Blainey Coverage: Sen. Griffo to take a look at current sex offender laws
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: November 10, 2011
The current and old mug shot of serial rapist, Robert Blainey look like two completely different people.
But can this be prevented in the future?
By law, a level three sex offender only has to update a photograph once a year.
Blainey was a fugitive and while police look for one man in a picture, he looked different in the other.
While he was on the run, Utica motel owner, Linda Turner was killed and Blainey is now linked to that murder.
Eyewitness News spoke with Sen. Joseph Griffo to see what could be done to change the law to prevent another tragedy in the future.
Griffo says it is extremely important to ensure that the public has updated information and photographs of offenders.
The Senator says there are two ways he would like to look at the situation.
One being to prevent individuals like Blainey being put back in the community.
Second would be to take a look and see how photographs can be submitted more often.
"This is unacceptable when you look at how important it is that we continue to protect society. We're researching now with our staff what can be done to amend the current law to require more updated photos to ensure that when somebody is out there on parole and there is any violation of that parole, that we will have an easier way to identify that individual," said Sen. Griffo.
Griffo also says they will be looking at whether it's a requirement to have a more updated picture on a regular basis, or a requirement to ensure that there is a notification when these photos are issued and that there have been changes to an appearance when someone reports for parole.
Along with those requirements, Griffo says they will be looking at a number of different things.
Griffo says he knows it sometimes it may be difficult, but he is now researching what he can do legislatively to change the law to prevent this from happening.
But can this be prevented in the future?
By law, a level three sex offender only has to update a photograph once a year.
Blainey was a fugitive and while police look for one man in a picture, he looked different in the other.
While he was on the run, Utica motel owner, Linda Turner was killed and Blainey is now linked to that murder.
Eyewitness News spoke with Sen. Joseph Griffo to see what could be done to change the law to prevent another tragedy in the future.
Griffo says it is extremely important to ensure that the public has updated information and photographs of offenders.
The Senator says there are two ways he would like to look at the situation.
One being to prevent individuals like Blainey being put back in the community.
Second would be to take a look and see how photographs can be submitted more often.
"This is unacceptable when you look at how important it is that we continue to protect society. We're researching now with our staff what can be done to amend the current law to require more updated photos to ensure that when somebody is out there on parole and there is any violation of that parole, that we will have an easier way to identify that individual," said Sen. Griffo.
Griffo also says they will be looking at whether it's a requirement to have a more updated picture on a regular basis, or a requirement to ensure that there is a notification when these photos are issued and that there have been changes to an appearance when someone reports for parole.
Along with those requirements, Griffo says they will be looking at a number of different things.
Griffo says he knows it sometimes it may be difficult, but he is now researching what he can do legislatively to change the law to prevent this from happening.
