Ohio lawmakers introduce legislation to prevent crowdfunding for violent crimes

CINCINNATI (WXIX) – Two Southwestern Ohio Representatives have introduced legislation that would ban individuals accused or convicted of a violent crime from profiting from crowdfunding platforms, according to the state representatives.

Rep. Mike Odioso (R-Green Twp.) and Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) announced legislation in a news release that would extend Ohio’s “Son of Sam” Law, which prohibits criminals from profiting from their crimes by selling their story to filmmakers or book publishers, among other methods of earning money, the U.S. Department of Justice states.

The DOJ explains that the “Son of Sam” laws, a group of laws passed in more than 40 states, were named in response to convicted killer David Richard Berkowitz, who murdered several people in New York City in the 1970s and garnered national publicity.

The new legislation would extend the measures in the law to prevent profiting from crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe, GiveSendGo and others.

“Drafted with key law enforcement input from Ohio Attorney General David Yost, the goal is to ensure subsequent fund expenditures are consistent with the published purpose while holding platforms and crowdfunders accountable for crowdfunders’ ill-gotten personal gain,” Rep. Odioso said in a statement.

In a news release, the two representatives cite the case of Rodney Hinton Jr., who is accused of intentionally running over Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson after Hinton’s son was shot and killed by Cincinnati police in a separate engagement.

Following the incident, Hinton’s accused action garnered condemnation, as well as sympathy for the loss of his son by an officer. Several crowdfunding pages were created to cover Hinton’s court costs, raising more than $100,000 for the family.

Many platforms have since removed pages raising money to support Hinton; however, a GiveSendGo page remains active, with more than $54,000 in donations, despite appeals from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

Meanwhile, Lorena Henderson, the wife of Deputy Henderson, is suing for damages worth more than $100,000, accusing the Hinton family of profiting off the death of her husband.

“This legislation will close a legal loophole that turns tragedy into a spectacle,” Abrams said. “We as a society have a moral obligation to uphold the law and should not be engaging in crowdfunding in support of potentially violent criminals.”

Hinton awaits his sentencing, in which he faces the possibility of the death penalty after being charged with two charges of aggravated murder, murder and two charges of felonious assault.

The bill has just been introduced and still awaits a number and House committee assignment.

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