The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — House passes bill to protecting children from predators
Under legislation passed today by the state House of Representatives, registered sex offenders would no longer be able to submit a P.O. box or other address that cannot be mapped to the sex offender registry.
House Bill 2968, by state Rep. Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher, would require sex offenders to submit a physical, mappable address.
“There are too many ways for sex offenders to slip through the system,” Sanders said in a news release. “I think we must close those loopholes in order to better protect the children of Oklahoma from child predators.”
Without a mappable address, parents can only determine in what city a child molester lives, Sanders said. For larger cities or unincorporated areas, the information is useless if it cannot be mapped, he said.
Sanders said many child predators become repeat offenders, even with psychological counseling. He has also supported another measure, HB 2965, which will make repeat offenders eligible for the death penalty and first-time offenders eligible for life without parole.
Sanders supported HB 2965, which not only increases the penalties for sex offenders but also prevents offenders from claiming homelessness to avoid registering.
HB 2968 passed 94-0 and next heads to the Senate for consideration.
Edmond utility reports attempted theft of electrical cable
Edmond’s electric utility reported the attempted theft of electrical cable from an area work site, police said.
Friday morning police were dispatched to the area of 15th Street and Choctaw Road to receive information on an attempted larceny, according to a report filed by Edmond Police Officer Brad Griffin.
On the way, police learned that employees with Edmond Electric were at the site, and discovered that someone had tampered with the electrical cable they were installing.
Police said when the workers left the site the previous day the cable had been placed in the trench and covered with dirt, with the end of the cable exposed and in a tied loop above the ground.
When they arrived the next morning, the cable was found lying in the roadway. Workers told police based on their experience it appeared that the suspect had attached the tied loop end of the cable to a truck, and then attempted to pull it from the ground.
At the site, police found a series of footprints and fresh tire tracks. It was later confirmed that this area had not been disturbed by the Edmond Electric crew, and it was believed the suspect left this evidence as well.
The total footage of cable damaged during the incident was 621 feet, police said. Police discovered cut marks in the cable’s casing left by a small knife. The 4-0 EPR Jacketed Primary Cable is capable of conducting 7,700 volts of electricity.
The total loss value of the damaged cable was $2,484, police said. Police photographed the scene including the cable, the footprints and the tire tracks.
Hearing date for murder defendants delayed
A preliminary hearing for defendants being held in the death of a homeless Edmond man has been delayed.
Three Edmond residents — Connor Adam Mason, Nikolas David Kerr and Heather Irene Holden — were scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Mason and Kerr face a first-degree murder charge while Holden faces an accessory after the fact charge.
Issues in the state medical examiner’s office have caused delays in completion of autopsy paperwork, and now have delayed the preliminary hearing. It will be at 9 a.m. on May 5 in Judge Larry Jones’ court.
