Jessica's Law Legislative Day
RALEIGH, N.C., April 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a
statement from Jessica's Law Now North Carolina, and Washington, D.C.-based
Stop Child Predators:
Concerned citizens have banded together to make a stand with Mark
Lunsford at "Legislative Day" on Wednesday, April 25 at the State Capitol
in Raleigh. Their mission is to facilitate the passage of House Bill 933,
The Jessica Lunsford Act, for North Carolina.
"Efforts by the public to pass this bill could be in vain if the House
Judiciary II Committee, led by Representative Dan Blue (D-Wake), chooses to
prevent the measure from reaching the floor of the North Carolina House of
Representatives," said Mark Palmer, Jessica's Law Now North Carolina.
"We are calling on Judiciary II Committee Chairman Blue and the other
members of the committee to not let another year pass without passing this
most important law," said Palmer. "Last year, this same committee, led by
now-vice chairman Jennifer Weiss (D-Wake) killed a similar measure [HB
1921] that would have protected the children of North Carolina from sexual
predators."
Mr. Lunsford, who will speak at the Legislative Day rally, is the
father of the late Jessica Lunsford, the namesake of "Jessica's Law," which
mandates minimum sentences of 25 years' imprisonment and lifetime
electronic monitoring of adults convicted of lewd or lascivious acts
against victims younger than 12 years of age.
Nine-year-old Jessica was abducted from her Homosassa, Fla. home on the
night of February 23, 2005 by convicted sex offender John Evander Couey,
who repeatedly sexually assaulted her over the next three days before
stuffing her in garbage bags and burying her alive in a shallow grave
behind his home. A Florida jury convicted Couey of these crimes in March.
Joining Jessica's Law Now North Carolina in urging passage of HB 933
are the North Carolina Sheriffs Association, Alamance County Commissioners,
the 6th District Congressional Convention, Concerned Women for America, the
Child Protection Coalition of North Carolina and 12,600 registered voters
who have signed a petition endorsing the measure.
"More than 10,000 registered sex offenders move to new addresses or
jobs daily," said Stacie Rumenap, executive director, Stop Child Predators.
"North Carolina should join the growing list of states that have taken
steps to protect children from these dangerous predators."
Stop Child Predators is a non-profit organization based in Washington,
D.C. The organization is dedicated to the establishment of penalty
enhancements for those found guilty of committing sexual offenses against
children; the implementation of an effective and efficient nationwide sex
offender registry; and the protection of the rights of crime victims. For
more information, contact SCP at (202) 234-0090 or online at
http://www.stopchildpredators.org. or (704) 641-6104 Mark Palmer Jessica�s Law Now North Carolina or online at http://jessicaslawnownc.spaces.live.com/
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