Case highlights challenges of keeping child molesters safe in prison

5-10-2010 Maryland:

A Montgomery County judge shaved 14 years off a child molester's prison sentence Friday, a ruling that followed the same judge cutting almost 16 years off another molester's sentence in 2008.

In shortening the latest sentence, Circuit Court Judge Eric M. Johnson called Jason Lay a different person than he was five years ago, when he was convicted of making a 4-year-old girl perform sexual acts inside a townhouse in Germantown and sentenced to 30 years.

"I find your remorse to be genuine," Johnson told Lay, 26, who wore a blue state Division of Correction shirt and little expression on his face.

The new sentence, 16 years, is retroactive to 2005. Lay will be eligible for parole in 2013.

His case reflects the challenge of keeping child molesters safe in prison. Other inmates -- even those who give little thought to robbing or killing people -- often take a moral stand against child molesters, if only because they have children themselves.

Convicted rapist and kidnapper in Hornbeck case stabbed multiple times in prison

5-11-2011 Missouri:

KMOV) – Officials confirmed on Tuesday that a convicted kidnapper and child rapist was stabbed multiple times at the Crossroads Correctional Facility in Cameron, Missouri in April.

Michael Devlin was convicted of kidnapping Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby. Devlin is currently serving a life sentence for the crimes.

He was attacked by another inmate on April, 9, 2011, and prison officials say that inmate stabbed Devlin with a weapon made from a prong on a manual typewriter.

Devlin was immediately rushed to a hospital where he was treated and returned back to the facility in Cameron that same day. His wounds are said to be “superficial.”

The attack is under investigation, and Devlin and his attacker have since been separated. ..Source.. by KMOV.com