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Bill would toughen penalties against stalkers
Proposed legislation from Washington County comes in the wake of woman's murder by ex-boyfriend.
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A Wisconsin man's stalking and murder of a former girlfriend in Washington County has helped inspire victim protection legislation to stiffen penalties for defendants who ignore no-contact court orders.
Proposed by County Attorney Doug Johnson and Sheriff Bill Hutton, the bill would target defendants released from jail pending trials for felonies or gross misdemeanors. Current law doesn't effectively deter defendants from contacting victims and witnesses because the violation is only a misdemeanor, Johnson said Monday.
Steven Van Keuren was on bail on felony burglary and assault charges when he shot and killed Teri Lee and Tim Hawkinson at her house in West Lakeland Township in September 2006. Two days before the killings, he violated a court order forbidding him to contact the family by attending a volleyball game in which Lee's daughter played.
Johnson said Monday that he "can't speculate" whether the proposed legislation would have prevented the murders. "The only person who could guarantee these people wouldn't die was Van Keuren," he said.
However, a tougher penalty will lead to stricter and more timely enforcement, he said.
Under the proposed legislation, a criminal charge for a violation of a no-contact order would equal the charge that sent a defendant to jail in the first place, Johnson and Hutton said. For example, an initial felony charge would result in a felony charge for violating a no-contact order.
Sen. Kathy Saltzman, DFL-Woodbury, and Rep. Karla Bigham, DFL-Cottage Grove, will sponsor the bill.
After her sister's death, Vicki Seliger Swenson helped get a law passed requiring that no-contact orders be accompanied by a photo of the offender if a court-verified photo is available.
Van Keuren was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Kevin Giles • 651-298-1554
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