Many Democrats and trial lawyers are opposed to Jessica’s Law because it would give “draconian” sentences to child rapists. They often try to put their objections into more palatable sound bites which sometimes works but often fails and ends up sounding like they support the rights of convicted child rapists over the rights of the children they victimize.
If James H. Fagan comes across sounding like that, it’s apparently because that’s exactly what he believes. But don’t take my word for it, listen to it straight from the horse’s mouth:
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Catch that? According to Fagan it’d be better for children if child rapists faced lenient sentences they’d be willing to plea to because then the kids wouldn’t be forced into the position of being “traumatized” by lawyers like Fagan who would have to fight tooth and claw to keep the people who rape children from facing “draconian” penalties.
In other words, it’ll be child advocates’ faults when Fagan calls a 9-year-old rape victim a slut on the stand, because if we’d have “less draconian” (read reasonable) sentences the kid would never be in court to begin with. Makes sense, right?
I’ll do you one better Rep. Fagan, let’s not prosecute child rapists at all! That way the victims will be protected from the trauma of a court case. Moron.
The most disturbing part of this story is that Fagan lists several children’s organizations on his bio as groups he’s affiliated with, including The Southeastern New England Area Boys’ Clubs of America, Taunton Little League, and the Taunton Boys & Girls Club where he’s on the board of directors. Makes you think doesn’t it?
How does Rep. Fagan defend such asinine comments? He doesn’t. He has not commented on the story at this time. Mark Lundsford did have some choice words for Fagan though:
The father of a slain Florida girl pushing for mandatory prison time for child rapists in the Bay State is blasting a Taunton lawmaker who said he’d torment young victims on the witness stand to defend his perv clients.
“Why doesn’t he figure out a way to defend that child and put these kind of people away instead of trying to figure ways for defense attorneys to get around Jessica’s Law?†Mark Lunsford fumed, slamming recent remarks by Rep. James Fagan. “These are very serious crimes that nobody wants to take serious. What about the rights of these children?â€
Lunsford, whose daughter Jessica was raped and murdered in Florida by a repeat sex offender, will be in Massachusetts tomorrow to push lawmakers to pass Jessica’s Law, which would require a 20-year sentence for rape of a child under 12. The House passed a watered-down version of the bill last week but Lunsford and other victims’ rights activists will be pushing the Senate to include mandatory prison time in the final law.
20 years for raping a child under 12-years-old hardly seems draconian to me. Maybe Fagan misunderstands Jessica’s Law? Is that why he doesn’t support it?
Why not ask him? His district office number is 508-824-7000 and his State House phone number is 617-722-2040. Or email him at Rep.JamesFagan@hou.state.ma.us. Be sure to write “Really?” in the header or a simple “Stay classy” if you already know what his answer will be when you ask him why he won’t help the protect the children of Massachusetts.
Hot Air has more and a comment thread that you’ll want to see. This story has also got the Freepers’ heads spinning.
