No sex offender in my backyard
From Ms. Maeshiro, our AV watcher, comes this:
A judge today denied a request by a twice-convicted child molester from Santa Barbara to allow him to reside in Los Angeles County, possibly in the Antelope Valley.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dennis Landin left open the option for the attorneys of Kenneth Rasmuson, 46, described by authorities as a sexually violent predator, to file a formal motion, but said at the moment he saw no justification for the transfer.
"If I find extraordinary circumstances, then I'll allow it. Currently before me, I don't see that," Landin told a packed courtroom.
The court's rejection was met with defiant jubilation by Antelope Valley residents and officials, more than 40 of whom came to the downtown Los Angeles court hearing on a chartered bus. Dozens of others drove themselves.
"For this type of individual to come in the back door of the valley, it's not going to happen in our valley," Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said after the hearing.
As we've seen in the Rodriguez case and the apartment post the other day, this is an ongoing, troubling issue. What's the answer? I really don't know. If I had kids, I wouldn't be thrilled to have this guy take up in the apartment next door, but on the other hand, until he gets life in prison, you can't really justify tossing away the key. And while it's easy to say "he's served his time, let him go," what if he re-offends? Try telling the parents that justice was served by letting him into your neighborhood.
I hate to end these posts by just throwing up my hands and saying "law is hard!" Sheesh, I feel like Lawyer Barbie (or, at the very least, Attorney Ken), but I don't have the answers. Hopefully, Judge Landin does.
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