Category: Sexual Assault

SCOTUS Hears Arguments on State Law Banning Sex Offenders from Facebook

Those who oppose the law claim it has a chilling effect on the First Amendment. It may be hard to believe, but the social networking site Facebook has only been around since 2004. Since its founding, it has accumulated 1.86 billion monthly active users. The site has become a popular way to communicate with friends,…

interior of a school classroom

Texas school superintendent and principals who fail to report teachers who enter inappropriate relationships with students face potential criminal charges under a bill passed in the Senate. Senate Bill 7 was introduced by Senator Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, following a rise in prosecutions against teachers involved in improper relationships with students. In the 2016 financial year,…

baylor university logo

An expanding investigation and allegations of a cover up of alleged sexual assaults at Baylor University in Texas have led to calls for Governor Greg Abbott to direct the Texas Rangers to investigate. Last week, Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) filed a bill in the Texas House of Representatives urging the governor to get the…

texas law with state flag and gavel

Groping would become a more serious offense in Texas if a new bill filed in the General Assembly becomes law. The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault is behind new bill that would make groping a Class A misdemeanor, reported CBS. At present, the offense is a Class C misdemeanor. Critics say that makes it the…

Traveling Abroad as a Sex Offender

Registered sex offenders may find it difficult to travel abroad, as some countries may deny a sex offender a visa when they attempt to cross the border or go through customs Being a registered sex offender can have a lasting negative impact on many aspects of your life, including your career and your reputation. Now,…

The arrest of teachers inevitably makes news headlines. The Dallas Morning News recently reported on how a Richardson ISD teacher who was arrested last week on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy later told police that he has HIV. The news report said Roger Kessler, 43, told investigators he hadn’t revealed his medical condition…

27% increase of teacher improper relationships

There is an increase in inappropriate student-teacher relationships. Sexual offenses can carry a great deal of stigma especially when those who are charged with them are in a position of responsibility such as being a teacher. Recently the Dallas Morning News reported on how an English teacher from Richardson High School English teacher has been…

DNA technology allows investigators to match up evidence of old crimes as well as contemporary ones. Recently the Dallas Morning News reported on how investigators say a state prisoner has admitted to raping two women at gunpoint during a robbery in 2005. The prisoner in question is William Thomas Beane, a 36-year-old who is currently…

When a crime is judged to be motivated by factors such as race or sexual orientation, it may be dealt with by federal prosecutors as a hate crime. Under federal law the hate crime legislation may be used in offenses linked to actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin or perceived religion, national…

Sex offenses can cause outrage in the community and often attract heavy sentences. Recently, the Dallas Morning News reported on how a man from Fort Worth man was sentenced to 43 years in prison without parole for molesting two girls. The Tarrant County District Attorney’s office said in a news release that a jury had…