Saturday, December 13, 2014

SEX OFFENDERS should not be allowed to purchase lottery tickets; they just might win

~~by Shelly Stow

If proof were ever needed that an individual, once listed on a sex offender registry, no matter for what offense nor how long ago, is forever more thereafter considered unworthy of anything good ever happening in his life, this is it.

A registrant in Florida won a three million dollar scratch-off lottery, and the wrath of every hater in the United States and then some was raised beyond the boiling point.

Now granted, Timothy Poole is no poster boy for righteous living. He has a somewhat extensive record for other types of crimes committed before he was convicted of a sex offense. But it is not because of his larceny nor any of the other crimes that the hue and cry is heard from coast to coast that he should, by any means possible, be denied his winnings. It is because he is a SEX OFFENDER.

Florida has no prohibition against any convicted felon profiting from lottery winnings, not even SEX OFFENDERS. I am currently making book that Florida's next legislative session will see a bill introduced that will do just that. The only uncertainty is whether the proposed legislation will target those with any felony conviction or will focus only on SEX OFFENDERS.

Mr. Poole, since his release from prison in 2006, has maintained a record as spotless as the proverbial driven snow. He works for the family business, a taxi company, and he plans to use the money to help his mother and improve the business. None of that quashed the flood of outrage or deterred the cesspool of nasty headlines, articles, and commentary as to why he should not receive the money and how inherently wrong it is for him to have won it to begin with.

Among the more colorful headlines are, "Who’s winning big in state lotteries? Sex offenders," "People Left Wondering About Justice When Child Molester in Florida Hits the $3 Million Jackpot," "Sex Offender Wins Millions in Florida Lottery Proving Karma Really Isn’t a Bitch," and my personal favorite, "Convicted pedophile Timothy Poole wins $2.2 million in Florida Lottery." The language in the articles does not fall short of living up to the venom suggested by the titles. Mr. Poole is a large man, over 400 pounds, and one of the articles calls him "This fat 450-pound goblin..." And since pedophilia is a medical/psychological condition and not a chargeable crime, one cannot help but wonder how that particular writer can justify his word choice.

These reactions, seeping with vitriol, are not unexpected but nevertheless highly disturbing. If one who has committed any of the myriad of offenses that trigger registration is never, ever, hell no, to move past that to a point in life where good things can happen, where happiness is allowed, what does that say about our professed commitment to rehabilitation? How does that square with the volumes of research telling us that community reintegration of former offenders is the greatest assurance of enhanced public safety?

And does that mean that we, the public, the haters, those who would wrest Mr. Poole's winnings from his hands, are deliberately sacrificing that safety so that we can doggedly hang on to our refusal to believe that people can change?

8 comments:

  1. Haters gotta hate. I wonder how many of these haters will sit in church tomorrow and profess to be Christian?

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    1. A good percentage of them, I'm sure!

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  2. You know anyone should be able to buy a lottery ticket - and anyone should be able to win - felons or not - sex offenders or not - anyone - just like anyone can go to hell - anyone can go to heaven - depending on choices - you choose to buy a ticket you might win - you choose to do unto others as you would have them do unto you - these people have done the time for their crime - God sits in judgement on the rest and so if this is voted on in any state - we need to rethink what the hell we are voting on - we need to focus on real issues and real problems - maybe the guy will take the money and help fight some of these ridiculous laws.

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    1. If it were me, I would take the money, keep 1 million and live off the interest and use the rest to set up an attorneys fund using that interest to fight in the courts to abolish these arcane laws!

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    2. Lets take it one step beyond reality . Congress' gets to do inside trading with first eyes on site, to increase their income in the millions with low income salaries, but life time positions . What is the fairness in Government or local politiicians in this great nation? NONE .
      Their hidden tax's from illegal sorces's are passed on to the working and most uninformed public as with Obama care, and that is passed on again with welfare and dependent people now wecomed to america for the free un- constitutional broken laws with out decleration of war from a country under attack . What if they win a lottery . !!!!!!! END THE LOTTERY its free money with added intrest for the state and federal government, and if you win you pay again . It was supposed to be for education, what happend ? GET SMART its a gamble - win every day don't play the odds are much better .

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  3. The following article was published in March of this year. State. Sen. Richard Moore, of Uxbridge, wants to bar sex offenders from winning the lottery, following arrest of Daniel Snay: http://www.masslive.com/news/worcester/index.ssf/2014/03/arrest_of_daniel_snay_of_uxbri.html

    To allow restrictions on lotto winnings to prevent a registrants use of it for illegal purposes, or simply because of their label, is asinine. What is one makes big on wall street? Stocks/Bonds? Inheritance? A well paid job position? Would there be a bill to set restrictions on these earnings as well?

    To deny a registrant their lotto winning because they "might" use it for illegal purposes, or because of the label they wear, is absurd! Seems we have slipped back to a type of Jim Crow era where restrictions and segregation are used to satisfy the beliefs, and change the mindset, of others. We found that segregation of a race served no purpose,only harm. I wonder how long it will be until people realize that segregation of registrants serves no purpose,only harm. Wake up America.

    I am happy for Timothy Poole. He has been clean since 2006, works for a family business and, who knows, may use the money to enlarge the family business.

    Sloan44

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    1. Absolutely. Either that or we can start punishing and constantly reminding them of the lowest moment(s) of their life forever.

      Oh wait...that's actually considered emotional/verbal abuse...except if you're a sex offender.

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  4. I thought I have heard and seen it all until after reading this, unfortunately in this life we all have to deal with stupid people. people wonder why others go postal and do the things they do. Our government would love to keep making laws that hide us sex offenders away forever all to protect what there kids from who? Its just sad sad, I really pray every day for the ones that are on the registration, its unfair an injustice.

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