Louisiana Sex Law Violates LGBT Rights, Judge Rules
by Paul Canning
March 30, 2012
5:30 pm
http://www.care2.com/causes/louisiana-sex-law-violates-lgbt-rights-judge-rules.htmlIn Louisiana, the state prostitution law does not require registration as a sex offender. But Louisiana has a Crime Against Nature by Solicitation (CANS) law, which is harsher, is mainly used on black transgender and other women, and that has required those found guilty to register as sex offenders.
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the requirement is unconstitutional.
Police and prosecutors had unfettered discretion in choosing which law to charge under. The judge found that the discrepancy violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
The state Legislature amended the 200-year-old law last year so that anyone convicted no longer will be required to register as a sex offender. But the change didn't apply to roughly 400 people who already had been convicted of the crime and were registered sex offenders.
