Jessica’s Law failed: Colo House Judiciary Committee says "Guns bad" but "Raping children OK"

[DeusExMachina]

Our new friends at the House Judiciary Committee, who just yesterday voted along party lines to pass "universal background checks" and "assault magazine ban" legislation, did some more voting today. Today they voted (along party lines) to shut down "Jessica's Law", which would mean tougher penalties on first offenders in the sexual assault of a child under the age of 14.


DENVER - On Wednesday, the father of a 9-year-old who was brutally raped and killed in Florida in 2005 was in Denver testifying in support of Jessica's Law. His arguments were not enough to pass the bill out of the House Committee, however.

The law died on a 7-4 party-line vote.

The law was created for Jessica Lunsfort. It asks states to adopt mandatory sentencing for first-time offenders who are convicted of sex crimes against children under the age of 14.

Colorado already monitors sex offenders after they are released, which is the second major component of Jessica's Law.

Mark Lunsford testified in front of a house committee meeting on Wednesday in support of the law. He said he will always testify but has not had to in the 44 other states where Jessica's Law is already in place.

"The most amazing part are the states that did [passed Jessica's law] without me testifying," Lunsford said. "They did not need influence from parents or organizations or the people, they did it on their own. Other states do not need to be convinced they just need to be sure that they are doing it the right way."

Lawmakers killed Jessica's Law in committee on Wednesday afternoon.

"Mandatory sentencing to protect children from pedophiles should be a 'no brainer,'" state Rep. Libby Szabo, the sponsor of House Bill 1149, said after the bill died. "Forty percent of released sexual offenders perpetrate a new crime within a year of being released, and the majority of the children they molest are kids under 13."

I have no words for how absolutely disgusted I am.

[TS12000]

Get with it man its the golden age for being some fucked up criminal and or scumbag parasite.

[Rooskibar03]

Want your blood to boil?

The same progressive party who yesterday voted to move forward to protect us from evil high cap magazines shot down, ALONG PARTY LINES, Jessica's law.

It asks states to adopt mandatory sentencing against people who commit crimes against children under the age of 14.

7-4 against.

We are screwed. There is no hope.

http://www.9news.com/news/article/316786/339/Jessicas-Law-dies-in-committee

[Geology Rocks]

We need to figure out a way to get these people to be held accountable for their actions. If my child was harmed by a repeat offerend I would be suing every single one of them.

[zteknik]

Hypocritical to say the least..
Ban mags and evil rifles for the sake of the children,but a law that directly protects them gets voted out...
The politicians children fall under different protection standards-their special,regular laws they write need not apply to the politicos...

[Fmedges]

Typical. Seriously what the fuck.

[Yota]

How do you even respond to this....[Bang]

The title of the thread reads like a good campaign slogan for whoever runs against the "7" during the next election.

[KestrelBike]

We need to figure out a way to get these people to be held accountable for their actions. If my child was harmed by a repeat offerend I would be suing every single one of them.

Suing? You're not thinking ... vengeful enough.

[BPTactical]

I heard this as well and was totally appalled.
The unabashed hypocracy.
Smack in the face.

Mmmffffff........

Unfortunately "Governmental Immunity" would protect them from litigation.

I was thinking last night, if all the anti 2A proposals pass(which after yesterday I feel they will) what will their response be if there is another incident in Colorado?

More importantly, what will the response be of the public be?
For some odd reason the scene from the original "Frankenstein" comes to mind, you know the one where the townspeople are looking for the monster after the little girl is found dead..............


However there is an upside. This could really give some across the board reasoning to push a recall of those 7.

[KestrelBike]

Typical. Seriously what the fuck.

after last night's Dog & Pony, I just can't take this shit anymore.

[Fmedges]

after last night's Dog & Pony, I just can't take this shit anymore.

Im having to do some soul searching as well.

[Goodburbon]

Im having to do some soul searching as well.


I think we all are.

[jhirsh5280]

But if it only saves one child....

[DOC]

The news should point out this BS and rail on it like it was a George W. Bush 1970's review done on word 97.

[Doubledamage]

It seems the pedos want to protect themselves from high capacity magazines. Me, myself, I'd just reload, and reload, and reload.

[DeusExMachina]

But if it only saves one child....

That only works when we're talking about gun control, obviously. A 16 round magazine saving someone's life or a violent criminal staying in jail doesn't count.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Shame on you politicians. You dirty rotten no good scoundrels. Shame on you.

[Irving]

Why are you guys upset about less laws, especially the kind of laws that aare constantly bitched about on here?

[hollohas]

Why are you guys upset about less laws, especially the kind of laws that aare constantly bitched about on here?

You must be joking...

[DeusExMachina]

Why are you guys upset about less laws, especially the kind of laws that aare constantly bitched about on here?

I think most people here are advocates of harsher punishments for existing laws. It's one of the main reasons why gun violence is a 'problem'.

When a guy only gets 17 years for beating his mother to death with a hammer, comes out and shoots a number of firefighters, there's an issue.

I was moved by the testimony of a father on Tuesday, who testified that his young daughter's rapist swore (i believe in court) when he got out of jail he would rape her again, kill her parents infront of her, and then kill her. He gets out of jail next year.

[Dave_L]

I was moved by the testimony of a father on Tuesday, who testified that his young daughter's rapist swore (i believe in court) when he got out of jail he would rape her again, kill her parents infront of her, and then kill her. He gets out of jail next year.

I can't imagine the amount of anxiety that father has to feel. I know what I would do.

[lowbeyond]

I was thinking last night, if all the anti 2A proposals pass(which after yesterday I feel they will) what will their response be if there is another incident in Colorado?

Look East to NJ/NY. NY already passed. NJ gun owners just got corn-holed in committee yesterday worse then CO. And West to CA of course.

[Irving]

You must be joking...

Nope. From the way the way the thread reads, this law is asking for mandatory sentencing for people who are charged. Have there been cases where someone is charged, but not sentenced?

Guy Dues is talking about sounds like a real POS, but it still sounds like he was sentenced.


I think most people here are advocates of harsher punishments for existing laws. It's one
of the main reasons why gun violence is a 'problem'.

When a guy only gets 17 years for beating his mother to death with a hammer, comes out and shoots a number of firefighters, there's an issue.

I was moved by the testimony of a father on Tuesday, who testified that his young daughter's rapist swore (i believe in court) when he got out of jail he would rape her again, kill her parents infront of her, and then kill her. He gets out of jail next year.

[muddywings]

We don't need more laws. In fact I think we need less BS laws HOWEVER, I think we need to have harsher punishments for the laws on the books. This is a case were I think the minimum sentence needs to be VERY HIGH.
The revolving door needs to be stopped and prison should not be club med. It should be about making small rocks from big rocks and it should be a very long time for people who commit these types of crimes OR other violent crimes.

[hollohas]

Nope. From the way the way the thread reads, this law is asking for mandatory sentencing for people who are charged. Have there been cases where someone is charged, but not sentenced?



Wrong. The bill reads:


CONCERNING MANDATORY SENTENCING PROVISIONS FOR A
DEFENDANT CONVICTED OF A SEX OFFENSE AGAINST A CHILD
WHO IS FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.


You can't sentence people to jail time who are charged but not convicted no matter what crime they are charged with. This law simply asks for a harsher punishment for violating CURRENT law.

It asked that criminals convicted of sex crimes on children get a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years. As a father, I would be surprised if you didn't support that. I don't know what the current minimum sentence is (if there is one) but the more the better when it comes to this crime.

So again, these so-called Representatives have voted "yes" on a bill that would limit the rights of law abiding gun owners to "protect the kids" however they vote "no" on a bill that would actually protect the kids from proven child rapists by locking them up longer. How does that make sense?

[Irving]

Excuse me. Convicted was definitely the word I was looking for. So, are there instances where people convicted of a sex offense against a child who is fourteen or under, are NOT sentenced?

Is this law asking for mandatory sentencing, or higher penalties? I'm okay with increasing penalties by changing current law.

[hollohas]

Excuse me. Convicted was definitely the word I was looking for. So, are there instances where people convicted of a sex offense against a child who is fourteen or under, are NOT sentenced?

Is this law asking for mandatory sentencing, or higher penalties? I'm okay with increasing penalties by changing current law.

Yes, this bill only asked to revise current Colorado Revised Statutes regarding sex crimes so that the minimum sentence was harsher. Currently the minimum are as low as 2 years.

I don't know about Colorado but there have been many instances of criminals convicted of sex crimes, that were only given probation or very short jail terms, who went on to hurt kids again. That is why 44 states have some version of this so-called Jessica's law that requires a steep minimum sentence for child sex crimes.

[Irving]

After clarification, I'm on bored.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

After clarification, I'm on bored.

I know. Personally I'm getting board with these politics....