This fellow did nothing wrong with setting up a Halloween display on his own property, the Sheriff even admits to that. Yet, somehow the Sheriff coerced him to take it down. Possibly the general public does not understand that, unless it is part of the sentence carried out by the sentencing court, restrictions enforced after the fact bring into question the ex post facto clauses, even in regulatory cases. This is affecting "Family Rights" which no one is recognizing. Further, if the display is up and parents are PROPERLY SUPERVISING their children on Halloween night, and have checked the online registry, they can simply skip over this home rather than deny the FAMILY that lives there, their"Family Rights" to enjoy the holiday as does everyone else. This is today's example of a miscarriage of justice.
10-22-2008 California:
A happy ending for a group of people who believed they had a Halloween nightmare on their hands.
A registered sex offender set up a Halloween display in his yard. Neighbors believed it was to lure kids onto his property.
Several states do have laws that prevent convicted sex offenders from handing out candy to kids or having any holiday-related contact with children.
In Maryland, all sex offenders are required to post a sign on their house saying, "No candy at this residence." In California, there is no such law.
Atascadero Police Chief Jim Mulhall said, "There is no law that prohibits somebody convicted of those type of crimes from putting up Halloween decorations or Christmas decorations or Thanksgiving decorations or any other holiday decorations that would entice children or anybody else onto their property."
California law states that a registered sex offender cannot live within 2,000 feet of a school or park, but it says nothing about handing out candy to kids or putting anything in the yard that might attract them.
Roland Leger lives across the street from the house in question. He had this to say: "I think it's an extremely poor choice on his part to set up a display that would bring young children into his yard and into the neighborhood."
Neighbors are concerned that the people who live here created this display to lure children into his yard.
Leger said, "Around here, a lot of kids come. A lot of youngsters come, and that display will attract kids."
Chief Mulhall said, "We as a police department, we'll have patrols out there in the neighborhoods making sure the neighborhoods are safe."
The Atascadero Police Department plans to step up patrols on Halloween. But they are also asking for some help. They said you can do your part by keeping a close eye on your kids. Officers even suggest checking out the Megan's Law Web site before heading out to trick or treat.
Mulhall said, "The Megan's [Law] Web site is there for them to take a look at that and identify what neighborhoods they may feel uncomfortable with."
Action News asked the people who live in the house to explain why they decorated their house so elaborately. They refused an interview, but did say that the decorations were for their grandchildren.
The offense that got the man on the Megan's Law Web site occurred more than 10 years ago.
After Action News aired this story at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, the Atascadero police chief called to tell us they went by the house to talk to the man and all the decorations have been taken down. ..News Source.. by Stacy Daniel
October 21, 2008
CA- Sex offender sets up elaborate Halloween display in Atascadero
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2 comments:
Here is what the Sheriff probably said to him;
"I am going to station a couple of cruisers down the street and every kid that stops here we are going to question and if one even thinks something "funny" happened AFTER we tell him/her you're pervert you will go to jail and we'll see what we can do about keeping you there." He spits out his chaw of tabacoo on his lawn an says "I'll be back and we'll see if I get to lock you up in your house or in my jail, the choice is yours."
Oh, I am sure they did exactly that Furebear or something relativly close to it.
I have never decorated outside my home for Halloween. However, if the police came by my house to tell me that I had to stay in doors and turn off all my lights, I would be capturing badge numbers.
No matter what the police tell you, you as an RSO STILL have rights. We all have to hollar REAL LOUD that we still have them!!! And the ACLU in every state needs to stand up for us!!!!! This is a civil liberties vioilation.
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