KY- Court decision reverses 2006 sex offender housing ruling

See earlier story, and court decision!

10-2-2009 Kentucky:

(WHAS11) - When Kentucky’s new sex offender law went into effect last October, Louisville Metro police officers went door-to-door looking for convicted sex offenders and according to the law, if they found them living within 1000 feet of a school, day care or park, they had to move.

Michael Goodwin, Attorney for Plaintiffs says, “They force individuals out of their home and by doing that it’s a second punishment to people who have already been punished by the courts.”

So Attorney Michael Goodwin filed a complaint on behalf of nearly a dozen local sex offenders claiming that the law violated their rights. The Court agreed.

Michael Goodwin says, “(The) ruling by the Supreme Court is a demonstration of exactly what the courts are supposed to do.”

It’s a decision that has raised some eyebrows, especially in the law enforcement community.

Lt. David Jude says, “There was 996 people, just in Jefferson County alone, on the Sex Offender Registry. And that represents one county within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, so potentially there could be thousands of people that could be affected by this ruling.”

Many of those people include children. According to the Supreme Court’s ruling, registered sex offenders who lived within 1000 feet of a school, day care or park before 2006 and were forced to move, can now move back. And parents we spoke with aren’t happy about it.

Greg Pursley says, “I wouldn’t want them living near a school because I would fear for my kid’s welfare.”

Not everything in life should be driven by FEARS, at some point folks must rely on FACTS. I have not heard of any cases where a REGISTERED sex offender living within xx feet of a school committed a crime with a child of that school. I doubt anyone has any facts to show such crimes are occurring. Studies today show that former offenders DO NOT commit crimes where they live! Instead, when an offender does recidivate, it is far away from where they live and no residency law will prevent that from happening.

Rebecca O’Toole says, “They shouldn’t be allowed to live in an area to where they’re going to be tempted by kids running around and live next to a school. They’re definitely putting the criminal’s rights above the rights of kids and the public.”

Attorney General Jack Conway issued this statement in response to the court’s ruling today. “We have some serious concerns about the impact on public safety. As a parent, I am concerned that this ruling could open the door for sex offenders to be living next door to our schools and daycare centers. We are discussing whether to pursue a petition for rehearing before the Kentucky Supreme court or to ask the U.S. Supreme court to review this issue. We may also choose to do both.”

Meanwhile, Goodwin says he plans to now take this case to the federal court. ..Source.. by WHAS11