Palin's town billed rape victims to get evidence

Under Mayor Palin, Wasilla was the ONLY town in Alaska to have a brutally heartless policy of charging rape victims for rape kits and forensic examinations.  (I am NOT making this up!)  Of course Palin denies knowing about this -- totally implausible, given that the police chief was her hand-picked guy (after she dismissed his predecessor) and he refused to change to policy even when asked to do so, requiring the state legislature to pass a bill ending the practice.

When Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, the city billed sexual assault victims and their insurance companies for the cost of rape kits and forensic examinations.

Palin had been in office for four years when the practice of charging rape victims got the attention of state lawmakers in 2000, who passed a bill to stop the practice.

Former Democratic Rep. Eric Croft, who sponsored that bill, said he was disappointed that simply asking the Wasilla police department to stop didn't work. Croft said he doubts she was unaware of the practice.

--------------------

Palin's town billed rape victims to get evidence

By MARY PEMBERTON

The Associated Press
Thursday, September 11, 2008; 10:58 PM

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091103443.html