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Jessica Lunsford Fingerprinting
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It all started with Jessica Marie Lunsford who was born on October 6, 1995 to Angela Wright and Mark Lunsford. She was living peacefully with her parents and grandparents in their home located in Homosassa, Florida.
Then on February 24, 2005, she was abducted from her home, raped, held captive and murdered by being buried alive.
A previously convicted sex offender named John Couey confessed and was found guilty of the murder in February 2007. On August 24, 2007, 5th Circuit Judge Richard Howard in Inverness, Florida sentenced Couey to death.
John Couey was 47 years old when he took Jessica's life and was told that he would be executed for the rape and murder of Jessica Marie Lunsford.
John Evander Couey lived in the same neighborhood with the Lunsford family in a trailer with his sister and showed no emotion during the hour when the Judge read the detailed history of the case before his sentence was read.
The guilty verdict was handed down in March of 2007 with a 10 to 2 recommendation for the death sentence. This case was covered extensively by the media. The verdict and sentencing has led to new laws in many states.
The new legislation addresses the high number of convicted sex offenders living near children or employed in an environment that puts them close to children, such as being employed at an educational institution, specifically:
"The buildings and grounds of any public pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, junior high school, high school, or secondary school, or any combination of grades pre-kindergarten through grade 12, or contiguous school district land, during any time period in which students are not permitted access;"
Jessica's Law was amended to include mandatory "Jessica Lunsford fingerprinting" for use in a criminal background investigation of any individual who seeks employment in schools and other institution where children are present. It reads in part:
"A fingerprint-based criminal history check shall be performed on each non-instructional contractor who is permitted access to school grounds when students are present, whose performance of the contract with the school or school board is not anticipated to result in direct contact with students, and for whom any unanticipated contact would be infrequent and incidental. Criminal history checks shall be performed at least once every 5 years."
During the process of a background criminal records investigation, information can be revealed regarding not only the crime itself, but also important information such as a history of mental illness and/or treatment.
This is relevant due to the fact that the attorney for John Couey, presented the argument against execution based on the claim that Couey is mentally retarded. But Judge Howard ruled that John Couey was not mentally retarded.
This points to the fact he was employed at the time of committing Jessica's murder, locking her in a closet when he went to work during the three days he held her hostage.
The Jessica Lunsford Fingerprinting amendment tightens the restrictions and increases the penalties for sex offenders who violate the terms of their release into society.
Return to the Jessica's Law page from
this Jessica Lunsford Fingerprinting page.
