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CNN Live At Daybreak

Legislative Error in Colorado May Free Almost 2,000 Sex Offenders

Aired June 26, 2001 - 07:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In Colorado, dozens of sex offenders are expected to be released from prison in the next few weeks, and the paroles of another 1,500 could be reduced or dropped. It's all because of a new state Supreme Court ruling.

Cheryl Preheim of our affiliate station KUSA has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMY STOFFLE (ph), RAPE VICTIM: It's very scary for a victim because you have to walk out of your house every day wondering. It was at my 18th birthday party.

CHERYL PREHEIM, KUSA-TV REPORTER (voice-over): Amy Stoffle (ph) was raped on her 18th birthday. She says she's furious some sex offenders could get out of jail or have limited or no parole.

STOFFLE (ph): I do believe parole keeps them from offending again.

RONALD COATES, PROBATION OFFICER: There's no cure for sex offenders. They know that they're being watched and being monitored. That will prevent a lot of the re-offending.

PREHEIM: Probation officer Ronald Coates agrees parole and probation help keep sex offenders from victimizing others.

COATES: And it's important that if we do have them in the community and keep the community safe and make sure that there are no new victims, that they are monitored.

PREHEIM: 9NEWS legal analyst Scott Robinson says the Colorado legislature was trying to increase monitoring for sex offenders.

SCOTT ROBINSON, LEGAL ANALYST, 9NEWS: The legislature screwed up.

PREHEIM: Instead, these 1993 and 1998 laws conflicted and may help offenders get out of prison or avoid parole.

ROBINSON: The Supreme Court had to wrestle with two seemingly inconsistent statutes passed by two different legislatures.

STOFFLE (ph): I don't understand how they can mess up something that is so huge.

PREHEIM: Sex offenders who committed their crimes from '93 to '98 will still have to serve their prison sentence. In the law's eyes, they've then paid their debt to society. But Amy (ph) says, in her eyes, they'll never make up for their crimes.

STOFFLE (ph): They've ruined a girl's life forever. You have a jail sentence for the rest of your life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That was Cheryl Preheim of our affiliate station KUSA.

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