Abbey Normal
Senior Member
(the town name is actually Issaquah, Sorry!)
Another fine example of how the ACLU spends (and wastes) it's time and money.
Sex-offender law gets court win: Judge rules against ACLU; Issaquah violators facing fines of up to $250 a day
2005-09-09
by Noel S. Brady
Journal Reporter
ISSAQUAH (Washington) -- She might as well put them up at the Bellevue Hyatt.
After filing a civil lawsuit on behalf of Mary Lou Lewis last week, the American Civil Liberties Union lost its bid Thursday for a temporary restraining order against the city of Issaquah. The order would've stopped the city from evicting Lewis' son and his roommate, both convicted sex offenders, under a contested city ordinance.
The new ordinance bans Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders -- those considered likely to repeat their crimes -- from living within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare center, and it restricts them to certain commercial, industrial and rural areas of the city.
King County Superior Court Commissioner Kimberley Prochnau denied the ACLU's motion for a temporary restraining order to put the new ordinance on hold until a hearing scheduled Sept. 23.
Cost of violating ordinance
Without that temporary restraining, however, Lewis, as well as her son, Kyle, and his roommate, John Weber, face the prospect of each having to pay up to $250 a day beginning Sept. 1 for violating the city ordinance. The fine amount will be up to a judge, but so far, each of the three faces fines totaling up to $2,250. By comparison, a double occupancy room at the Bellevue Hyatt runs $279 a day.
``Our goal today was to ensure that Mrs. Lewis' son would not be evicted prior to that (Sept. 23) hearing,'' said ACLU spokesman Doug Honig. Despite the denied restraining order, he said the ACLU expects the two sex offenders will stay where they are for now.
Mary Lou Lewis owns property in the 800 block of Highwood Drive, where her son and Weber live. Kyle Lewis is a Level 3 sex offender, who was convicted of child molestation. Weber is a Level 2 sex offender. They moved into the house in June.
An announcement by police that the two men had moved into the house angered the community and led the City Council to pass the ordinance as an emergency measure.
City Attorney Wayne Tanaka said the commissioner's denial of a temporary restraining order suggests the city's case for the defending the ACLU lawsuit is strong.
``The commissioner determined that the ACLU was not likely to prevail in their lawsuit,'' Tanaka said, explaining one of the legal factors in the judge's decision. ``The city is proceeding to enforce the ordinance.''
City waits on judge's orders
While the city continues taking all legal steps necessary to evict the two men, he said the city will not send in police to physically remove them until a judge orders it. That likely won't happen before the Sept. 23 hearing.
In the 10 days since the ACLU filed the lawsuit, none of the Issaquah residents who demanded the City Council place the ban on sex offenders has come forward to change their stance, according Mayor Ava Frisinger.
``I haven't had anyone come forward and say they changed their mind,'' she said. ``They expect us to stand behind our decision.''
Another fine example of how the ACLU spends (and wastes) it's time and money.
Sex-offender law gets court win: Judge rules against ACLU; Issaquah violators facing fines of up to $250 a day
2005-09-09
by Noel S. Brady
Journal Reporter
ISSAQUAH (Washington) -- She might as well put them up at the Bellevue Hyatt.
After filing a civil lawsuit on behalf of Mary Lou Lewis last week, the American Civil Liberties Union lost its bid Thursday for a temporary restraining order against the city of Issaquah. The order would've stopped the city from evicting Lewis' son and his roommate, both convicted sex offenders, under a contested city ordinance.
The new ordinance bans Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders -- those considered likely to repeat their crimes -- from living within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare center, and it restricts them to certain commercial, industrial and rural areas of the city.
King County Superior Court Commissioner Kimberley Prochnau denied the ACLU's motion for a temporary restraining order to put the new ordinance on hold until a hearing scheduled Sept. 23.
Cost of violating ordinance
Without that temporary restraining, however, Lewis, as well as her son, Kyle, and his roommate, John Weber, face the prospect of each having to pay up to $250 a day beginning Sept. 1 for violating the city ordinance. The fine amount will be up to a judge, but so far, each of the three faces fines totaling up to $2,250. By comparison, a double occupancy room at the Bellevue Hyatt runs $279 a day.
``Our goal today was to ensure that Mrs. Lewis' son would not be evicted prior to that (Sept. 23) hearing,'' said ACLU spokesman Doug Honig. Despite the denied restraining order, he said the ACLU expects the two sex offenders will stay where they are for now.
Mary Lou Lewis owns property in the 800 block of Highwood Drive, where her son and Weber live. Kyle Lewis is a Level 3 sex offender, who was convicted of child molestation. Weber is a Level 2 sex offender. They moved into the house in June.
An announcement by police that the two men had moved into the house angered the community and led the City Council to pass the ordinance as an emergency measure.
City Attorney Wayne Tanaka said the commissioner's denial of a temporary restraining order suggests the city's case for the defending the ACLU lawsuit is strong.
``The commissioner determined that the ACLU was not likely to prevail in their lawsuit,'' Tanaka said, explaining one of the legal factors in the judge's decision. ``The city is proceeding to enforce the ordinance.''
City waits on judge's orders
While the city continues taking all legal steps necessary to evict the two men, he said the city will not send in police to physically remove them until a judge orders it. That likely won't happen before the Sept. 23 hearing.
In the 10 days since the ACLU filed the lawsuit, none of the Issaquah residents who demanded the City Council place the ban on sex offenders has come forward to change their stance, according Mayor Ava Frisinger.
``I haven't had anyone come forward and say they changed their mind,'' she said. ``They expect us to stand behind our decision.''
