Palin, Alaskan, United States History

[Psychoblues]

Wasilla Police Billed Sexual Assault Victims for Their Own Rape Kits

Of all of the things I’ve learned about Sarah Palin in the last week and a half, this has got to be the most disturbing. While Sarah Palin was serving as the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, the city charged victims of sexual assault between $300 and $1200 for their own rape kits. A rape kit is a sexual assault forensic evidence kit, used to collect DNA that can be used in criminal proceedings to assist in the conviction of those who commit sex crimes. The kit is performed as soon as possible after a sexual assault or attack has been committed. It is usually humiliating and uncomfortable for the victim–imagine enduring that and then paying $1200 just so that the criminal who assaulted you might be caught.

Taken from the Frontiersman… Please note that the Governor who signed the new law preventing sexual assault victims from paying for their own rape kits was a Democrat, Tony Knowles. And please share with any woman you know who might be voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

‘Knowles signs sexual assault bill
Published on Monday, May 22, 2000 9:00 PM AKDT
JO C. GOODE / The Frontiersman / May 23, 2000

ANCHORAGE - Gov. Tony Knowles recently signed legislation protecting victims of sexual assault from being billed for tests to collect evidence of the crime, but one local police chief said the new law will further burden taxpayers.

The governor signed House Bill 270, sponsored by Rep. Eric Croft, D-Anchorage, outside the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) exam room at Alaska Regional Hospital. In attendance at the signing were members of victims advocate groups, law enforcement agencies and legislators.

The new law makes it illegal for any law enforcement agency to bill victims or victims insurance companies for the costs of examinations that take place to collect evidence of a sexual assault or determine if a sexual assault did occur.

We would never bill the victim of a burglary for fingerprinting and photographing the crime scene, or for the cost of gathering other evidence, Knowles said. Nor should we bill rape victims just because the crime scene happens to be their bodies.

While the Alaska State Troopers and most municipal police agencies have covered the cost of exams, which cost between $300 to $1,200 apiece, the Wasilla police department does charge the victims of sexual assault for the tests.

Wasilla Police Chief Charlie Fannon does not agree with the new legislation, saying the law will require the city and communities to come up with more funds to cover the costs of the forensic exams.

In the past we’ve charged the cost of exams to the victims insurance company when possible. I just dont want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer, Fannon said.

According to Fannon, the new law will cost the Wasilla Police Department approximately $5,000 to $14,000 a year to collect evidence for sexual assault cases.

Ultimately it is the criminal who should bear the burden of the added costs, Fannon said.

The forensic exam is just one part of the equation. Id like to see the courts make these people pay restitution for these things, Fannon said.

Fannon said he intends to include the cost of exams required to collect evidence in a restitution request as a part of a criminals sentencing.

Palmer police chief Laren Zager said that to his knowledge, no sexual assault victim has ever been billed by the city of Palmer for an exam to collect evidence of a crime. Zager, who has been police chief since January, said he would never expect a victim to be burdened with the cost of a police investigation.

Im prepared to pay every dime in an investigation. As long as I am chief, I would never bill a victim, Zager said.

The new bill would also make law enforcement agencies that are investigating a sexual assault responsible for the costs of testing victims for sexually transmitted diseases and emergency contraception..............

More: http://opedna.com/2008/09/08/wasilla...for-rape-kits/

So much for the "rape" abortion argument. don't you agree?

[theHawk]

And what does that have to do with Palin?


Besides that, your article states that they charge insurance companies. And I also agree that the criminal should be charged.

[Psychoblues]

Get back with me when you get charged for your rape kit, huk.

[Trigg]

Get back with me when you get charged for your rape kit, huk.

The article says the police were charging the insurance companies. Read your own articles.

[Abbey Marie]

The article says the police were charging the insurance companies. Read your own articles.

Looks like we are dealing with yet another looney false accusation. The board is being papered with falsehoods and conspiracies like this.

If this keeps up, I may ask Jim to create a new forum.
We can call it the: "Unsubstantiated Vicious Gossip About Sarah Palin" forum.

This way all the other political forii can be kept free for debate of at least some truth and relevance.

[theHawk]

If this keeps up, I may ask Jim to create a new forum.
We can call it the: "Unsubstantiated Vicious Gossip About Sarah Palin" forum.

Sounds like a really good idea to me.

[Trigg]

Looks like we are dealing with yet another looney false accusation. The board is being papered with falsehoods and conspiracies like this.

If this keeps up, I may ask Jim to create a new forum.
We can call it the: "Unsubstantiated Vicious Gossip About Sarah Palin" forum.

This way all the other political forii can be kept free for debate of at least some truth and relevance.

Good idea, we'll know where all the libs are hanging out. It'll be easier to ignor them that way.

[Psychoblues]

As it turns out, the allegation is true.

But, as another poster has pointed out and I strongly agree, I think I know jimnyc well enough to believe that if he would create a special forum for unsubstantiated, conflicting or confusing articles about the McMain/Palin ticket he would certainly be courteous enough to relegate similar stories about the Obama/Biden ticket to an equally obscure location within the site.

If that happens, I don't suppose that any of us will have much to argue or discuss.

Face it, folks. Palin is a loser that speaks in unknown tongues and uses great stagecraft for the only interviews that she has had post her nomination. As much as I love John McCain, he certainly hasn't shown me much to be proud of either in the last few months!!!!!!!!!

I guess we'll sort it all out in November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Immanuel]

I don't have a clue what this has to do with Gov Palin, or even Mayor Palin at the time, but regardless the idea seems pretty crappy to me.

The Mayor doesn't make police policy. I'm sure there are things that have to be approved by the city council and maybe this is one of those things, but the Mayor is not the one that makes these kinds of policies at least not alone.

The idea of charging the victim, or even victim's insurance company is just plain appalling to me. In fact, it is downright despicable. If I were Police Chief Fannon I would be embarrassed for being such an ass in this article.

Immie

[jimnyc]

I like most of the threads in the conspiracy forum. It reminds me of when I was little and would watch cartoons on Saturday mornings. The only difference is that my Dad would drink Schlitz while Psycho enjoys his Busch. And my Dad waited till evening to start. And my Dad didn't make it a daily event. And my Dad didn't revel in his drunkenness.

j/k - still love ya PsychoDude!

[Psychoblues]

Hey, hey, jimbo!!!!!!! Are you fuckin' with me about Yosemite Sam, the Road Runner and Bugs Bunny again?!?!?!?!!?!!?!??!???? You know that you lost the last argument we had about that!!!!!!!!!!