Lucas County prosecutor’s office support ‘Kaitlin’s Law’ to block inmates from victim contact
4/12/2013The Lucas County prosecutor’s office supports the creation of a law intended to block inmates’ attempts to contact victims.
Such a law could call for a temporary protection order to include a victim’s phone numbers and work addresses and numbers.
When an order is issued, the jail could know to prevent inmates attempts to reach a victim using those methods of contact.
“If a court order prohibits that and also lists that, then the jails or correctional facilities could block that contact,” said Jeff Lingo, chief of the criminal division.
He said the prosecutor’s office approached Rep. Matt Szollosi (D., Oregon) with the idea for the law, which could be named ‘‘Kaitlin’s Law’’ after Kaitlin Gerber, who was shot and killed last month by a man she had dated off and on.
Mr. Lingo acknowledged an inmate could try to get a message to a victim by other means, such as sending a letter to a third party to be passed along.
“It just makes it more difficult for the victim to be contacted by the defender,” he said, adding he doesn’t know how long it might take for such a law to be considered or passed.
The prosecutor’s office is also considering designating a prosecutor to handle domestic-related and domestic violence cases.