Hawaii: Supreme Court Shuts Down Sex Offender Registry.

November 22, 2001

Justices Call Law Unconstitutional

HONOLULU -- The Hawaii Supreme Court Wednesday struck down Hawaii's version of Megan's Law, saying the state's sex offender registration law is unconstitutional.
The ruling focuses on the law's public notification.

Honolulu Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said Hawaii may be suffering from a runaway state Supreme Court.

The case revolves around Eto Bani, who pleaded no contest to sexual assault in the fourth degree. He was sentenced to one year of probation and as part of Hawaii law, was ordered to register as a sex offender.

Bani challenged the ruling to the Supreme Court and the high court sided with him, ruling, "Public notification provisions deprive Bani of a protected liberty interests without due process of law."

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Source: © 2001 TheHawaiiChannel.com