MA- Sex offender registry targeted at our expense

11-19-2008 Massachusetts:

Agency blasted over crusade for pervs

Victim advocates say the state agency entrusted with spending millions of dollars to defend flat-broke killers and other suspects are also fighting the Sex Offender Registry, with taxpayers footing the bill.

The state Committee for Public Counsel Services keeps gunning against the list of sexual predators out of a sense of legal “responsibility,” they argue.

As the Herald reported yesterday, the CPCS has dolled out more than half a billion dollars to private attorneys over the past five years to defend indigent suspects and child welfare cases. The budget - $185 million last fiscal year - is also ballooning as the caseload increases.

But enlisting staff attorneys to threaten the Sex Offender Registry, said victim advocate Laurie Myers, is exceeding the agency’s mandate.

“They have their own agenda,” said Myers, a former rape crisis counselor who is president of Community VOICES, a statewide volunteer victims group.


“It’s above and beyond their mission. How can they do this?” she asked.

Anthony Benedetti, general counsel for the CPCS, declined comment and instead submitted a letter penned by his boss three years ago on the topic.

The letter states, in part, “Our committee has a unique capability and corresponding duty to speak out in appropriate forums on issues of great significance to our clients,” wrote William Leahy, chief counsel of CPCS.

In the past, the CPCS has objected to sex offenders’ information being shown on the Internet.

Myers said the CPCS is at it again by objecting to sex offenders being made to wear GPS monitoring bracelets.

Myers said the matter is due before the state Supreme Judicial Court next month.

“It’s a waste of money,” said Myers. “They just don’t want the Sex Offender Registry.” ..News Source.. by Joe Dwinell