Maine Attorney General announces new hire for Unsolved Homicide Unit

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine Attorney General Janet T. Mills today announced that a final hiring decision has been made to complete the staff of Maine's Unsolved Homicide Unit. Renee Ordway has been hired to serve as the Victim Advocate to work with the family members in these cases, making the unit fully staffed.

"In her 30 year career in journalism, Renee has demonstrated an ability to give voice to victims in a manner that has earned her a reputation for fairness and compassion," said Attorney General Mills. "We are very pleased to have the unit at full complement and working on these difficult cases. As we have said over the last several years as the Legislature considered creating this unit, we cannot guarantee convictions, but we can guarantee our undivided attention and our best efforts."

In June, 2015, the legislature recognized the need to devote additional, dedicated resources to the

AG's Task Force Calls for Changes in Investigation and Prosecution of Crimes Against the Elderly

Augusta, Maine - The Maine Attorney General's Task Force on Financial Crimes Against the Elderly is calling for changes in state law to protect Maine's seniors. A report issued today highlights the issue of financial exploitation of the elderly and the challenges faced by Maine's law enforcement agencies when called upon to investigate these crimes. The report also makes several suggestions to improve state laws to better address the issue.

The United States Department of Justice estimates that one in nine people over the age of 60 will be abused or exploited this year, or an estimated 33,000 victims of elder abuse in Maine alone. Older adults who are abused or mistreated are three times more likely to die within the next decade after the abuse than are adults in the same age group not subject to abuse.

Attorney General Mills said, "Maine's senior citizens are a vital part of our community. They have

Maine Attorney General speaks to Congressional panel about legal risks for states posed by free trade agreements

Maine Attorney General Janet T. Mills was on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning to deliver remarks at the invitation of a Congressional panel focused on the impacts of free trade agreements. In particular, Attorney General Mills shared her perspective as the chief law enforcement officer for the State of Maine regarding the potential impacts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on state laws and other regulations.

Attorney General Mills used tobacco regulations as an example of one area where state regulations could be targeted under terms of a trade agreement. "Maine has a strong record of protecting the public health by using a broad strategy to keep products out of the hands of kids and to shield people from second-hand smoke. Despite the great strides Maine has made in cutting smoking rates, too many kids and adults in Maine are impacted by tobacco. We cannot allow our ability to protect the public health to be undermined by a trade agreement," Mills said.

In January Attorney General Mills was one of more than 45 Attorneys General to sign a letter calling on the United States Trade Representative to exclude tobacco products from the coverage of the TPP and other treaties. If tobacco products are treated like any other product for sale, state policies regulating tobacco products would be subject to challenge by corporations or other countries, ignoring the devastating health effects tobacco has on Maine people.

One provision of the TPP that is common to many free trade agreements empowers private investors

Maine Attorney General Janet T. Mills Warns of Imposter "Life Alert" Scam Targeting Elders

Augusta, Maine - Maine Attorney General Janet T. Mills is warning Maine elders to be wary of a phone scam in which the callers lead you to believe they are eligible for a free life alert or medical alert device product and then ask for sensitive, personal financial information. Life Alert is well-known for their tag line of "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up."

"Seniors should always be wary of anyone calling them to tell them that they are eligible for free products in exchange for their personal information," said Attorney General Mills. "Legitimate companies do not operate like this. This scam is particularly insidious because it trades on the well-known brand of Life Alert which is intended for very vulnerable senior citizens."

The company that produces the real Life Alert product has filed a lawsuit against those who have been impersonating Life Alert through scam phone calls, and lying and manipulating seniors into providing personal and financial information. The named defendants include LifeWatch Inc. and Connect America. com, LLC (aka Medical Alert), two companies that purport to be legitimate providers of personal emergency response systems.

Attorney General Mills said that the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's Office has received numerous complaints from Maine seniors about the Life Alert product scam. If any Maine Seniors