Hundreds of molest cases face review after Supreme Court ruling; two molestation defendants freed

Associated Press ^ | 06-30-03

[Brian S]

California judges ordered two molestation defendants freed Monday as authorities sought to determine how many cases may be voided by the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of a law that allowed prosecution of decades-old sex abuse allegations.

The ruling was denounced by people who have accused priests of crimes, while prosecutors emphasized that the fallout from the high court's decision will extend far beyond the high-profile clergy sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic church.

[squidly]

Looks like we need longer statutes of limitations. Write your congressman and/or your state legislator.

[squidly]

Looks like we need longer statutes of limitations. Write your congressman and/or your state legislator.

[ambrose]

Throwing people in jail based on someone's 30 year-old "recovered memory" just isn't a good idea.

[dead]

After all the abuse we saw in those day care cases, I have to agree.

Incidently, Janet Reno made her name prosecuting bogus, day-care, child molestation cases.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

I agree we need longer statute of limitations.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Shouldn't there be a special place in hell reserved for lawyers who prosecute in such bogus cases?

[microgood]

I read somewhere on freerepublic that one guy affected by this ruling was 72 and prosecuted for a crime he did 50 years ago.

[Cicero]

There are reasons for statutes of limitations, although sometimes there may be reasons to revise them. But the main point is that it's against the most basic principles of justice to revise a law retroactively. That's what the Florida Supreme Court tried to do in the Gore chad case.

[muawiyah]

The Supreme Court once ruled the Clintonista tax increase elements that were retroactive were OK.

[aristeides]

Decision came out the same day as Lawrence. Makes you wonder.

You also have to wonder how many homosexual molestation cases there are out there like Limon, where the perps would now be free if they had been guilty of heterosexual molestation.

[Brian S]

Anybody know what the statute of limitations is for CA?

I would hope at least 10 years. If you have a child that was molested at 5, it isn't unheard of that they don't get over the fear/quilt of telling until they are in their teens...or later.