LEWISTON — Though Maine has the lowest incarceration rate in the country and prisoners are often allowed to create new lives for themselves, two of the men who oversee the criminal justice system in the Pine Tree State see plenty of room for improvement. Speaking to about 75 people Wednesday night at a Bates College […]
criminal justice
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Rumford Falls Times
Seth Carey vows to stay in DA race despite protection order against him
AUBURN — Despite a judicial order forcing him to stay away from a woman who accused him of sexual abuse, Auburn lawyer Seth Carey said Monday he still hopes to win election as the district attorney for Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. In a news conference on the steps of the Androscoggin County Courthouse, Carey […]
advertisement
Posted inMaine
Paul LePage says he freed inmates to secure more summer workers
Gov. Paul LePage said Tuesday his goal in releasing 17 non-violent state prisoners — with more to come — is to help the hard-pressed Maine tourism industry as it faces a summer season with far too few employees on hand. “That’s the whole premise for commuting sentences. It’s to try to find people that […]
Posted inMaine
Gov. Paul LePage says lawmakers reneged on deal to close prison
Gov. Paul LePage claimed Tuesday that members of the Legislature are reneging on a deal regarding the closure of the Downeast Correctional Facility in Machiasport, but didn’t provide many details. Noting that state government sends more aid to Washington County than it receives in revenue from Down East, LePage said during a radio interview Tuesday […]
Posted inMaine
Gov. Paul LePage releases 17 prisoners with commutation plan
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage said Friday that he has granted conditional commutation orders for prisoners through a plan that he says won’t threaten public safety and will help offenders get jobs. The ACLU of Maine and state prisoner advocates have applauded the Republican governor’s idea to release lower-risk inmates, while some fellow Republicans have […]
Posted inMaine
Lawmakers weigh proposals to help ‘cold case’ families
AUGUSTA — Shortly before Thanksgiving in 1975, Linda Perkins dropped her husband off to go deer hunting in the familiar woods less than a mile from her Washington, Maine, home. Ludger Belanger, 25, set off into the newly fallen snow and was never seen again. Aside from evidence that he’d shot a deer and been […]
Posted inMaine
White collar crime registry proposed to skeptical lawmakers
AUGUSTA — Lawmakers reacted skeptically Monday to a proposal to create a registry of white collar criminals. The measure, proposed by Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio, D-Sanford, would require the state to create an online, public list of offenders who have committed committed fraud or theft. They would remain on the list for 10 years to life […]
Posted inMaine
Androscoggin County may get new court for veterans
AUGUSTA — Maine may get a second Veterans Treatment Court, this time in Androscoggin County. Modeled on one established in Kennebec County six years ago, the proposed court would connect veterans in trouble with the law “with the treatment they need, the services they have earned and the support they deserve,” said Rep. Bettyann Sheats, […]
Posted inMaine
Sen. Susan Collins seeks to ensure courts protect gay jurors
A bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins would prevent lawyers in federal courts from striking potential jurors on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. “Serving on a jury is a fundamental right and obligation that no one should be prohibited from fulfilling based on his or her sexual orientation,” the Maine Republican […]
Posted inUncategorized
Proposal would bar Maine from charging minors with prostitution
AUGUSTA — With strong backing from groups as diverse as the Roman Catholic Church and the Maine Women’s Lobby, legislators are weighing whether to block police and prosecutors from charging anyone under 18 years of age with engaging in prostitution. “Minors who are charged with prostitution are not criminals but rather victims themselves,” said Oami […]