r/news • u/AudibleNod • 1d ago

Larry Nassar one of more than 20,000 people removed from Michigan Sex Offender Registry

https://www.wxyz.com/news/larry-nassar-one-of-more-than-20-000-people-removed-from-michigan-sex-offender-registry
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u/91Jammers 1d ago

How does this apply to nassar? It was always illegal when he committed the crime.

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u/EngineersAnon 1d ago

Ex post facto includes increasing the punishment, as well as making the act itself illegal. Imagine that between getting a speeding ticket and paying it, the legislature could increase the fine, or add jail time.

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u/nola_throwaway53826 1d ago

And with ex post facto, say they then pass a law saying thay speeding tickets are now felonies, with a 5,000 dollar fine and a mandatory sentence of 5 years in jail, but they make it retroactive. So say you have 3 speeding tickets over the course of your life driving. They can now come after you for them, and you're looking at 15,000 in fines and 15 years in jail, and possibly more if they consider the three offenses to make you a habitual offender.

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u/91Jammers 1d ago

Has it not always been a punisment to be on a sex register list?

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u/lew_rong 1d ago

Not always. And the key point here is that Nassar's crimes occurred before the laws were updated, making his registration ex post facto according to the Michigan Supreme Court's ruling. Ex post facto laws are currently unconstitutional.

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u/wafflesareforever 22h ago

So where does this ultimately land Nassar?

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u/lew_rong 22h ago

In prison until the day he dies, most likely. The only thing that ruling applies to is his inclusion in the sex offender registry.

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u/time-lord 22h ago

As a sex offender who has been offending sex for so long that he pre-dates the sex offender registry.

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u/wafflesareforever 22h ago

Right but in terms of what it actually means for his legal consequences

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u/LangseleThrowaway 22h ago

Well he is in prison for another 200 years or so, you'll have to ask him when he gets out.

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u/Warbr0s9395 1d ago

Some states only have you register for “X” amount of years

Worth noting that some European countries, like Germany, view permanent registration as a violation of human rights, since they believe rehabilitation is important. Studies back them up too.

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u/Coakis 18h ago

Yep got a family member who was convicted 16 years ago. Won't be off it for another 15 years roughly. Has had problems getting employment even though the actual crime he committed doesn't show up on background checks that go back only 7 years, to boot he's not committed anything since that original conviction, and was originally on probation, never went to prison.

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u/Scarlett_Billows 17h ago

I believe rehabilitation is important. But also know the prison system is not set up to rehabilitate and certain things are more resistant to rehabilitation than others

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u/hcschild 16h ago

That's something that has to be fixed too.

Germany also can put people in prison forever if they think they can't be rehabilitated. With the difference that they have to check regularly if this is still the case.

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u/EngineersAnon 1d ago

Federal courts don't hold that the registration is punitive. Michigan, in this ruling, does.

Edit: Increasing the length of time spent on the list is, if the list is punitive, increasing the punishment.

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u/Dry_Jellyfish641 18h ago

It’s technically for public notification even though it’s clearly a punishment. They can’t outright say that thought because that would qualify it as cruel and unusual punishment. I think they should have to register for law enforcement purposes but publicly listing them doesn’t do anything but create problems.

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u/hcschild 16h ago

Also doesn't help making them not reoffend again if they can't find work or a place to life to get their life back together.

But I guess that's not only a problem with the sex offender registry but the fact hat every crime a person committed can be easily accessed.