A man convicted of homosexual sex in the 90s does not have to register as a sex offender in Montana, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.
Randall Menges was arrested as a juvenile in 1993 and served seven years behind bars in Idaho for violating the state’s “crimes against nature” law.
Today, Menges could not be arrested for his sexual activity but still needed to be registered as a sex offender in Montana.
US District Judge Dana Christenson wrote, “None of the governmental interests involve Menges in maintaining the sexual offenses registry.”
Mainz should now be removed from the registry by May 21, and the judge ordered the records to be cleaned which he says was ever subject to registration.
According to the Associated Press, Menges said Wednesday, “I think I am grateful, honestly, that the judge really heard and was impartial because for the last few years of my life I don’t feel anything fair.” “
In 2003, the US Supreme Court found that sodomy laws generally prohibiting oral and anal sex are unconstitutional.
Menges, 45, filed a lawsuit in December, saying the registration requirement was affecting his job and housing prospects.
His lawyer Matthew Struger wrote in the original complaint, “The case involves centuries of effects of homophobic ‘sodomy’ prohibition.”
Menges was 18 years old when he was charged in Idaho for having sex with two 16-year-olds, which was consensual and within the age of state consent, NBC News reports.
With post wires
Leave a Reply