Appeals Court Stays Order on Minnesota Sex Offender Program

A federal appeals court has stayed a federal judge’s order requiring changes to Minnesota’s sex offender program. 

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the temporary stay Wednesday in a two-sentence order. 

The court said the stay would be in effect while it considers Minnesota’s motion for a stay pending appeal. 

In June, U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank declared the sex offender program unconstitutional. 

In October, he ordered changes to the program, including a risk assessment of all inmates to determine which of them no longer pose a risk and could be released. 

The state argues that it is properly holding more than 700 offenders that are too risky to free.