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It is an excellent example of just how biased you are in sending these
snip its to us.<br><br>
Here is the full article (please note that Palin is never mentioned in
the article - only the police chief, the one responsible for the rape
test kit):<br><br>
<br>
Published on <i>Monday, May 22, 2000 9:00 PM AKDT</i> <br>
JO C. GOODE / The Frontiersman / May 23, 2000 <br><br>
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. <br><br>
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.
<br><br>
<br>
<a href="http://adsys.townnews.com/c57627726/creative/frontiersman.com/+bigad/140816-1217638082.gif?r=http://www.dancersworkshopak.org">
<img src="http://adsys.townnews.com/39171411/creative/frontiersman.com/+bigad/140816-1217638082.gif" width=300 height=250 alt="*">
</a> <br>
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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
In the past weve 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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
Ultimately it is the criminal who should bear the burden of the added
costs, Fannon said. <br><br>
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.
<br><br>
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.
<br><br>
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. <br><br>
Im prepared to pay every dime in an investigation. As long as I am chief,
I would never bill a victim, Zager said. <br><br>
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.<br><br>
At 09:50 AM 9/11/2008, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Psst, psst, Harkins -<br><br>
>From the May 22, 200 edition of the online newspaper "The
Frontiersman" <br>
(Wasilla, Alaska) at:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2000/05/23/news.txt" eudora="autourl">
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2000/05/23/news.txt</a><br><br>
"While the Alaska State Troopers and most municipal police agencies
have <br>
covered the cost of exams, which cost between $300 to $1,200 apiece, the
<br>
Wasilla police department does charge the victims of sexual assault for
<br>
the tests."<br><br>
------------------------<br><br>
Good enough?<br><br>
Tom Hansen<br>
Moscow, Idaho<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
> This is an example of the kind of rubbish that should not be on this
<br>
> site. If Hansen thinks there is merit to this issue, a pointer
to <br>
> some official record would be helpful. But to cite an article
based <br>
> on a "blog"<br>
> <br>
> Gee wiz folks - come on!<br>
> <br>
> At 12:20 PM 9/10/2008, you wrote:<br>
> > >From US News and World Report (that's a reliable news
source for <br>
those who<br>
> >wish to know) at:<br>
> ><br>
>
><a href="http://tinyurl.com/6j4ma4" eudora="autourl">
http://tinyurl.com/6j4ma4</a><br>
> ><br>
> >----------------------------------------------------------<br>
> ><br>
> >Sarah Palin and the Rape Kit Question<br>
> ><br>
> >The blogosphere is reporting that when she was mayor of Wasilla,
Alaska,<br>
> >in the late 1990s, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah
Palin's<br>
> >municipal police department charged rape victims for the
"rape kit" used<br>
> >to collect the forensic evidence necessary to convict their
attackers.<br>
> >According to reports, this changed in 2000 when then Alaska Gov.
Tony<br>
> >Knowles signed a bill protecting rape victims from being
charged. As I<br>
> >wrote recently, however, the situation described in Wasilla is
not <br>
unique.<br>
> >In all too many instances, women are still being stuck with the
bill for<br>
> >rape kits. This despite the fact that in order to qualify for
federal<br>
> >grants under the Violence Against Women Act, states are supposed
to pick<br>
> >up the entire tab.<br>
> ><br>
> >If on her watch Sarah Palin allowed women to be charged for rape
kits, <br>
she<br>
> >has some serious explaining to do. But while she's undoubtedly
the most<br>
> >visible offender, if the story is true, she's unfortunately not
the only<br>
> >one to have permitted this reprehensible practice.<br>
> ><br>
> >----------------------------------------------------------<br>
> ><br>
> >Can you imagine charging rape victims anywhere from $300 to
$1,200 for <br>
the<br>
> >material and processes in gathering evidence against the person
that <br>
raped<br>
> >them?<br>
> ><br>
> >This is an atrocity no matter who the mayor is. But when
that mayor is<br>
> >running for Vice President of the United States . . .<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> >Seeya round town, Moscow.<br>
> ><br>
> >Tom Hansen<br>
> >Moscow, Idaho<br>
> ><br>
> >"Jesus was a community organizer and Poncius Pilate was a
governor."<br>
> ><br>
> >- Marilyn Trail, sister of Representative Tom trail (September
8, 2008)<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> >---------------------------------------------<br>
> >This message was sent by First Step Internet.<br>
>
>
<a href="http://www.fsr.com/" eudora="autourl">http://www.fsr.com/</a><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> >=======================================================<br>
> > List services made available by First Step Internet,<br>
> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br>
>
>
<a href="http://www.fsr.net/" eudora="autourl">http://www.fsr.net</a><br>
> >
<a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com" eudora="autourl">
mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>
> >=======================================================<br>
> <br><br>
<br>
"Jesus was a community organizer and Poncius Pilate was a
governor."<br><br>
- Marilyn Trail, sister of Representative Tom trail (September 8,
2008)<br><br>
----<br><br>
"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The
college <br>
students are not very active in local elections (thank
goodness!)."<br><br>
- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)<br><br>
<br>
---------------------------------------------<br>
This message was sent by First Step Internet.<br>
<a href="http://www.fsr.com/" eudora="autourl">http://www.fsr.com/</a>
</blockquote></body>
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