MD Sex Offenders Should Not Be Allowed to Expunge Their Records! @Willcsmithjr

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SUPPORT SB 774 - Criminal Procedure - Petition for Expungement to be heard in March 2, 2017 in the Judicial Proceedings Committee

Sex Offenders Should Not Be Allowed to Expunge Their Records

A last minute amendment grafted onto the Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA) enacted in 2016, scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2017, would have serious negative consequences for the safety and well being of Maryland’s children, as well other vulnerable populations. Prior to JRA, the only convictions eligible for expungement were convictions for a few specified public nuisance crimes, such as loitering and vagrancy.  The JRA, however, as a result of the amendment, now includes a provision that , according to the Daily Record, “would dramatically expand the number of crimes eligible for expungement” to at least one hundred and thirteen crimes -- three times more if attempted crimes, conspiracy or solicitation for each offense is counted.  Little, if any, attention was given at the time to the public safety implications of certain specific crimes permitted to be expunged or the impact of these expungements on criminal history records checks used to screen those who work with or have access to children, the elderly and those with disabilities.  It should be noted that in its consensus report, the Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council never recommended any expungements.  

SB 774 (http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2017RS/bills/sb/sb0774f.pdf) would exempt from expungement convictions for second degree assault when the victim of the offense was disabled, a vulnerable adult, or a minor.  In addition, it would preclude the expungement of convictions under section 11-306a of the Criminal Law Article which involve the prostitution of children. The bill lists all the crimes to be expunged after ten years by section number without the name of the crime .    

Second-degree assault, section 3-203 0f the Criminal Law Article, a crime against a person, is deemed to be a violent crime in a list in one section of Maryland law.  It is important to know that a conviction for second degree assault against anyone is in and of itself is troubling.  It is especially troubling if an individual committed the crime against a vulnerable person or a child.  Most disturbing is that second degree assault, a nonsexual crime, it is all too often a plea bargain down from a serious sexual crime.  These plea bargains allow sex offenders to avoid registration.

To illustrate,  a Montgomery County elementary school teacher pleaded guilty to four counts of second degree assault after originally being charged with 11 felony counts of child sexual abuse.   Ultimately, he did not have to register as a sex offender or serve jail time. (WJLA.com December  2, 2013- Tim Krupica pleads guilty to assault, has sentence suspended)

To obliterate all records regarding a sex offender’s conviction for second degree assault, including underlying sexual assault/abuse charges, allows the sex offender to completely obscure his record and, thus, precludes the ability of schools, day care centers, and camps, nursing homes and nonprofits who serve the disabled,  etc. from adequately screening individuals who apply for these sensitive positions.  The state of Maryland has an obligation, first and foremost, to protect those who cannot protect themselves, not destroy the records of those who pose a danger to them .

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of Maryland Children.  If you have any questions,  please contact Ellen Mugmon  ellen.mugmon@gmail.com

Please contact committee members with the message that they should SUPPORT SB 774 - Criminal Procedure - Petition for Expungement.

The Baltimore Sun published a letter about this: http://www.baltimoresun.com/nes/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-expunge-letter-20160613-story.html)  

MARYLAND SENATE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS COMMITTEE PHONE AND EMAILS:

Baltimore County

Robert A. (Bobby) Zirkin, Chair (D-11)

Phone: (410) 841-3131 | (301) 858-3131

E-mail: bobby.zirkin@senate.state.md.us

James Brochin (D-42)

Phone: (410) 841-3648 | (301) 858-3648

E-mail: jim.brochin@senate.state.md.us

Delores G. Kelley, Vice Chair (D-10)

Phone: (410) 841-3606 | (301) 858-3606

E-mail: delores.kelley@senate.state.md.us

Carroll County

Justin D. Ready (R-5)

Phone: (410) 841-3683 | (301) 858-3683

E-mail: justin.ready@senate.state.md.us

Carroll & Frederick Counties

Michael J. Hough (R-4)

Phone: (410) 841-3704 | (301) 858-3704

E-mail: michael.hough@senate.state.md.us

Cecil & Harford Counties

Wayne Norman (R-35)

Phone: (410) 841-3603 | (301) 858-3603

E-mail: wayne.norman@senate.state.md.us

Harford County

Robert G. Cassilly (R-34)

Phone: (410) 841-3158 | (301) 858-3158

E-mail: bob.cassilly@senate.state.md.us

Montgomery County

Susan C. Lee (D-16)

Phone: (410) 841-3124 | (301) 858-3124

E-mail: susan.lee@senate.state.md.us

William C. (Will) Smith, Jr. (D-20)

Phone: (410) 841-3634 | (301) 858-3634

E-mail: will.smith@senate.state.md.us

Prince George's County

C. Anthony Muse (D-26)

Phone: (410) 841-3092 | (301) 858-3092

E -mail: anthony.muse@senate.state.md.us

Victor R. Ramirez (D-47)

Phone: (410) 841-3745 | (301) 858-3745

Krupica Trial Set for December 2nd

Timothy V. Krupica (Meadow Hall Elementary School teacher)

Event Date: 12/02/2013 
Event Time: 09:30 AM
Judge: JORDAN, RICHARD E
Location: 50 Maryland Avenue 8th Floor Courtroom: 6
Description: TRIAL - JURY (4 days)

MoCo Special Education Teacher Arrested, WTOP Reports

WTOP Reports:

WASHINGTON - A special education teacher in Montgomery County is under arrest and has been charged with several sex-related offenses.

Jeremy Earle Brown II, 28, teaches children with autism at Meadow Hall Elementary School in Rockville.
The Montgomery County School District, which was informed of the police investigation on Aug. 31, has placed Brown on administrative leave and is moving forward with dismissal proceedings, says district spokeswoman Dana Tofig.

To read the entire WTOP report, CLICK HERE.

Teachers Beg on DonorsChoose.Org

Our 'world class' school system with its $2.1 BILLION budget has teachers begging for money for school items on DonorsChoose.org (see below). Many of the items requested are curriculum related - things that should be supplied by the MCPS.

Oh wait - those Pain in the Ass parents are supposed to cough it up through 'curricular fees'.

How is it MCPS always has a SURPLUS for Textbooks and Instructional Materials, yet schools do not have these materials?

Textbooks and Instructional Materials Surplus

2009 $5,000,000
2008 $6,800,000
2007 $ 200,000
2006 $ 400,000
2005 $1,500,000

Besides noting what the teachers are asking for, please note the interesting teacher comments copied from their DonorsChoose pages.

These are not all the requests. I will note requests for special education supplies in another post. There's even a request for a Gifted Center.

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Twinbrook ES Gr 3-5 $566 81 subscriptions to "TIME for Kids Magazine - News Scoop Edition". The cost of this proposal is $566, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Twinbrook ES Gr 3-5 $572 My students need reading comprehension centers, 14 different vocabulary centers, a poetry listening center, and privacy partitions. The cost of this proposal is $572, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Twinbrook ES Gr 3-5 $565 My students need 6 cases of multipurpose paper, 3 packs of easel pads, and 1 chart pad. The cost of this proposal is $565, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Twinbrook ES Gr PreK-2 Mrs G $642 My second grade students need 3 sets of guided reading kit books. The cost of this proposal is $642, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Twinbrook ES Gr PreK -2 $544 Mrs G "Have you ever tried to teach students who were learning math on 2 or 3 different grade levels in the same room? It's not easy! ...Help my students read WHILE mastering their math skills with these math centers. Also, help me keep my sanity teaching 30 kids with different needs. We would really appreciate your generosity! My students need 10 math centers resources, including 2 Magic Function Math Machine sets and a set of Stamp & Solve Math Activity Boxes. The cost of this proposal is $544, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Thurgood Marshall ES PreK-2 $1004 My students need 20 leveled book sets, from levels D-M. The cost of this proposal is $1,004, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Meadow Hall ES Gr PreK-2 $373 "I teach second grade in a school where the neighborhood has a low socio-economic status. There are many immigrant families who do not speak any English and have limited resources. A major obstacle in our classroom is a lack of supplies. With families who have to work multiple jobs to support their families, there are not many donations from parents... My students need a mailbox organizer to put their papers in. This is a good way to keep us organized and to save time. Also, we always run out of school supplies like glue sticks! We need 30 glue sticks. Please help to keep our classroom running in an organized way. The cost of this proposal is $373, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Meadow Hall ES Gr PreK - 2 $405 "... My students need supplies. It is as simple as that. We are not a Title 1 school, ...My students need pencils, glue sticks, glue bottles, Crayola crayons, Crayola markers, Scotch tape, highlighters, Expo dry erase markers, and other craft supplies. The cost of this proposal is $405, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Corrected: How to look for Montgomery County Schools: go to DonorsChoose.org, click on "See Projects" upper right, or 'All Projects' in middle of page. Search State (Maryland) --> County (Montgomery)