ILLINOIS
Central Illinois Proud
[with video]
BLOOMINGTON
The statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases could be eliminated in Illinois.
State senator Scott Bennett of Champaign recently introduced a bill that would do just that, after former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert was sentenced in a hush-money case, where he admitted to sexually abusing teenagers decades ago. Hastert could not be prosecuted because of the current statute, which gives a victim until they turn 38 to open a criminal case.
Both Bennett and Attorney General Lisa Madigan have both called for the change. Local prosecutors say they will use whatever tools they can to prosecute offenders.
“If there are statute of limitations on cases, we work with in those limitations. If they change the laws to extend those, then we will use that like any other tool available to us, if it unlimits us in some of those cases,” said McLean County State’s Attorney Jason Chambers.
Lawmakers in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania are considering similar proposals.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.