A few weeks ago, I posted some info about Genarlow Wilson, the 17-year-old young man who was convicted of child molestation for having consensual oral sex with a 15 year old girl. A few moments ago, I received the following communication from his lawyer:

On March 30, 2006 the Georgia General Assembly passed a strong Romeo and Juliet law which says that teens cannot be prosecuted for a felony or be required to register as sexual offenders for teenage consensual sexual acts.

Specifically when a teen is 14 or 15 and engages in any consensual sexual act with someone within four years of age and no older than 18 years of age, the older teen can only be charged with a misdemeanor and is not required to register as a sexual offender. If the sexual act is sodomy and it is consensual then the covered ages is 13, 14, or 15 that engages in consensual oral sex with another teen within four years of age and no older than 18 years of age.The age differential for oral sex was done because of the CDC study showing the high numbers of 13 year olds engaging in oral sex and the desire not to trigger the possibility of 17 year olds receiving the new 25 year minimum in prison for that act.

The bill is now awaiting the Governor’s signature and when signed by him, goes into effect on July 1, 2006. This provision is part of an entire law rewriting the sex offender laws in Georgia. Had this law been in effect when Genarlow Wilson was arrested, or had been done after the Marcus Dixon case, Genarlow would not now be in jail.

Genarlow and his mother are overjoyed that no one else in Georgia will have to know their pain. Meantime, the legal fight goes on for Genarlow Wilson. We await the decision of the Georgia Court of Appeals and I am doing everything I can to release him.