Comments on: PA: DA to request U.S. Supreme Court review of sex offender decision

By: ariana

ariana — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 07:46:38 +0000

i am 14 years old my father whiched raise me and my niece s for almost ten years by himself because my mom died when i was 4 in a car crash with all of us was convicted of a sex offense n their is no victim he was talking to a minor after he thought they were an adult on an adult web site and not in any sexual way but he is still paying for it he went to prison for two years n got out still having full custody of me and was doing 3 years probation got violated on a simple technical with 30 days left on his probation now they got him doing 2 more years with gps. n he has been raising me right n hasn’t had the money to fight anything so he can give me the best of everything n all my friends loved him but now he can’t even say hi to them or go to my school functions. the government says they worry about these underage kids bologna because now their making me a victim of their punishment s to my father but he is being n trying to be the best father he can be to me right now. and i can see it hurts him. i would love to create something to help more people like my father n me. i’ll pray for all of u. because nooone looks at the person just the charge

By: Hard times

Hard times — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 01:47:40 +0000

I applaud the courts decision nobody knows how it feel to have a relative who can’t stay anywhere can’t keep a job anywhere and his kids being taunted and hating to go to school or out the house 27 years later you are told you are to register and your life changes overnight when you are posted and all your neighbors wake up refusing your good morning and telling their kids they can’t associate with yours cause your parent a sex offender, pissing outside a club and someone in a car with their family saw it now you got a life sentence. You’re looked at like you chopped up someone when it was a drunk misfortune

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 10:12:51 +0000

There is an old saying that empty barrels make the most noise, there is no doubt that some of the ones who are making all the noise about sex offenders are indeed sex offenders themselves. More and more people are being outed for committing these crimes and not just ordinary people. famous people, people in power, teachers, actors, law enforcement, and law makers. where is it going to end..

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 15:38:19 +0000

Looks like Freed waited for the last min to file with SCOTUS He filed on Friday and the PA Supreme Court Prothonotary said they received a call to ask that they wait to hear from SCOTUS Now PSP will drag their feet longer and we will have to sue

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 21:54:42 +0000

In most states where the ex post facto portion of the registry was found to be unconstitutional by a state court they took all those folks off the registry and never sought to go to SCOTUS. I think that was by design because they have to be pretty sure that SCOTUS will find it punishment. So that is a little surprising to me that a DA would want that – I wonder what SCOTUS will decide to do? They HAVE to realize the impact of a case like that.

By: FK

FK — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 15:21:51 +0000

In reply to Ron. I feel exactly what you are saying! My conviction was 30 years ago, have not been in any trouble with the law since. Still having to go through the stigma of being a sex offender. I live in PA and have for many years now. I was a bit dissappionted when I heard that the Cumberland Co. DA was appealing the case to the US Supreme Court. But after thinking this through, I feel that it could be the best thing that has happened in years. I hope that the US Supreme Court does take the case and that they make the right, common sense decision and rule that ALL registries are punishment. That would take care of all states, not just PA. Then, maybe we would all be able to finally move on with our lives. Instead of trying to exist under these draconian, punitive laws, that do no one any good except for law enforcement, politicians, and the average person that wants to be some kind of hero.

By: DVH

DVH — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 15:00:27 +0000

Just a thought here but why isn’t the registry as a whole being challenged as unconstitutional? It is cruel and unusual punishment and violates life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without due process. You can’t really say that sex offenders really get a fair due process of the law because they are always threatened with harsher penalty if they try to take it any further and to just take plea deals. I might be wrong and off the beaten path but what about the rights of the families that are affected. The laws are designed to create a group of people to be discriminated against and outcast by society. Long ago there was the banishment of the scarlet letter because it was declared cruel and unusual punishment so why are we as a society reverting back to the laws of old and keep piling on punishment after punishment, penalty after penalty? This is bring back segregation among society and it has no place in modern day law. I was reading the statute for Florida and it clearly states that the registration is not a punishment or penalty but it is public safety. The fact that they had to put that in there tells me that they know its punishment and penalty and are trying to skirt the issue and protect themselves. I don’t see where it is a public safety at all and if that is the case then they better start making registries for every drunk driver, murderer, robber, etc as it is a public safety issue… Sorry, I just had to vent. Don’t mean to offend anyone.

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 12:24:02 +0000

My arrest of Indecent Exposure (Adult Victim here) was in 1986 in California. There was no contact, no assault etc. I served 6 mos in jail, 5 years of counseling and NO Registration was required at that time. I remained in CA for 10 years, then moved to Ohio for several years before moving to Florida in 2006. While at work my girlfriend heard a knock on the door and it was the sheriff who then asked her if she knew I was a sex offender. Since this was a 20 year old mistake at that time I never said anything because I felt my time was done and over. They got in touch with me and told me that I was in failure of registration with the sherriff office. I explained to them that this was never a requirement. So long story short I have been having to go through for the past 11 years for a case that is now 31 years old. I have lost many job opportunities, jobs, places to live and the constant down looking from my neighbors. As you know Florida is known for hurricanes. I cant even go to the same shelter as my girlfriend. I have to go to a Sex Offender shelter. When does it stop? Bank robbers, drunk drivers that killed someone etc get to live normal lives. I was told at one point that the requirement to register but after my offense, and should look into this more.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 09:25:44 +0000

Pray, Pray, Pray.

By: susan rudolph

susan rudolph — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 18:28:50 +0000

In reply to Lee C. Lee, The Supreme Court is the top Court in the land. If they strike down parts of the registry, it applies in all 50 states.