Mo. Republican pushes to allow more evidence in child sex abuse cases

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Intro:	Republicans in the state Capitol are pushing to change the state Constitution to make it easier to prosecute child sex crimes.
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Wrap:

State Republicans say prosecutors should be able to tell juries about crimes that defendants have committed or been accused of in the past.

Jason Lamb, with the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, says the change is needed because young victims can be intimidated during a criminal trial.

Actuality:	PROS2.WAV
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Description: "Children are children. They know what happened to them. They don't always know how to tell what happened to them."

But the proposed amendment is getting some push back from people who say it could put defendants in the position of being guilty until proven innocent.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	Republicans want to change the state Constitution to help prosecutors in child sex abuse cases. But some people say that could make defendants guilty until proven innocent.
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Wrap: Republicans in the state Capitol say prosecutors should be able to tell juries about crimes that defendants have committed or been accused of in the past.

But St. Louis Democrat Mike Colona says that could prejudice the jury against someone accused of a sex crime.

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Description: "I mean, don't get me wrong, of course we want to put these people away. But I don't want to create a scenario where a defendant is, kind of de facto, guilty before proven innocent."

The proposed amendment would let judges decide what evidence comes in and what doesn't. But Colona said elected judges might not want to turn down any evidence in child sex cases.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	Republicans in the state Capitol are pushing to change the state Constitution to make it easier to prosecute child sex crimes.
RunTime:	0:43
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap:

Jefferson County Republican John McCaherty says prosecutors should be able to tell juries about crimes that defendants have committed or been accused of in the past.

McCaherty says prosecutors need that change because young victims can be intimidated during a criminal trial.

Actuality:	MCCART1.WAV
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Description: "You have the word of a six-year-old, who is sitting on the standing, being questioned by attorneys and reliving everything that has happened in her life, against a member of the community."

But the proposed amendment is getting some pushback from people who say it could put defendants in the position of being guilty until proven innocent.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.