Published: 8:09 p.m. Monday, May 21, 2012
Judge: Parole officials can be held liable over sex offender restrictions
"In the latest rebuke of state policies for classifying parolees as sex offenders, an Austin federal judge has ruled that top state parole officials can be held personally liable for continuing missteps.
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel of Austin, in an order issued late Friday, blasted the state's continuing refusal to provide due process hearings before imposing restrictive sex-offender conditions on felons never convicted of a sex crime.
Yeakel for the first time ruled that the seven-member state Board of Pardons and Paroles, 12 parole commissioners, state parole director Stuart Jenkins and other parole officials can face monetary damages for their actions.
It's a significant determination that, if not reversed on appeal, could prove costly for both the officials and taxpayers, if several pending inmate lawsuits are successful."
****
Comment:
In England and Wales, SOPOs can be applied for, against people who have never carried out a 'sexual offence', with consequent requirement to register under the SOA 2003.
*****
No comments:
Post a Comment