When a sex offender moves into a neighborhood, a ritual begins. The Minnesota Department of Corrections hosts a public meeting, neighbors come, hear about the offender's history and living arrangements and the community generally deals with it, no matter how upset they are.
But last night in Kasota, a different kind of meeting took place, the Mankato Free Press recounts. After an emotional meeting, in which neighbors learned that level three sex offender Gregory Eugene Ward, whose history of sex offenses dates back to the 1990s and includes fondling children and attacking a woman on a public trail, would be moving to their rural outpost and living in an apartment complex where children live. "It is not an ideal placement," a corrections official told the group, according to reporter Robb Murray's account. After an hour and a half of emotional questions and concerns, landlord Gene Lewis changed his mind and said he wouldn't rent to Ward. Michelle Murphy with the corrections department said it was the first time the placement of an offender had been cancelled because of discussion at the community notification meeting. For the full story, go here. ________________________ Email us at DatelineMN@startribune.com Follow us on Twitter: @DatelineMN
