ACLU Loses Case In Defense Of Sex Offender

Posted on August 2, 2006

Go Pundit Go points out to a case where the ACLU unsucessfully argued for a sex offender to have access to the city parks.

A Superior Court judge Tuesday upheld a Woodfin ordinance barring sex offenders from the town’s three public parks.

David Standley, 43, a registered sex offender living in Woodfin, sued the town in August 2005. The N.C. chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union backed his case.

Standley argued in his lawsuit the ordinance was too broad, in part by including people who have never committed sex crimes against children.

He was convicted in 1987 in Florida of attempted sexual battery with a weapon against an adult and served three years and six months in jail, according to the N.C. Department of Justice sex offender registry.

“I think it’s likely that we’ll appeal,” said Bruce Elmore, Standley’s attorney. “I think he had a strong constitutional case.”

A registered sex offender found violating the Woodfin ordinance can be fined $500 or put in jail for 30 days.

“I think this is going to be a useful tool for law enforcement,” Woodfin Police Chief Brett Holloman said.

The town adopted the ordinance after the arrest of a sex offender who had lived across the street from South Woodfin Park.

I will chalk this up as a win for the good guys. I really don’t think society will ever trust a sex offender to have access to playgrounds and parks regardless of the age of their victim and whether they have served their time or not. If the sex offenders can’t deal with certain restrictions as one the consequences of society losing trust in them, perhaps the option of remaining behind bars completely seperated from society would be more appealing to them.