Iowa Court Rules Judge Should Reconsider Sex Offender Ruling

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By Becky Ogann

Story Created: May 9, 2008 at 4:43 PM CST

Story Updated: May 9, 2008 at 4:43 PM CST

DES MOINES (AP) - A district court was wrong when it ruled the state couldn't hold a man with a history of sexually abusing young children. That's what the Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday.

The Warren County case involved Bryan Pierce. He served prison terms in Missouri and Iowa after pleading guilty to charges involving boys and girls ages 6, 7 and 9.

Pierce was scheduled to be released from prison on the Iowa charges on Aug. 20th, 2005. The state filed a petition alleging he was a sexually violent predator and should be committed.

The district court judge ruled the state had failed to prove Pierce was a sexually violent predator after a trial in May 2006. He was released.

The judge based the ruling in large part on the failure of the state to prove that Pierce is likely to "currently" engage in sexually violent offenses if he was released.

Prosecutors appealed the decision. The Supreme Court ruled that the law doesn't require the state to prove a person will likely commit a crime within a particular length of time.

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