Victims group rips judge

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

A national victims’ rights group is demanding the resignation of the Minnesota judge who set what they called a low bail for the convicted sex offender who has been accused of killing an Idaho family, kidnapping and molesting the two young children, and killing the boy.

Throw Away The Key, a Maryland-based advocacy group called on Judge Thomas Schroeder to resign because he set bail for Joseph Edward Duncan III — classified as a Level 3 offender after serving a prison term for raping a boy — at $15,000 after Duncan was accused of molesting a 6-year-old Minnesota boy.

“The judge makes $115,000 per year, and whether it was incompetence or indifference, his error has led to a trail of death and destruction,” said Michael Paranzino, the group’s president.

Authorities say Duncan jumped bail and bludgeoned to death three family members of 8-year-old Shasta Groene and is suspected of killing Shasta’s 9-year-old brother, Dylan.

Mr. Paranzino’s group called for “sensible solutions to protect innocent children and adults from violent crime at the hands of known predators,” including longer sentences for violent criminals.