Judge: (Calif.) Sex Offender Limits Not Retroactive (AP)

[Eugene]

Judge: Sex Offender Limits Not Retroactive


Friday February 9, 2007 11:46 PM

By STEVE LAWRENCE

Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A federal judge ruled Friday that a voter-approved restriction
on where sex offenders can live can't be applied retroactively, potentially freeing
thousands of parolees from a ban on living within 2,000 feet of a school, park or
place where children gather.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton said there was nothing in Proposition 83,
commonly known as Jessica's Law, that specified its provisions were intended
to be applied retroactively.

"The court finds that the law does not apply to individuals who were convicted
and who were paroled, given probation or released from incarceration prior to its
effective date," he wrote.

-snip-

In addition to barring sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of places where
children gather, the measure increases prison terms for sex offenders and requires
lifetime satellite tracking for rapists, child molesters and other felony sex
criminals after their release from prison.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6405652,00.html