NYS Senator Eric Adams And Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson Respond To The Murder Of Sarah Coit At The Hands Of Her Boyfriend Raul Barrera By Calling For NYS To Require Domestic Violence Offenders To Register Like Sex Crime Offenders

On Sunday, April 17, 2011, New York State Senator Eric Adams (D- Brooklyn)  held a press conference with Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries to announce legislation to create a Domestic Violence Offender Registry.  The new law will require that the name of anyone convicted of domestic violence be listed in a statewide “Domestic Violence Offender Database.”  Individuals would be able to ascertain whether they are associated with persons having prior history of domestic abuse.

Ms. Coit was reportedly murdered during a domestic violence dispute, and Mr. Barrera had been involved in several domestic violence-related incidents in the past.  This new bill will call for offenders like Barrera to be listed in a Domestic Violence Offender Registry. 

The Database will have the same format as the current Sex Offender Registry used for those convicted of major sex offenses.