Sen. Cutler: Bill Would Not Protect Victims

Air Date:01/25/2011

By Kealey Bultena

South Dakota lawmakers aren’t moving forward with a bill that expands the crime of lying to criminal investigators. The Senate Judiciary Committee didn’t send the measure to the Senate floor.

South Dakota’s Attorney General says Senate Bill 29 allows officials to prosecute people who lie to authorities in an investigation, even if a report isn’t filed. But Republican State Senator Joni Cutler says she is concerned about the measure’s impact on the victims of crimes.

"It’s statistically likely that a victim will go back to the abuser several times before they’re actually able to get away. During that time, if they are a victim of domestic violence, there may be an investigation, they may have reported the crime, and that may be the truth. But later when they are called upon as they try to reconcile this situation, they may withhold or conceal information," Cutler says.

Cutler says she counts five ways a person faces charges for misleading statements already in the books, and this bill could have too many unintended consequences.

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