MO--Two sex offenders’ cases go to US Supreme Court
For immediate release: Monday, Nov. 9, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
In most of the world, kids are even more vulnerable to predators than they are in the US. That’s why we hope the Supreme Court will uphold laws requiring convicted sex offenders to notify authorities when they move to a foreign country.
Two Kansas City men - Lester Nichols and Robert Lunsford - were convicted of sex crimes in unrelated cases and later moved - separately - to the Philippines. Neither of them updated their sex offender registrations. The question is: can or should they be required to do so?
http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/11/06/scotus-to-decide-reach-of-sex-offender-registry.htm
We think so. For the safety of kids, we hope the justices will side with the vulnerable over the guilty. Sex offender registries aren’t panaceas. We believe they are legal, fair and effective, and should be restricted with great caution.
There’s must to be said for our society’s growing zeal to reduce prison populations and the burdens on ex-criminals. Still, however, because the harm they inflict is so egregious and their chance of re-offense is so high, we believe child molesters should be imprisoned and monitored with utmost care.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected], [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])
SCOTUS to Decide Reach of Sex Offender Registry - By DAN MCCUE
Courthouse News Service Friday, November 06, 2015 - Last Update: 2:33 PM PT
(CN) - The Supreme Court on Friday said it will consider whether the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act requires sex offenders who move to a foreign country to notify their prior home state of their change of residence.
At issue is are the cases of two men who lived on opposite sides of the Missouri River in the Kansas City Metropolitan area, were both convicted of sex crimes in unrelated cases prior to the enactment of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and later moved -- again separately -- to the Philippines.
Once Lester Nichols and Robert Lunsford left the country . . .
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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