THE GOOD: STATE COURT OF APPEALS STRIKES DOWN NOTIFICATION LAW AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=13453928
Associated Press - November 5, 2010 4:24 PM ET
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A state appeals court says an Alabama law requiring sex offenders to give an address where they will be living before getting out of prison can't be applied to a homeless inmate with no money. Thornal Lee Adams was arrested when he couldn't give an address where he would be living after his release from a state prison in Montgomery County. He argued that he couldn't give an address 45 days before his release because he had no family to live with and he had no money to pay for an apartment. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals said applying the law to Adams is unconstitutional because he's being punished for being homeless. But the court said it does not hold that the 45-day-requirement is always unconstitutional.
GOOD NEWS: Alabama has a longtime policy of charging a sex offender with failure to register if they cannot create a home plan. Now courts are finally stepping up against this practice. Alabama needs to support more halfway houses.
THE BAD: ALBERTVILLE RESIDENTS COMPLAIN OF REGISTRANT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=13454700
By Stephen McLamb
ALBERTVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Some Albertville residents would like to see a convicted sex offender, who recently moved to their neighborhood, kicked out. But is there anything that can really be done? Albertville police say they've been getting calls from residents along East McKinney Avenue after getting flyers that a sex offender is now their neighborhood. "Basically they don't like it because he's moved into the area," said Albertville Police Sgt. Jamie Smith.
Whether it's Albertville, Guntersville, or somewhere else, Sgt. Jamie Smith says there's little anyone can do as long as the offender is in compliance. "Registering with local law enforcement, obviously they're within the distance requirements set by the law for schools and daycare," said Sgt. Smith.
While you may not be able to remove a sex offender from near your home, Sgt. Smith urges people to be aware. The best way is to use the internet to see if there is a sex offender in your neighborhood. "It will show you everyone that's registered there in the town. We've got 22 here in Albertville," said Sgt. Smith.
If you would like to know if there is a sex offender in your neighborhood, click here.
COMMENTS: This story angered me, quite frankly. It was a non-story. The good news is no one was singled out. The bad news is a bunch of liquored up rednecks will be whipped up in a frenzy over this piece of fluff. Just bad, bad journalism.
http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=13448596
AND THE UGLY: STUPID HICK-TOWN SHERIFF MAKES STUPID HICK-TOWN COMMENTS
ATHENS, Ala. (AP) - How bad did Democrats in Alabama get beaten on Tuesday? To quote Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely: "Alabama Coach Nick Saban running on the Democratic ticket could not have beaten a one-legged child molester running as a Republican." Blakeley, a Democrat, survived because he had no opposition on the ballot. But The Decatur Daily reports that for the first time in Limestone County's recorded history, all local Democratic incumbents who faced opposition lost. Along with the sheriff, nine other Democrats did not have opposition and won new terms.
COMMENTS: Too bad no one legged registrant ran against Mike Blakely. Okay it was a silly copper comment but Alabama politics is like that.
Ten Myths About Sex Offenders http://t.co/zIjdjqJ
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