Gov Tom Corbett calls law allowing experts to testify on sex abuse a positive to come out of Jerry Sandusky case

7-3-2012 Pennsylvania:

Gov. Tom Corbett calls law allowing experts to testify on sex abuse a positive to come out of Jerry Sandusky case

Pennsylvania has rid itself of being the only state in the nation that didn't allow experts to testify in prosecutions of sexual assault cases.

The new law will allow expert witnesses to testify about a victim’s response and behavior during and after the sexual assault. Criminal justice advocates argue that expert testimony is necessary to provide jurors with the proper context in which to evaluate a victim’s behavior.

At ceremonial signing of a bill he signed on Friday, Gov. Tom Corbett said, "In the last few months, this has caught the attention of the nation and it has caught the attention of Pennsylvania and testimony that came out during the course of the trial in Bellefonte, there was not an expert that could testify there to explain to the people why some people don't report or keep what is a very violent offense against them quiet. That could have been helpful"

Corbett joined by Rep. Cherelle Parker, D-Philadelphia, and victim advocates and district attorneys at the Harrisburg YWCA to laud the legislation's passage.

Parker said she has been working on getting this law on the books for six years, but the child sexual assault cases involving clergy in Philadelphia and Jerry Sandusky helped push this forward.

"It took these unfortunate instances to allow Pennsylvanians to know how antiquated and archaic our laws on this issue have been," Parker said.

Corbett said, "If there is a positive side to what happened (in the Sandusky case), this is one of those positives for what happened. It brought it to the attention of the public."

Sandusky was convicted of 45 child sex crimes. Monsignor William Lynn was convicted of child endangerment for covering up abuse claims involving priests.

Parker’s bill applies to all cases involving a sex crime against a minor or in which a conviction would require a person to go on the state’s Megan’s Law registry for sex offenders.

It takes effect in two months. ..Source.. by JAN MURPHY, The Patriot-News