House passes 'Jessica' bill (FL - Jessica Lunsford Act)

[soup]

House passes 'Jessica' bill

The bill would set a mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison for people convicted of molesting children under 12 years old.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 19, 2005

TALLAHASSEE -- With the abduction and murder of yet another child fresh in their minds, members of the House unanimously passed a bill Tuesday to give certain sex criminals either life sentences or lifetime satellite tracking after they get out of prison.

Named the Jessica Lunsford Act after a 9-year-old Homosassa girl who was abducted and killed - allegedly by a sex offender - the measure still needs approval from the Senate, which is considering similar legislation.

House passed the bill two days after another sex offender was charged in the abduction and murder of 13-year-old Sarah Lunde of Ruskin.

The bill (HB 1877) would set a mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison for people convicted of molesting children under 12 years old. If the person serves less than life, their prison time would be followed by monitoring by global positioning system for the rest of their life.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/04/19/State/House_passes__Jessica.shtml


on edit:
STATE NEWS: Marion County man pleads guilty to ricin possession ???

Print story ??? Subscribe to the Times ???

I'm not the queen of cut and paste anymore. :-( sorry. fixed it.

[CarefullyLiberal]

1. Thats a good start Florida Legislature

I wonder if anyone is going to ask Jessica Lunsford's father why he was out until 4:00 AM partying and left his daughter unsupervised?

But that is a good start Tallahassee.

-Fergus

[Melodybe]

2. Well yay! they should get life but its a start!

[Bunny]

3. Since when was she unsupervised?

I understood that she was in her grandparent's home, and they were present. Did I misunderstand?

[mcar]

4. No, you didn't misunderstand.

She was home, in bed, with her grandparents in the house.

The other poster is perhaps confusing Jessica Lunsford with the 13 year old girl who was just killed near Tampa. She was home alone. However, she had been at a church rally thing and her mother apparently didn't expect her until the next day.

[CarefullyLiberal]

8. Bunny, good point...

I'm always pressing people for links, thanks for keeping me honest.

Lunsford Abduction

"By all accounts, Jessica Lunsford was a happy, well-adjusted third grader who attended school and church regularly and never left her grandparents' house, where she lived with her father, without asking permission.

When her father, Mark Lunsford, returned to the house Thursday morning, after spending the night with his girlfriend, he went into her room and found her missing. None of her clothes or shoes were missing. The only article missing from the room was a favorite stuffed animal."

Now, with that said, it would seem to me that the little girl's grandparents where at home, but I remember that they weren't that night. I owe you a link.

-Fergus

[CarefullyLiberal]

9. Bunny, you were right

You are correct, I am wrong...

"The fact that this animal can live across the street . . . the idea that Jessica can be stolen from her own bed and home while the grandparents were sleeping . . . how safe are the rest of our children?" Toto said. "Something will have to be done before they feel better."


I apologize.

Another article

-Fergus

[Bunny]

10. Okay. The Sarah Lunde story is much worse, isn't it?

There doesn't appear to have been much parental supervision there.

[wakeme2008]

6. The case of 13 yo Sarah Lunde is worse

1) The mother introduced to her family a reg sex offender and dated him for a period of time.

2) Mother took off for the weekend and left the 17 yo brother "in charge".

3) 17 yo bro left around 10pm and did not return to 4:00 am Sun morning (Sarah taken during this time)

4) When mother came home Sun night, Sarah was not there, she thought nothing of it, thought she was over friends for the weekend.

5) Mother only called Police when she did not come home from school on Monday...


And the State should do what with parents like this.......

[Maddy McCall]

12. Jessica and her father lived with his parents.

She most certainly was not unsupervised.

He put her to bed and then went out.

[katsy]

5. That's nice.

But doesn't address the problem proactively.

Addressing the problem of sexual predators of children only: These people are mentally/emotionally deviant. They should have had 25 years to life for the first offense anyway.

At the very least, they should be required to wear tracking devices. I'd prefer a hospital/prison where they could spend the rest of their lives getting help. They could go to work, but must report back to the hospital at night.

[dhinojosa]

7. including clergy?

just curious

[soup]

11. Would this have applied to the monster that murdered her?

Could this have prevented her death? and I wonder why the age of 12? Why not under 18 if it's intent is to help protect minors?

Searching through Couey's former convictions -

# Criminal history:
# Outstanding warrant for violation of probation charge stemming from a 2004 arrest for possession of marijuana under 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia.
# Arrested multiple times on various charges, including burglary, carrying a concealed weapon, disorderly intoxication, driving under the influence, indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, fraud, insufficient funds and larceny.
# Arrested in 1991 on charges of a sex offense, fondling a child under the age of 16.
# Registered sexual offender in Citrus County.
# Has absconded more than once.
# Driver's license suspended for 99 years.

Source: Citrus County Sheriff's Office
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/03/18/missing.girl/