Bill Would Make Felons Wait to Sell Their Stories
The Assembly Judiciary Committee on Friday unanimously approved a bill designed to partly restore California’s prohibition against felons selling their stories while their victims get no compensation.
The bill (SB 1887) by Sen. Bruce McPherson (R-Santa Cruz) was forwarded to the full Assembly, where approval is a virtual certainty.
California’s “Son of Sam” law was struck down last spring by the state Supreme Court, which held that it was too broad and a violation of the 1st Amendment right of freedom of speech.
McPherson was thwarted in his effort to cure the constitutional defects cited by the courts. As an alternative, his bill would prohibit a felon from selling his or her crime story for at least 10 years after completing parole, a restriction that backers of the bill believe cannot be overcome in the lifetimes of most criminals.
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