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Aug 28, 2004 I have never committed a crime in my life... actually, I've had some traffic court stuff, but other than that, I have never committed a crime. I've never been arrested and I've only seen the back of a police car when they offer to give me a ride. But I am going to be posted on the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board Level 3 Sex Offender list. My father is in jail. My father is in jail for a crime that I truly believe he did not commit. I have read the court paper work, I have worked with the defense lawyer and I believe based on evidence, not emotion, that my father did not commit the crime he was accused of. The crime: indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. The district attorney to us that he would go to jail for 35 years if we went to trial. They said if he plead out, he would get 2-3 years. He had already been in jail for 2 years, so he accepted the plea, leaving him one year to serve. Now here's the kicker, the things that the D.A. didn't mention in the discussion of the plea. My father will be registered as a level 3 sex offender, with his picture, address, work address and such posted in the library, on the internet, and available for anyone to access anytime. He is not allowed to be around any child under 16, including my children, without supervision. Oh yeah, they also forgot to mention that I am not suitable supervision for my children. He is also up for civil commitment, in which the D.A. waits until the inmate has 6 months left to serve and applys for the inmate to be placed in a psychiatric hospital for one day to life after his prision sentence is completed. Double jeopardy, I say. New law was just passed. The state of Massachusetts is now allowed to post the names, addresses and such of relatives of the sex offender on the internet, post it in the library, etc. I will be listed on the same list as everyone else. Like I have done something. Like I have committed a crime. I will be persecuted all the same. I might as well have committed a crime myself. Now listen, I'm all for the sex offender registry. I think the police need to know where the offenders are, I think the immediate neighbors of the offenders need to know they are there. But this is becoming an all out witch hunt. I believe in the greater good, but now they are punishing people just for be associated with someone who is an offender. And while we're at it, if we're looking to keep the general population safe, why don't we post all felons on the internet. Set them up in levels, just like with sex offenders, and work from there. Wouldn't you like to know if there was a person in your neighborhood with multiple assault and batteries? Wouldn't it be nice to know if someone had been in jail for breaking and entering numerous times? Shouldn't we be informed if a murderer is living on our block somewhere? A felon is a felon, and if they have done wrong, they should be treated as so, but make it equal. Murder is a horrible crime, as is rape, or assault. They all bring about horrible things for victims and their families. It should be equal. But I do not endorse this new law. I did nothing wrong. I get enough persecution from society in general for standing by my father, I don't need any psycho with a computer to get my address of the internet and come and try to "cleanse the world of evil" as I have been threatened with so many times. I understand the victim's stance, I myself am a victim, three times over. But don't punish the families for what the offender did. I truly believe this is wrong, and needs to be dealt with and stopped as soon as possible. ------------ About the author L.J. Chapman: I am 24 years old and I live in Massachusetts with my two children. I am going to be getting married to my fiance' Josh, in October of 2005. I have written several poems for poetry.com and I am in the middle of writing my first novel "The Checkered Blanket" which is a work of fiction. Email: bipolar_bear80@hotmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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