http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=73880
Kristin Anderson
Created: 9/4/2007 10:01:51 PM
Updated:9/5/2007 3:08:20 PM
AKRON -- An Akron sex offender has taken his fight to federal court and won.
And now the ruling could affect offenders living near schools all around Ohio.
Take Parma for example.
A few months ago Jessica Hale moved into a quiet, friendly neighborhood, just down the street from State Road School.
But she recently found out that her next door neighbor is a registered sex offender.
"It's kinda scary being young and moving out on your own for the first time and having a rapist live next to you is not fun," said Hale.
Parma has 35 sex offenders within city limits.
The city files lawsuits against them if they violated the state residency law which stops offenders from living within 1000-feet of a school.
Jessica's neighbor is appealing his case.
"We were successful at removing those individuals from our city. We did that to keep our citizens and our children safe," said Parma Mayor Dean DiPiero.
But Mayor DiPiero is concerned that his cases will be over turned because of a ruling involving Lane Mikaloff from Akron, who served 16-years for raping a woman.
He didn't want to be forced to leave his home in Summit County so he took his case all the way to federal court and won.
The judge ruled that the law is unconstitutional.
The ruling states that the law violates the rights of sexual offenders who committed crimes before the residency law went into affect back in 2003.
(more at link)
Kristin Anderson
Created: 9/4/2007 10:01:51 PM
Updated:9/5/2007 3:08:20 PM
AKRON -- An Akron sex offender has taken his fight to federal court and won.
And now the ruling could affect offenders living near schools all around Ohio.
Take Parma for example.
A few months ago Jessica Hale moved into a quiet, friendly neighborhood, just down the street from State Road School.
But she recently found out that her next door neighbor is a registered sex offender.
"It's kinda scary being young and moving out on your own for the first time and having a rapist live next to you is not fun," said Hale.
Parma has 35 sex offenders within city limits.
The city files lawsuits against them if they violated the state residency law which stops offenders from living within 1000-feet of a school.
Jessica's neighbor is appealing his case.
"We were successful at removing those individuals from our city. We did that to keep our citizens and our children safe," said Parma Mayor Dean DiPiero.
But Mayor DiPiero is concerned that his cases will be over turned because of a ruling involving Lane Mikaloff from Akron, who served 16-years for raping a woman.
He didn't want to be forced to leave his home in Summit County so he took his case all the way to federal court and won.
The judge ruled that the law is unconstitutional.
The ruling states that the law violates the rights of sexual offenders who committed crimes before the residency law went into affect back in 2003.
(more at link)
