Virginia bill would end civil commitment of sex offenders
Two Virginia Democratic lawmakers are spearheading a push to repeal a decades-old law that allows the state to hold certain sex offenders at psychiatric facilities indefinitely after their criminal sentences if they are deemed “sexually violent predators.”
Critics say civil commitment laws are fundamentally unfair and violate the constitutional prohibition against punishing someone twice for the same crime. Supporters counter that the laws protect society from repeat offenders who are unable to control their behavior.
“It is as archaic and as Neanderthal a process as I can imagine,” said Morrissey, a defense attorney and lead patron of the bill that would repeal 1999’s Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act.
“We don’t sentence people because of what they might do,” he said. “That’s abhorrent to everything that our democracy and our criminal justice system believes in.”
The thing is with these places are that it should be for all offenses, and not just sex offenders. All crimes should have such a place, than we’ll see just how well that works for the States and government.
I agree on this and my prayer is we can get this done in Texas, my brother is caught up in this total farce and I want him released Asap.
NOW, if we could just getting a couple of law makers, senators, congress people or anyone, to deem the registry being “Twice punished”.
They are calling it “Civil commitment”, but there is NOTHING civil about it.
Having said that, at least this is a step in the right direction.
Cherokee their I’m sorry to sorry to say nothing “civil” when it comes to the label of as they say “sex offender” its the principal and principality we have to seek. Even Paul in the bible was a chief sinner but he was given a vision to preach to the gentiles.
My uncle before he passed away lived in Pompano area and yes him and a friend stole something in the in the 30’s I believe it was a car or something like that or something like that.
My grandmother keep writing the Governor in WV. and finely they were both sent to WAR. One of them got killed in Combat but my uncle was pardoned way back than and got marred, course he had a bit of a drinking problem at the time.
Anyway things are a bit different today with this sex offense or are they. Theirs hope for all.
I would be shocked if this becomes law.
You know, ALL of these laws directed at people convicted of a sex offense are geared at preventing what they MAY do.
I’ve just recently been made aware that there are now places where i cannot work or volunteer. I used to be on the church vestry years ago. That is now illegal. How can they retro- actively take away my freedom of where i can work? I BELIEVE this is why the federal district’s are now deciding that state SORNA laws are now unconstitutional. Shouldn’t that naturally apply to civil commitment as well? I always felt that those who plead to a charge for a lesser sentence (pre Jimmy Ryce) and then when the prison term portion of the plea ended, they were snatched up into civil commitment, should’ve been able to go back and either go to trial or negotiate a new deal that specifically prevents civil commitment.
Hell, by changing our consequences AFTER we negotiated a plea deal (entered into a contract) with the state, it should be determined that the state has acted in “Bad Faith” on multitudinous occasions (do i get extra credit for using the word “multitudinous” in a sentence? ) and that should be held against the state/ prosecution in every judicial endeavor they undertake from now until they stop acting so.
I know.. pipe dreams.
… maybe it should have been, “on a multitude of occasions. ” that’s what came out my fingers as i typed. 🙂
Jim
I totally agree with you. If the judge would have told me that in addition to her outrageous sentence imposed on me, I would further, for life, be on a Nazi registry that anyone can access, I would have told her where the she could put her sentence. (Can’t type where in this forum without getting kicked out).
I remember stories of leper colonies somewhere. I am starting, NO I was already feeling, like we are part of a leper colony. The Scarlet letter is on the internet, on our drivers licenses, on passports, on Nextdoor app/website and more.
Even though I completed my sentence way back in 2003, it feels as though I have been on probation this entire time. This is 1000% punishment. We Cannot do things non registrants can. That includes things murders can do but we cannot.
Many of us were sentence years before the registry even existed.
Hmmmmm, I’m no longer able to serve on my church vestry (my charge was from 1995, i served on the vestry in the 2000’s). I just now realize this could be religious persecution or at least denying me my right to exercise my religious beliefs.
Again, my charge is from 19+ years before this law was passed to restrict my religious freedoms. I wonder if the ACLU or someone has considered THIS angle. Thoughts?
Jim
When even the Church turns their back on us, we know we are in deep doo doo. The saying “What would Jesus do?” comes to mind.
Jesus did not hang out with Kings, rulers and Governors, rather, He surrounded Himself with thieves, Prostitutes, Murderers, Liars and backstabbers. He was looking for the lost, the broken and the wanderers.
I think a lot of church leaders would rather you get mad and lose one family from their church than a bunch of people leave because a registered person is in the church.
I use to volunteer at a Christian radio station. I did so for 3 years until someone found me on the registry and I was asked to never return. I gave 3 years of my time there with no incidences.
Funny though, they kept sending me donation request letters once a month. I have to call and asked to be removed from their mailing list. It was a slap in the face. They didn’t want me but didn’t mind asking me for money.
Im saying im not legally able to serve anymore. It’s the law that changed, not my church. The law is preventing me from exercising my religious freedoms. That’s my stance.
Yep. The Hit Lists are 100% unacceptable. So I’m going to continue to ensure they are worthless and a lot worse. I will continue to do anything I am legally able to do that causes harm, chaos, and destruction. As long as Hit Lists exist, there will be war on the Registry Supporters/Terrorists.
All registries relate to the same facts in away for some!. After i did my time and paid my dues and was ready to get on with my life and possibly get married also graduating s.o. thearapy. The registry has put me back in the criminal system just as if i was never released to live happy and free. My girlfriend decided not to stay with me because she wanted me to travel to see other places and she worried about getting hurt by vigilante’s. She decided to move on. I have had problems finding a girlfriend because of the same reasons. So it is like being confined after time served. One step of progress i needed to complete was to get and keep a meaningful relationship. I had done that i thought the registry is punishment beyond belief….
Yes this is good and you guys also might get this introduced to your area. I got a pink slip about coming down to the post office and picking up a registered letter. Maybe its something about all this you guys are talking about Got to think positive about all this as this registry can be a creepy crawler as this whole registry is.
Who knows with the Old president leaving tomorrow he just might pardon many of us. We can all hope, but I believe this is a good thing for those in Virginia just hope other states take note.
Saddles
Unless you have a FEDERAL crime, the President cannot pardon you. The Governor of your state where the crime happened would have to. That is Unlikely to happen.
CherokeeJack, The President nor the Governor will not ever pardon a sex offender, if they even hint on doing that life as they know it is over.
RIFF RAFF I would have to agree somewhat on that although they pardon one’s to go to War in many cases or maybe a person with some label as sex offender is just out of luck and his or name is pushed aside.
That would be a bit wishy-washy wouldn’t it, and wouldn’t that even clash with unalienable rights. I at lest in the past have tried to write 2 letters a year to ask for a pardon and if not for me for others. Everyone is in different circumstances. So one completed a treatment class which is mandatory in most of these ordeals. Even good merits deserve something even in war in many’ views.
If one could go thru this ordeal whether getting court justice or other means its how one can help their fellow man. Isn’t that what war is all about. And yes we are all in this sex/ true Justice war of responsibility so two wrongs don’t make a right in many ways even with some understanding.
RIFF RAFF…You ARE CORRECT!
IT WILL NEVER EVER EVER EVER HAPPEN!
Here in Georgia, even a pardon from the governor doesn’t relieve the obligation to register. I bet a lot of other states have the same law. Point being that it wouldn’t matter even if a pardon WAS granted.
Dustin
Good luck getting a pardon in the first place on a sex offense. Never heard of one instance of that, other than maybe someone who had a victim come forward and say they lied. AND that we know, is 1 in a million chance.
Come to think about it your right about federal ordeals. When I lived in Huntington, WV a tri-state area. One would always go to Ohio and get more percentage beer, guess that would be considered interstate if caught for something but that was beer.
The pink slip I picked up today was for my quarterly finger prints and even with my weak offense I am a tier III as are many here in VA . Sure laws are not as different in each state I just hope something comes out of all this for many states.
I’m sure its bad on the college student and many in FL and yes a lot of this registry needs to go.
Thing of it is who you gonna believe a blue coat or a red coat. Well this lady thats in a nursing home now & she is part indian from back in my hometown that I met here. She told me American’s stole the land from the indians. Sure reliegons are different and so are churches but their is only one supreme coat.
Sure I’ve been to Appotomattox battlefield a few times. I’m always getting updates on the VA. gun laws or something happening in VA. One just hopes this VA. law stipulation is approved and might lead to something with these sex offenes to other states wanting to lighten up on these stipulations whether going to church without a chaperonel or running for mayor..
There ya go Will Allen and to believe I’ve worked out in several Natl. Parks.
Was even offered a summer job at Everglades Natl. Park but turned that down. Its bad enough with Government Croc’s in much of this registry ordeal. This registry ordeal is a type of devious type bias rush to judgment battlefield stigma for many.
Died in committee, according Meaghan Ybos, a survivor who testified in favor of repeal.
And it’s too bad, because this governor prolly would’ve signed.
There’s always next session.