Women Angry At MA Governor For Sex Offender Board Policies

[From article]
Gov. Deval Patrick’s brother-in-law did not have to register as a sex offender because his hearing officer ruled that spousal rape is not considered rape in Massachusetts — a decision that has outraged victims’ advocates calling on the governor to disavow the claim and apologize.
“It’s insulting to all women,” said victims’ lawyer Wendy Murphy. “Gov. Deval Patrick knew this man was fighting to give his brother-in-law a discount for violence against women. You don’t get a discount from rape to a pat on the rear end because the victim was your wife.”
Patrick said he fired Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) Chairwoman Saundra Edwards and put executive director Jeanne L. Holmes on leave last week in part because they pressured a hearing officer to keep the governor’s brother-in-law, Bernard Sigh, on the registry. The hearing officer, Attilio “A.J.” Paglia, refused, quit and filed a lawsuit against the state in 2008.
Sigh was convicted in California in 1993 of raping his wife, the governor’s sister, then served four months in jail and was put on five years’ probation.

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2014/09/advocates_livid_about_rape_ruling_on_gov_deval_patricks_brother

Advocates livid about rape ruling on Gov. Deval Patrick's brother-in-law
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
By: Erin Smith
Boston Herald