Tag: sex offender

Superior Court Upholds “Three Strike” Rule – Lifetime Imprisonment for Repeat Offenders

The Pennsylvania Superior Court’s recent (21 Mar 2025) decision in Commonwealth v. Davis (No. 1038 MDA 2023) presents a complex legal issue regarding the constitutionality of mandatory life sentences for repeat offenders convicted of distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).  Background Joseph J. Davis was convicted of two counts each of sexual abuse of children (distribution of child sexual abuse…

Read More

The Problematic Reality of Lifetime Registration Under Pennsylvania’s SORNA

Pennsylvania’s “Sexual Offender” Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) was designed to enhance public safety by tracking individuals convicted of sexual offenses. However, an analysis of the current registry data reveals a troubling reality: more than half of the state’s Persons Forced to Register (PFRs) are on the list for life. This raises serious concerns about the effectiveness, fairness, and consequences…

Read More

Courts Update: SCOPA Clarifies Mens Rea Requirements in SORNA Registration Cases

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court (SCOPA) recently addressed a critical legal question in the case of Commonwealth v. Roberts, 16 WAP 2023, examining the mens rea requirements for registration violations. Mens rea, meaning “guilty mind” in Latin, refers to the mental state or intent a defendant must have while committing a crime to be held criminally liable. It distinguishes intentional or…

Read More

OP/ED: Vigilantism and the Sex Offender Registry

The following Opinion/Editorial appeared in the December 20, 2024 issue of MerionWest. Portez Smith arrived outside Jesse Grover’s Pennsylvania duplex early on Sunday, November 17th of this year, yelling through the closed door, “Grover, you’re a f—ing pedophile.” When Grover opened the door, Smith pulled out a gun and shot him to death. Grover was registered on Pennsylvania’s sex offender…

Read More

Panel Discussion Recap: Registry, Reentry, Restoration

Reentry into society after incarceration is a journey fraught with obstacles. For individuals forced to register on the Pennsylvania Megan’s Law registry, these challenges become even more formidable as stigma and restrictive policies compound the difficulties of finding housing, employment, and acceptance. At a recent panel discussion, experts, advocates, and justice-impacted individuals convened to discuss the path forward, sharing insights…

Read More

BREAKING NEWS: PARSOL Condemns the Tragic Killing of Jesse Grover, Victim of the Public ‘Sex Offender’ Registry

For Immediate Release November 22, 2024 — The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL.org) mourns the tragic and senseless death of Jesse Michael Grover, a 31-year-old resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, whose inclusion on the public “sex offender” registry for an offense more than ten years ago, appears to have made him a target for gun violence. Jesse was…

Read More

SURVEY RESULTS: Voter Disenfranchisement High Among Reentrants with Sex-Related Offenses

Originally posted 5/3/24 – Updated 7/15/24 with JSGC information. Pennsylvania HR 47 is a 2023 Resolution directing the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on voting patterns and knowledge about voting rights among formerly incarcerated qualified electors in Pennsylvania and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives. In response to this…

Read More