Mass. to Appeal Murderer's Sex Reassignment: The Associated Press reports Massachusetts prison officials announced Wednesday the state will appeal U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf's decision to grant convicted murderer Michelle Kosilek's request for sex reassignment surgery. Koselik, named Robert when convicted of murdering his wife in 1990, has been receiving hormone treatment and lives in an all male prison, as a woman. Prison officials argue that allowing the surgery would put Koselik at risk for sexual assaults from other inmates. Many insurance companies consider the surgery elective; transgender inmates are typically treated with hormone treatments and psychotherapy. The state Department of Corrections argues denying the request would not violate Koselik's Eighth Amendment rights as Koselik is already receiving adequate treatment. The surgery would cost taxpayers up to $20,000.
High-Risk Sex Offender Attacked Victim Twice: Janon Fisher of the US Daily News reports Jonathan Stewart allegedly attacked and raped his victim twice on Saturday in New York according to prosecutors. Stewart, a high-risk level 3 sex offender, chased his victim down after she escaped his first attack and violently raped her again. The victim managed to escape a second time and fled naked; Stewart remained in pursuit until he saw her talking with police. Officers found a shirtless Stewart shortly after. Stewart had been previously convicted of robbing and sexually assaulting two women with a knife in 2004. He was arraigned Sunday.
Daughter, Sister of Murder Victims Opposes Killer's Parole: Larry Welborn of the Orange County Register reports that Lynette Duncan, the daughter/sister of two victims of murderer Brett Thomas, is traveling from the East coast to a correctional facility in San Diego to argue against his parole. Thomas and his accomplice Mark Titch shot Duncan's father to death with a shotgun in front of their home. One of the pellets hit her 18-year-old sister in the heart, killing her. The pair also shot Duncan's mother, who survived the attack. Five days prior, Thomas and Titch gunned down a drive-in dairy employee during a robbery attempt. The nude body of the their first victim, Laura Anne Stoughton, 20, was found Jan. 21, 1977, on a rocky hill in East Orange, her hands clutching a crucifix. Both men pleaded guilty to taking four lives in California over the course of nine days in 1977 and were sentenced to life in prison. Fortunately for both killers, California did not have death penalty in January of 1977. It was reinstated by the Legislature, over Governor Jerry Brown's veto, in August of that year, too late to apply to them.
High-Risk Sex Offender Attacked Victim Twice: Janon Fisher of the US Daily News reports Jonathan Stewart allegedly attacked and raped his victim twice on Saturday in New York according to prosecutors. Stewart, a high-risk level 3 sex offender, chased his victim down after she escaped his first attack and violently raped her again. The victim managed to escape a second time and fled naked; Stewart remained in pursuit until he saw her talking with police. Officers found a shirtless Stewart shortly after. Stewart had been previously convicted of robbing and sexually assaulting two women with a knife in 2004. He was arraigned Sunday.
Daughter, Sister of Murder Victims Opposes Killer's Parole: Larry Welborn of the Orange County Register reports that Lynette Duncan, the daughter/sister of two victims of murderer Brett Thomas, is traveling from the East coast to a correctional facility in San Diego to argue against his parole. Thomas and his accomplice Mark Titch shot Duncan's father to death with a shotgun in front of their home. One of the pellets hit her 18-year-old sister in the heart, killing her. The pair also shot Duncan's mother, who survived the attack. Five days prior, Thomas and Titch gunned down a drive-in dairy employee during a robbery attempt. The nude body of the their first victim, Laura Anne Stoughton, 20, was found Jan. 21, 1977, on a rocky hill in East Orange, her hands clutching a crucifix. Both men pleaded guilty to taking four lives in California over the course of nine days in 1977 and were sentenced to life in prison. Fortunately for both killers, California did not have death penalty in January of 1977. It was reinstated by the Legislature, over Governor Jerry Brown's veto, in August of that year, too late to apply to them.
Some insane justice there--guy robs and sexually assaults two women and spends a scant 8 years in jail and is released. And lo and behold, he does it again.
LWOP is really the only appropriate sentence here.