Rebuttle: Registration fees for sex offenders

I have always been under the impression that when we elect officials to office, we are supposed to choose someone that is at least capable of applying a little common sense to a given situation. Looking at the numerous new laws that have surfaced in the past three years where sex offenders are concerned, it appears we have missed the mark where common sense is concerned.

Let's start with our local sheriff, Tony DeMeo and his proposal to the Nye County Commissioners about charging a registration fee for sex offenders to register.

The sheriff's statement, "If they don't have money, we're still going to process them," is completely misleading.

The sheriff, under Nevada Constitution, via Megans Law, has to process a sex offender. It's not like he actually has a choice in the matter.

Is he intentionally attempting to mislead the public? Of course he is still going to process them. If he didn't, he would be breaking the law himself. Not to mention the fact that he would open himself up to possible litigation. What our elected officials fail to realize is that charging fees (DeMeo), having offenders renew their driver's license annually at full price (Dina Titus) and increasing their levels via the newly passed Adam Walsh Law ( U.S. Legislation and President Bush) isn't going to bring sex offenders flooding into the sheriff's office for the purpose of achieving a compliant status. If anything, it will keep them from registering at all.

Sex offenders are already a socially and economically challenged group of people. Trying to live in a society that is constantly attempting to condemn you is no easy task. I know this because I have been doing it for more than four years. I was lucky to have the support of my family during my transition back into this alleged civil society. Not all offenders are that lucky.

Senate Minority Leader, Dina Titus, felt that having sex offenders renew their licenses every year as opposed to the normal four-year renewal period, would help make it easier to keep track of sex offenders. Well she was wrong. Now all we have is more unlicensed and uninsured drivers on the road. Way to go Dina.

Oh, and let's not forget the profit the Department of Motor Vehicles made off of that piece of legislation.

Where did that money go?

Now the sheriff wants to charge for registration fees. Does he really think fees will make the public feel safe?

Here's an idea Sheriff, why not spend some time tracking down the non-compliant offenders that live in your town. Having non-compliant offenders running around makes you and your office look bad, not to mention the fact that these non-compliant idiots just keep making life hard on the offenders who are in full compliance with their registration obligations, people like me.

I for one, am tired of being penalized by new laws that should be aimed strictly toward non-compliant offenders.

Let's move on to the Adam Walsh Law. The core of this law is to increase the frequency of registration for sex offenders and to create a national database for law enforcement and the general public to use as a tool to protect themselves and of course the youth in our society.

It's a great law with a bad application. Again, this law is aimed at the offenders who are in compliance with their registration obligations. It does little to nothing to seek out and apprehend the non-compliant offenders.

The Walsh Law also increases the offender's tier level without just cause or due process of law. (Violation of the 9th and 14th Amendments of the Constitution.)

It creates a possible double jeopardy issue, which violates the 5th Amendment of the Constitution. It takes away the offenders ability to petition for a tier reduction after 10 years of compliance with registration and all other aspects of their parole conditions, which is an ex post facto violation under the 1st Amendment, because it's punishment attached to a crime that has already been adjudicated.

It prohibits family and friends of an offender to petition the government for redress of grievance, which also violates the 1st amendment.

Last but not least, it creates a contractual violation via the offender's original tier assessment score sheet, which is another due process violation under the 9th, 13th and 14th Amendments of the Constitution.

But no one seems to care how the government is stepping all over our Constitutional Rights. Today it's the sex offenders in the line of fire. Tomorrow, it might be you, the average, everyday citizen.

When are you people going to realize that you're going about this the wrong way? The key to making society safer is sex offender specific therapy and seeking out and apprehending the non-compliant offenders.

I'm in compliance with my registration, so please stay off of my back and out of my wallet.

Respectfully,

ANTHONY PIETRORAZIO

Circus

The Nye County District Attorney has been arrested in California. The residents of Nye County are about to be entertained by a most interesting court proceeding. We shall see a completely different approach to protecting a defendants rights in court.

The result of the upcoming trial will be fodder for a book, a movie and a TV show. We will see history repeat itself (it always does).

After Beckett is convicted, he will file a motion for an appeal and a change of venue. The motion will be granted of course, for we must not forget that Beckett is the district attorney of Nye County.

"Where will the trial be moved to," you might ask? Why, it will be moved to Winnemucca of course (a history repeat). Note: A sitting judge in Clark County made the exact same motion in Carson City after he was convicted of a DUI and he was later acquitted in Winnemucca. He is still sitting in judgement of defendants in Clark County.

Then you ask, "How can that be done? Beckett was arrested in California."

There is no need to worry about such a small inconvenience. We are going to protect the defendant's rights. The district attorney in Inyo County will go to great lengths to protect a fellow district attorney. "Brothers of the bench," and all of that.

We will see efforts made for Beckett that he would deprive Joe Slob (defendant) of, in his court.

I predict that Beckett will be coming a very rich entertainment personality after the trials and he will be famous nationwide.

WAYNE P. BROTHERTON SR.