see any other reason that the argument could hold true.
Still on the books in Alabama too, criminalizes gay people with 20 year sentences. Class ‘B’ felony. But look at the intent of the law. All unmarried people are guilty of that laws, just for dating and getting to second base.
Enforced then every teenager would be in prison.
2019 Code of Alabama Title 13A – Criminal Code.
Chapter 6 – Offenses Involving Danger to the Person.
Article 4 – Sexual Offenses. Section 13A-6-63 – Sodomy in the first degree.
This group of laws start @ § 13A-6-63, but the most common is above.
Targets LGBTQ+ groups, but applies to any person.
Even though this violates the 2003 SCOTUS ruling it counts for 15% of listed sex offenders. And the fact is consented sex sex does not apply to same sex couples even there are same sex couples in the Legislature.
Just $400,000? Should have been a whole lot more if you ask me.