In Harrisburg yesterday, the State House Judiciary Committee approved Representative Jim Struzzi’s bill to charge those who intentionally cause bodily injury to a person with a physical or intellectual disability with aggravated assault, graded a second degree felony. The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.
The law would be known as Cody’s Law in honor of Cody Overdorff, the young man from Homer City who was lured and attacked by four people last August 20th on the Hoodlebug Trail near Floodway Park. Overdorff has Williams Syndrome, a developmental disorder which affects mental and emotional capabilities.
Struzzi says he believes individuals who target vulnerable and helpless victims pose a significant threat to society and should be subject to harsher penalties under the law.
The four attackers, Jordan Kinney and Dakota Patterson of Indiana, Corey Blystone of Sagamore, and Katelyn Lemley of Homer City, could only be charged with misdemeanors because Cody did not suffer “serious bodily injuries” as defined by current law.
Lemley was sentenced last week to three months to a year (minus a day) in prison plus two years of probation for conspiracy to stalking, along with two years probation each for conspiracy to false imprisonment and conspiracy to disorderly conduct (fighting).
Patterson and Blystone each pleaded guilty to misdemeanor stalking, false imprisonment, and simple assault. Their sentencing was postponed to next month.
Cody Overdorff, his mom Dana Detwiler, and Representative Jim Struzzi last November as Struzzi announces the introduction of “Cody’s Law” legislation at a fundraiser in Bolivar.
Kinney pleaded guilty to the same three offenses as Patterson and Blystone and is scheduled for sentencing this Friday.
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