Two US Senators have unveiled legislation to quash what they described as the growing market in ‘murderabilia’ - trinkets and trophies tied to notorious violent crimes.
Republican Senator John Cornyn and Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the ‘Stop the Sale of Murderabilia to Protect the Dignity of Crime Victims Act of 2010.’
The bill would forbid prisoners from mailing any item they aim to sell across state lines, while giving victims the right to ask a judge to block such sales or seek monetary damages and attorney's fees in court.
‘Internet sites nationwide now thrive off of the sale of murderabilia, including items such as hair samples, blood, clothing, letters, artwork, and other goods bearing the mark or signature of a criminal,’ Mr Cornyn's office said.
‘And the more notorious the criminal, the higher the price of murderabilia items associated with that criminal,’ it said in a statement.
Mr Cornyn first showcased the bill at a press conference Friday in his home state of Texas.
‘It is reprehensible that criminals who are supposed to be paying their debt to society are exploiting their notoriety and profiting from their deplorable crimes,’ he said, vowing to fight ‘until this despicable industry becomes extinct.’
‘Criminals that commit these violent crimes shouldn't be able to further profit from their acts by selling items that wouldn't have any value except for the notoriety of the seller,’ said Ms Klobuchar.
