Sex Offender Compliance Checks (Oink Oink! Pigs are here!)

Today, the Hamilton County OH Sheriff's office released the results of a four-day long compliance check of those being forced to register on the public registry. According to one of my local news stations, 72 of 1350 were found non-compliant.

The task force checked on 1,114 addresses of the 1,350 registered sex offenders in the county and here are the results:
     
       720 lived where they said they did;
         72 were out of compliance;
         50 warrants were signed;
         20 warrants are pending;
       237 notices were left on doors where offenders registered;
         19 are homeless;
         66 require additional investigation.

I have been free for just over a decade now, and while this is not my first compliance verification, this is the first time I have had to deal with the US Marshals. It was a very unnerving experience. Imagine you are just finishing fixing dinner and you hear a loud bang on the door. Not a nice little knock, but the kind of knock that sends wall hangings tumbling to the floor and give heart attacks to easily startled individuals. Then you open the door and see this sight:

Just like these pricks, only half as many

The two "officers" at my door never really bothered to identify themselves, but the first thing that came out of their mouths was "May I come in?" My response: "Hell no! No warrant, no entry." They then demanded I step outside. I said, "Hell No!" I made it crystal clear to them I did not appreciate them coming to my door in the manner in which they arrived. The US Marshal fed me a line of BS about how he can't verify my address by simply seeing me open my own door. The Marshal claimed I could have just been "visiting." I guess Ohioans make it a point to visit friends while wearing sleep clothes and house slippers. I signed their stupid form and the Marshal (the Mutt in this Mutt and Jeff duo) said he'll "be back next week." I told him he can come every day of the week and still not get in my house without a warrant.

But these cops were not done. As I stepped outside my apartment, I noticed the two thugs in blue sitting outside my apartment watching me. I took down their car tags and the stepped out and approached me. I'm still in my night clothes, but what the hey, they feel that is appropriate attire for a night on the town. I gave them a piece of my mind. (You can catch the latter part of our "discussion" by CLICKING HERE; it is on my old ReFORM Radio page if the other link doesn't work).

I stood my ground and upheld my rights. Am I hiding anything? No. However, you have the right to say NO to a cop. If a person is not on probation or parole, and the police do not have a search warrant, then they have no right to enter your home.

In this video of a compliance check in Wayne Co. OH, notice the police ask the man if they can enter his house and "see' his "bedroom" to verify his residence. They have no need to go inside to "verify" your residence. Did you notice they asked the man if they can come inside? That is because they don't have the authority to come inside UNLESS YOU GIVE THEM that authority. You have a constitutional right to refuse. You see, once they are inside, they can search your house. If you have a computer, they want to see it. Now they are looking for any way to lock you up. That is how people get arrested in "compliance checks."

I had already created a page on my main website about this issue. In addition, there is free software allowing you to encrypt your entire computer and surf the web anonymously, tested and approved by fellow activists.
Remember these important steps and follow them in any compliance check.

• DO NOT sign anything, ever, at your door! No matter how "innocent" it seems. Politely refuse, unless you can speak to your lawyer first. (NOTE: If you do not have an attorney, be sure to read anything you sign if you feel compelled to do so. Standing up to a cop is scary, indeed, but they know you have to give up your rights willingly in order for them to proceed)
• DO NOT answer any questions beyond confirming that you are you, and required registration info. Anything else could be used (or twisted) to incriminate you.
• DO invoke the 5th amendment if necessary. But be prepared to be peppered with more questions (What are you hiding? Eh?), and reply only that you want your lawyer present first.
• DO NOT let anyone into your home without a warrant, unless you are still "on paper" (i.e., probation/ parole) and it is required. "Uncle LEO" has no right whatsoever to enter a person's home without a warrant, UNLESS you give them permission to enter. Don't fall for the old "can we come inside to confirm you live there" trick. Once inside they are looking for any reason to lock you up. Depending on the state, having toys or other items they consider "paraphernalia" may subject you to arrest or investigation.
• DO NOT leave your home while LE is still at your door. You have strong protections in your home, but practically none once you are out on the street.
• If you have easy access to a camera (cell phone in pocket), take a picture of the group on your porch, or better yet record the whole thing. Many cell phones have a "record" feature for you to talk into. Turn it on and keep it aimed at everyone speaking. The last one is highly important, in my opinion. HOWEVER, it may It may be illegal depending on the circumstances and where you live. For more info on police recording laws for your individual state you can visit the following website: http://www.rcfp.org/taping/index.html

In regards to videotaping police, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review a federal appeals court decision finding it unconstitutional to enforce an Illinois state law that makes it a felony to videotape police officers working in public if a microphone is turned on. The case in the US Appeals Court decision is ACLU of Illinois v. Alvarez, 679 F. 3d 583. (7th Cir. 2012).

More general tips at my main website HERE.

Vigilantism, America's next spectator sport

Now that the Jerry Sandusky trial has wound down and America waits for the next high profile case to incite the masses, we can take a moment to look at the stupidity surrounding the Sandusky media swarm.

Someone dressed as the Internet meme known as "Pedobear" garnered media attention outside the courthouse as the trial was conducted inside.

A large number of illiterate internet trolls have spammed hate messages at the Twitter account of Baltimore Ravens broadcaster GERRY Sandusky (no relation). That is Gerry with a G, not a J.

At least Gerry Sandusky can take it in stride:

Speaking of confusion over the name, consider the woes of the resort town Sandusky, Ohio. The resort town has reported that tourism has declined as a result of the Jerry Sandusky Trial. In one instance, the social network site Twitter automatically hashtagged a tweet posted by a Sandusky area spa and redirected people to the Jerry Sandusky trial instead of to links to the resort town. One comedian even exacerbated the problem by creating a phony YouTube commercial using plays on words from the Jerry Sandusky case:

Other recent cases like the Casey Anthony trial had similar stories, like the Oklahoma woman attacked for looking like Casey Anthony. There are reports of white men being beaten by gangs of black men proclaiming they were getting "Justice for Trayvon Martin." But sex crime accusations hold a place of prominence in our culture.

High profile cases are on the news daily, and without a doubt, it is having a negative impact on our society. We live in a culture where vigilante attacks are applauded. Two recent stories have illustrated this point.

The Texas who who beat a man to death he claimed was molesting his daughter was heralded as a hero and not charged with murder. An overwhelming number of people called him a "hero" instead of a killer.

In Washington state, serial killer Patrick Drum is being held without bail after killing two registrants. The prosecutor expressed concerns over online comments approving the vigilante's actions. Later, Drum was allowed in general population, where he attacked a 19 year old in on a failure to register charge. The victim was only age 13 when he was added to the sex offender registry in 2006.

We have turned trials into spectator sports and canonized vigilantes as heroes. Every night, celebrities like Nancy Grace and John Walsh make their living riling up the public and exploiting these high profile cases. We have created the "abuse excuse," allowing people to kill so long as the killer claims abuse.

 How much further do we allow the solemnity of the criminal justice system to degrade into the realm of that other infamous "Jerry," Jerry Springer? Maybe we should just borrow another Roman idea and turn our courtrooms into arenas and replace prosecutors and defense attorneys with gladiators and exotic beasts. We could even hire Gerry Sandusky to do play by play, courtesy of HLN Sports.

Enough with the Bread and Circuses, the reality TV attitudes, and the misguided blind vigilante injustices. It is beyond time to place limits on the registry; the registry needs to be abolished.