Maine's highest court listened to arguments yesterday seeking to remove certain names from Maine's sex offender registry.
Attorney Jim Mitchell represents thirteen people on the list who served their sentenced before the registry was created in 1999.
Maine's Supreme Court also heard from Deputy Attorney General Paul Stern yesterday.
He says it's important to keep the names on the list because it's not fair to guardians who might be moving next door or working with someone who could still be a danger to their children, but Mitchell says the convicted sex offenders he represents are being punished retroactively.
"If something wasn't criminal when you did it, you can't come back a year later and say 'Now we're making it criminal, so we're gonna prosecute you.' No we don't treat people that way."
"There's no reason to believe somebody who was convicted of a serious sex offense or multiple sex offenses in the 1980s is any more safe than someone who was convicted of a sex offense today."
Mitchell says there's a chance this matter could go back to trial again, but he's hoping the court will make a decision.
Maine Supreme Court Listens to Thirteen Mainers Seeking Removal from Sex Offender Registry
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Ok, I get that, but where is the reason to believe they aren't? I'm talking proof here. Facts. Not thoughts, emotions, or personal beliefs. I got real concerned when this whole thing got started in the 90's. I wasn't so sure we should start passing laws for what someone “might do”. You hear, “it's common sense” I would ask, “is it”? Then I was asked to leave
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I mean, why is this the only group of criminal, we as a society make these laws against? No other criminal gets dehumanized or banished with a boat load of restrictions placed on them after they are released from prison. Restrictions designed to make them fail.
Not one. No other crime has some sort of retroactive element attached either. Why?
I'm being led to believe, that some one can kill, murder, torture, maim some one, and live scott free when released, no restrictions. Aren't those crimes just as bad for the victims?, victims families?, or the victims friends?
I don't understand. Why do we not place these same restrictions on other criminals? I want to know about them too. Why one group, not all?
That's the only problem I have with this whole sex offender program stuff.
My cousin was a truck driver too. Where will he go when he gets out? (Any where he wants!)
Everyone brings up “the children” Why isn't there some reporting laws on the 1500 kids a year who die at the hands of one of their parents?, or both. Brutal, horrible and terrible ways they do it too. When the mother does it, more times than I care to think about, they claim some sort of stress, and try to get her “help”. Four years in a psyc ward, then out! No restrictions, read up on it, your sitting in front of a computer.
I want to know who, and where these one's are too. I don't get it. Why is a sex crime so much more of a crime than all the others? Make them “ALL” register.
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