Lindsey Lou
07-15-04, 01:52 PM
Deadline for Morford house is missed
Oak Creek owners take their home off the market
By LINDA SPICE
lspice@journalsentinel.com
Posted: July 12, 2004
The state missed a Monday deadline to buy an Oak Creek home where it planned to house up to four convicted sex offenders, including Billy Lee Morford, leading owners to take the property off the market, their attorney said.
Predator Controversy
Photo/File
Billy Lee Morford, a convicted child molester, has been kept at a Milwaukee site since 2003.
Related Coverage
Video: TMJ4 report - 5 p.m. newscast
Recent Coverage
7/8/04: Oak Creek seeks to limit offenders
6/16/04: State seeks time on Morford order
6/15/04: Morford's Oak Creek move OK'd
6/11/04: Supreme Court petitioned to block lower court action
6/7/04: Officials vow to block placement of Morford in Oak Creek
6/4/04: New home for Morford proposed
5/28/04: Areas must be notified of offender placement
5/5/04: Committee has short list of sites for sex offender
Proposed Site
Graphic/Rika Kanaoka
Relocation
Archived Coverage
10/21/03: Judge wants Morford relocation process to be more open
9/12/03: Residents offering homes as Morford site
"At this point in time, as far as the State of Wisconsin is concerned, it's a dead deal and the house is off the market," said Gregory J. Rogaczewski. "My clients are of the mind that they are going to live in the property. They are not going to sell at all."
Rogaczewski said his clients were not available for comment. They did not immediately return a phone call.
Oak Creek officials who pursued court actions and ordinance changes to block the offenders' placement in the city were elated with the news.
"That's very good news for us," said Oak Creek police Capt. Bill Wilson.
Dan Vitek, 70, who has lived in Oak Creek since 1966, said his fellow residents can breathe a sigh of relief over the news.
"We're not getting stuck with him," Vitek said, adding that property values as well as safety issues were concerns of those opposed to Morford becoming a neighbor.
Monday's development could heighten debate on the constitutionality of the Chapter 980 law, which allows for civil commitment of certain sex offenders after they've completed criminal sentences and governs their release under strict supervision.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Robert Sankovitz has scheduled an Oct. 8 court date to hear constitutionality arguments from attorneys for Milwaukee County and for Robert Carney, 75, who has been waiting for release from the Sand Ridge Treatment Center in Mauston since late 2002.
Sankovitz ordered last week that Carney be placed with Morford in the Oak Creek home at 445 E. Oak St. and said if a suitable placement is not found for Carney by the end of August that he would address the constitutionality of the law in court.
[arse]istant District Attorney Audrey Skwierawski, who has worked on the Morford and Carney cases with [arse]istant District Attorney Rebecca Dallet, said her office will prepare to litigate the constitutionality of the statute but still "opposes the supervised release of both of these people."
"When we look at the bigger picture, we are, of course, concerned about the viability of the statute," Skwierawski said. "It keeps dangerous sex predators in a place where they can get treatment with problems that create a danger to the community."
Carney's attorney, Scott Phillips, could not be reached for comment Monday.
But Morford's attorney, Robert Peterson, who worked Monday to bring his case back to court, said the issue regarding "the fragile constitutionality of the (Chapter 980) law continues."
"When people complete or make significant progress in treatment programs, they should regain their liberty, and we intend to make sure that their interests are protected," said Peterson, an attorney with the Milwaukee County Public Defender's Office.
State Sen. Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) acknowledged that while Oak Creek is relieved, the state must still figure out how to place subjects such as Morford and Carney on supervised release before the law is threatened.
Morford has been living for more than a year in the 6500 block of N. 51st St. in Milwaukee. Circuit Judge John Franke placed Morford in the home on June 2, 2003, but concluded two weeks later that the location was inappropriate.
Oak Creek owners take their home off the market
By LINDA SPICE
lspice@journalsentinel.com
Posted: July 12, 2004
The state missed a Monday deadline to buy an Oak Creek home where it planned to house up to four convicted sex offenders, including Billy Lee Morford, leading owners to take the property off the market, their attorney said.
Predator Controversy
Photo/File
Billy Lee Morford, a convicted child molester, has been kept at a Milwaukee site since 2003.
Related Coverage
Video: TMJ4 report - 5 p.m. newscast
Recent Coverage
7/8/04: Oak Creek seeks to limit offenders
6/16/04: State seeks time on Morford order
6/15/04: Morford's Oak Creek move OK'd
6/11/04: Supreme Court petitioned to block lower court action
6/7/04: Officials vow to block placement of Morford in Oak Creek
6/4/04: New home for Morford proposed
5/28/04: Areas must be notified of offender placement
5/5/04: Committee has short list of sites for sex offender
Proposed Site
Graphic/Rika Kanaoka
Relocation
Archived Coverage
10/21/03: Judge wants Morford relocation process to be more open
9/12/03: Residents offering homes as Morford site
"At this point in time, as far as the State of Wisconsin is concerned, it's a dead deal and the house is off the market," said Gregory J. Rogaczewski. "My clients are of the mind that they are going to live in the property. They are not going to sell at all."
Rogaczewski said his clients were not available for comment. They did not immediately return a phone call.
Oak Creek officials who pursued court actions and ordinance changes to block the offenders' placement in the city were elated with the news.
"That's very good news for us," said Oak Creek police Capt. Bill Wilson.
Dan Vitek, 70, who has lived in Oak Creek since 1966, said his fellow residents can breathe a sigh of relief over the news.
"We're not getting stuck with him," Vitek said, adding that property values as well as safety issues were concerns of those opposed to Morford becoming a neighbor.
Monday's development could heighten debate on the constitutionality of the Chapter 980 law, which allows for civil commitment of certain sex offenders after they've completed criminal sentences and governs their release under strict supervision.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Robert Sankovitz has scheduled an Oct. 8 court date to hear constitutionality arguments from attorneys for Milwaukee County and for Robert Carney, 75, who has been waiting for release from the Sand Ridge Treatment Center in Mauston since late 2002.
Sankovitz ordered last week that Carney be placed with Morford in the Oak Creek home at 445 E. Oak St. and said if a suitable placement is not found for Carney by the end of August that he would address the constitutionality of the law in court.
[arse]istant District Attorney Audrey Skwierawski, who has worked on the Morford and Carney cases with [arse]istant District Attorney Rebecca Dallet, said her office will prepare to litigate the constitutionality of the statute but still "opposes the supervised release of both of these people."
"When we look at the bigger picture, we are, of course, concerned about the viability of the statute," Skwierawski said. "It keeps dangerous sex predators in a place where they can get treatment with problems that create a danger to the community."
Carney's attorney, Scott Phillips, could not be reached for comment Monday.
But Morford's attorney, Robert Peterson, who worked Monday to bring his case back to court, said the issue regarding "the fragile constitutionality of the (Chapter 980) law continues."
"When people complete or make significant progress in treatment programs, they should regain their liberty, and we intend to make sure that their interests are protected," said Peterson, an attorney with the Milwaukee County Public Defender's Office.
State Sen. Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) acknowledged that while Oak Creek is relieved, the state must still figure out how to place subjects such as Morford and Carney on supervised release before the law is threatened.
Morford has been living for more than a year in the 6500 block of N. 51st St. in Milwaukee. Circuit Judge John Franke placed Morford in the home on June 2, 2003, but concluded two weeks later that the location was inappropriate.