Criminalizing religious practices
Interesting case. A registered sex offender goes to church. He is arrested because the law prohibits him from being near children and the church has a daycare. He’s suing, claiming his first amendment rights are being infringed upon.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Makes you wonder if the church has any evening services he could attend instead, when the kids aren’t around?
Interesting case.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:36 am
First sex offenders should not have any rights, well maybe the right to be some larger mans girlfriend in prison. If he wants to go to church he needs to find one with out a day care.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:43 am
First, it looks as though this guy as a thing for teenagers, not the children in the nursery. It seems to me that this should be a matter for the parish to be involved with, with the government backing their decision. My understanding is that churches can be put in residential areas, and so I’d treat this as a matter of invitation: if they want him to be there then he’s their guest, if they don’t then that’s their right, and if they want him to attend in the evening (most Protestant churches don’t have evening services, though) or watch it by live video feed, then that’s their call as well.
I feel the same way about firearms possession in a church, too.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:52 am
he’s done his time. if he’s still dangerous, put him back in prison. keeping him out of church will not do anything to prevent him from committing another crime if he is so inclined.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I agree with Irish Red.
Look, if you don’t want them solcializing with folks, why in the hell are they not behind bars?
Relying on the honor system with regards to sex offenders is about as stupid as believing in gun control.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:09 am
“First sex offenders should not have any rights, well maybe the right to be some larger mans girlfriend in prison.”
Written like someone who has no idea of the minor infractions that can get you legally categorized as a sex offender.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Sorry folks, but the only cure for a child molester is to be drawn and quartered. They are some of the most innocent acting, seemingly kind hearted prisoners you’ll run across. That’s because they are covert and manipulative. This is this dirtbags obvious attempt to use “religious protection” to get close to his prey that he is stalking.
And that’s 20 years in the biz talking there. Ask any mental health professional worth their salt and they will tell you, there is no cure for child molesters. They WILL re offend and maybe next time it will be your innocent loved one that is the victim.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Jailer, I think the problem here is that “sex offender” no longer equates to “child rapist.” Peeing outside can net you the sex offender title. That’s stupid, but not a sex offense. (Now, if you peed outside at a playground or peed on a kid? I could see that.)
I’m all for the real child molesters/rapists being drawn and quartered. But not all of the current “sex offenders.” Just like how I’m all for the real violent douchebags not getting guns — but not everyone currently classified as a felon.
That said:
“Nichols, 32, who was twice convicted of indecent liberties with a teen girl and again for attempted second-degree rape.”
Why the hell is this guy not rotting in a hole? Let out a pot smoker and put this guy back in.
October 12th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
All you “hang the kiddy raper” geniuses need to think for a second.
Yes, I’m speaking to all of you who equate “sex offender” with “child molestor” or “Rapist”
If a 17 year old has sex with a 16 year old, in many states that makes him a sex offender.
You take a piss against a tree? Oh yeah, you’re a sex offender.
Moon somebody? Sex offender.
I agree, child molestors and rapists should all be executed by chopping their junk off and letting them bleed to death.
But that’s not the same as sex offenders.
That’s just point number one.
Point number two: EVERYONE HAS RIGHTS.
If you expect people to respect YOUR rights, you have to respect THEIRS, even if you loathe them.
What if you are falsely accused of rape huh?
Point three: What about when they do this to YOU?
How about laws that say no-one may posses a firearm within 1000 feet of a school, preschool, or day care?
Post judicial punishment sex offender laws are unconstitutional and should all be struck down. Not because sex offenders are great guys, but because the entire concept of it is wrong.
Don’t judge the value of legislation by the good you think it can do, but by the harm it could do you, if that power was given to your worst enemy.
October 12th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
And the girl who took pics of her boobs and texted them to her boyfriend at the age of 15 went to the pokey for distributing child porn. And is a sex offender.
October 12th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Well said, Chris. Sex offenders have become a durable whipping boy for ambitious politicians who wish to appear to be tough on crime without actually doing something. Kinda like gun control.
I hope the guy wins.
October 12th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
This scumbag has every right to practice whatever religion he pleases, no one is barring him from doing that. He does NOT have the right to do it where ever he wants to. He lost that choice when he CHOSE to commit his crimes.
You make your choices in life and live with the consequences of those choices. In this case that means he can’t can’t visit this particular church because they have a day care center.
Captain Holly, would you feel the same if one of your children were in that day care center at that church?
October 12th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
To all you folks with your panties in a twist about a “sex offender” attending church where children are preasent in the day care center / Sunday school class, if they’re your children and you’re worried about it, volunteer to help in the care center / class. They’d probably be greatful for the assistance, and then you can relax knowing your child is recieving the very best supervision, because you’ll be doing it yourself, you bunch of lazy asses! If you don’t believe your child is safe & secure why on earth would you leave them there at all? Morons shouldn’t have children!
October 12th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
It’s not like it was “rape rape”. If only he made movies all would be well…sigh, poor non-connected guy.
It doesn’t say WHEN he was convicted in there, and I haven’t went looking for more info, but as someone said he might have been 17 at the time.
Here’s one for you, what if he was a she? Would this “outrage” even be thrown around here? It certainly has a hard time showing up in court and during sentencing in those cases.
Hell, he should go after the assemble/association angle as well as far as I’m concerned.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Jailer:
a) Like Irish Red said in #4: “if he’s still dangerous, put him back in prison”
b) If he’s prohibited from being around children, then it’s likely he’ll never be able to go to church – how many regular service are there where someone doesn’t bring their kids, whether the church has a day care center or not. How many churches don’t have some form of Sunday School? After all, church is almost universally considered a family activity, and most religions require that you bring your kids to church, so they can be
indoctrinatedraised in that religion too.This is yet another example of why, when someone is out of jail and done with probation, they should have all restrictions lifted. If we can’t trust them to be law-abiding citizens at that point, we shouldn’t be letting them out of jail in the first place!
October 13th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Point number two: EVERYONE HAS RIGHTS.
Yes and No. Everyone does have rights. But there are actions for which society can, will, and should remove any and/or all of those rights from you. Unless you object to the entire principle of jails. After all, the very act of putting someone there entails the removal of rights.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Jeff the Baptist is right about the sex offender registry laws being messed up you can get put on them for things that should not get you labeled a sex offender and that just makes the system not work. But this guy should be on the list and not around children.