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The son of a disgraced lawmaker has turned on his father for utilizing an “Epstein loophole” to keep away from spending time behind bars for allegedly touching kids.
Talking out for the primary time, Robert Scrivner branded California’s psychological well being diversion legislation a “flawed system” after his father Zack dodged getting locked up.
“My very own father, who’s an elected official in Kern County, assaulted my siblings and myself and was granted psychological well being diversion,” Robert stated throughout a press convention by State Senator Shannon Grove who desires to rescind the loophole.
On Tuesday, Grove introduced Senate Invoice 1373, which would set limits on sure crimes for the psychological well being diversion legislation.
“My invoice will be sure that those that commit violent crimes, resembling tried homicide of a kid, assault leading to demise and home violence, are now not eligible for a psychological well being diversion program,” Grove stated.
Scrivner was charged final February with little one abuse and possession of assault weapons, The Put up reported.
He averted harsher expenses of kid sexual-assault as a result of he was below the affect of medication on the time and as an alternative entered a mental-health diversion program.
Scrivner was accused of climbing into mattress with the pre-teen little one in April 2024 and touching her inappropriately.
The estranged spouse of the previous lawmaker, Christina, additionally spoke out throughout the press convention in favor of the invoice.
“Confronted with inexplicable trauma, my brave kids bravely and honorably shared the reality of their abuse,” Christina stated.
“We inform our kids to talk up, communicate up for yourselves, inform the reality, be sincere. My kids have been and so they did.
“Their reply to their plea, their cry for assist, was a stark actuality of a damaged system below psychological well being diversion,” she added.
Underneath California Legislation, psychological well being diversion permits eligible defendants with recognized psychological well being problems to obtain therapy as an alternative of jail time.
California lawmakers have ripped the “Epstein loophole” that allowed Scrivner to dodge jail by coming into the diversion program.
Critics of the 2018 program legislation stated it’s getting used as a get-out-of-jail free card by severe offenders.
“I concentrate on household and habit drugs, so I do know the worth of psychological well being diversion,” Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains stated in a press release to the LA Occasions.
“It was designed to assist individuals get therapy and rehabilitation in applicable circumstances, to not present an escape hatch to sexually assault kids,” Bains added. “This Epstein loophole must be closed.”
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