OREGON
The Oregonian
By Ian K. Kullgren | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on February 08, 2016
SALEM — For the second time in as many years, lawmakers are considering changing the way officials prosecute sexual assault cases.
A bill in the Oregon Senate would create an exception to the 12-year statute of limitations for the most serious sex crimes — including rape, sodomy and child abuse — allowing prosecutors to bring charges if new concrete evidence emerges.
For example, they could reopen the case if multiple victims come forward with similar allegations or if new written evidence is discovered.
Senate Bill 1553 was inspired by high-profile rape cases, including the one involving Brenda Tracy, who reported being raped by four football players in Corvallis in 1998, and the one involving Bill Cosby, the former comedian facing a barrage of sexual assault allegations.
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