A bill to eliminate the statute of limitations for some sex crimes died in the Indiana General Assembly this past session. But it may still have a future in the Legislature.

Prosecuting most sex crimes in Indiana generally has to happen within five years of the crime being committed. If it’s a crime against a child, the statute of limitations runs until the victim turns 31.

A 2024 bill, SB 151, originally eliminated that time constraint for all sex crimes, but was narrowed in the Senate just to rape and child molestation.

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The measure never got a hearing in the House. And House Courts and Criminal Code Committee Chair Wendy McNamara, a Republican from Evansville, said that’s because such a change shouldn’t happen in a short session.

“When you’re talking about removing statute of limitations, there are a lot of mechanisms in the criminal justice system that I think just need to have a deeper conversation of what that looks like,” McNamara said.

McNamara said she’s “absolutely” open to something like a study committee on the issue.

Brandon is IPB’s Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Copyright 2024 IPB News.

INDIANAPOLIS — One of the most anticipated seasons in Indiana Fever history will start Sunday, as 15 players step into Gainbridge Fieldhouse for their first day of training camp.

Indiana’s most coveted addition is Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 overall pick. She is the NCAA career scoring leader and a two-time national player of the year. The Fever also added Ohio State’s Celeste Taylor and Florida’s Leilani Correa in the draft, as well as Katie Lou Samuelson and Damiris Dantas on protected contracts in free agency.

Camp is about two weeks long with two preseason games: at the Dallas Wings on May 3, and at home May 10 against the Atlanta Dream. Fever brass will have until May 13 to cut the roster to 12. 

Here are four questions heading into training camp:

More: Indiana Fever have three cuts to make throughout training camp. Who will make the roster?

How will Caitlin Clark gel with Aliyah Boston, Fever teammates?

Clark is joining a cast of Aliyah Boston, NaLyssa Smith, and Kelsey Mitchell — all of whom have established themselves in Indianapolis already.

Boston, the 2023 No. 1 pick, was the unanimous Rookie of the Year and an All-Star starter. Smith was the No. 2 pick in 2022 and made the WNBA All-Rookie team, and Mitchell was an All-Star for the first time last season.

On the court, Clark should gel perfectly with the Fever’s top trio. Her 3-point shooting ability will space the floor, and it will be a good complement to Mitchell, the only Fever player to attempt over 100 3-pointers last season. Clark and Boston have already started to work out together ahead of training camp, and their pick-and-roll, two-player game could be dangerous.

“To have both (Clark and Mitchell) on the court, with Aliyah Boston in the post, it’s a coach’s dream,” coach Christie Sides said. “We’ve got other players that are going to be around them, and we’re hoping to have five players on the court that can all shoot the 3, that makes it really dangerous for other teams.”

More: Meet the artist who made a portrait of Caitlin Clark with a basketball as her paintbrush

Will Caitlin Clark be able to shoot freely?

At Iowa, Clark could shoot whatever, whenever, and wherever she wanted — which was a good strategy for the Hawkeyes, as they relied on her for about 34% of their scoring. But will she have the same green light in Indiana? Sides addressed that on draft night, especially when it came to Clark’s iconic logo 3-pointers.

“I’ve been asked by several of our players, ‘The logo 3s, how many are we going to take?’” Sides said on draft night. “And I said, ‘Well, how many are we going to practice, and how many are you going to make in practice?’ That’s Caitlin’s range, and that’s what she has shown the world that she can do. We’re going to take the best shot available for our team, but my gosh, she broke the (scoring record) on … almost a 40-footer.”

With Boston, Smith, and Mitchell in the lineup, too, Clark will not have as much of a need to pull the scoring weight as much as she did at Iowa. She likely won’t need to score over 30 points per game.

Clark will have a lot going through her head, including working with her new teammates and getting used to a new coaching staff, facility and city. If she can find the time to practice those long-range 3-pointers, Sides isn’t ruling them out of the playbook. 

How will Erica Wheeler fit in? 

Wheeler came to Indiana on a two-year, $404,000 contract, and she was the highest-paid player in the WNBA in 2023 when the Fever added a $40,000 time-off bonus (which prevented her from playing overseas for more than 90 days in the offseason) to make her salary $242,000. But Wheeler didn’t end up being what the Fever were looking for to run their offense. She averaged five assists per game, and Indiana ranked 11th of 12 teams with just 18 assists per game.

More: A bonus made Indiana Fever’s Erica Wheeler highest-paid WNBA player, allows her time off

Clark, averaging 8.9 assists last year, should bolster that number. But how will the Fever’s highly-paid point guard fit into the rotation? 

Wheeler will be Clark’s biggest competition for the starting point guard spot. Assuming Clark wins that battle, Wheeler will run with the second unit, becoming one of the best backup point guards in the league. Wheeler has shown she’s excited for Clark’s arrival, and she will be a good veteran presence for Clark to learn from.

How will Indiana’s other draft picks fare?

Second-round pick Celeste Taylor and third-round pick Leilani Correa are on an uphill climb to make the roster — as most late-round draft picks are. In 2023, only 15 of the WNBA’s 36 draft picks made opening-night rosters. But Taylor and Correa have something the Fever need: defense. Indiana ranked 10th in the league in defense last year.

Taylor was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, and she was the anchor of a ferocious full-court press with Ohio State. That press muddled Big Ten offenses, including those of Iowa and Indiana, and Taylor averaged 2.5 steals per game.

Correa, the SEC Sixth Woman of the Year, also averaged 2.5 steals a game, mostly off the bench. She also averaged over 16 points.  

Either pick could make the roster based on their defensive abilities; they just have the tall task of showing that in a new environment in a small time window.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers hosted the Milwaukee Bucks for Game 3 of their first-round series on Friday night. There was an electric atmosphere in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. For the first time since 2019, there was NBA playoff basketball in Indianapolis.

The Pacers were excited about the expected atmosphere, and it was a Gold Out theme. The crowd was wearing matching shirts, Fever guard Caitlin Clark was in the building to get the crowd pumped, and the early start time forced fans to file in quickly. Before the game even started, it was clear that this was a new environment for the blue and gold.

That energy only grew as Pacers center Myles Turner hit a three on the team’s first possession. Indiana was ready to roll, and they had a chance to take a lead in the series with a victory. There was pressure, but Indiana was ready for it.

After four minutes of play, the hosts were ahead 10-6. They were surviving some defensive errors thanks to missed shots by the Bucks, but the Pacers were doing well to capitalize. After a few choppy possessions, they settled in.

Tyrese Haliburton, who has been limited by the Bucks aggressive coverage throughout the series, scored twice in a row near the middle of the first quarter, and Milwaukee took a timeout. They were down 14-8 at the time and shooting 20% from the field. They needed to regroup.

The stoppage wasn’t helpful. Indiana kept up their pace and defensive intensity, and the Bucks continued to struggle. They started 4/16 from the field and had 12 points after 7:36 of play, and star guard Damian Lillard — who has been terrific in the series so far — had just two points at the time.

Simultaneously, Obi Toppin got going on offense for the blue and gold. He scored six quick points to push Indiana ahead by 10 at 22-12, and Milwaukee took another timeout. They were really struggling early.

The Pacers kept rolling. They were creating, and making, good threes regardless of who was on the court. Their defensive pressure was impressive. Milwaukee was really off, and Indiana’s lead kept expanding.

With about 2.5 minutes to go in the first quarter, Lillard fell to the floor below the Bucks basket and immediately started grabbing his left knee. He was in pain and had to hop over the bench before going back to the locker room a few seconds later. He’s been incredible throughout the series so far, his absence would be significant.

The Pacers lead climbed as high as 19 at 37-18 with under one minute to go in the first frame, and they were ahead 39-22 after one period. It was a dominant start for the hosts, who were guided by 11 points from Toppin. Their offense was nearly perfect to start the game.

To open the second period, Lillard returned to the floor, and Khris Middleton scored twice in a row. That led to a timeout from the Pacers, who were watching their lead shrink against the Milwaukee’s stars.

Coming out of the break, the hosts found some space to score. But their defense was still struggling, and their lead dropped as low as 11 in the first few minutes of the frame. They needed to clean up their execution.

Haliburton, Myles Turner, and Toppin re-entered the game for the Pacers around this time, and they instantly scored a few times. Their lead was back up to 15 just moments later as they settled back into their speed and style. It was a smart lineup change for Indiana.

The hosts maintained a lead between 12 and 16 for the next few minutes, but it felt like the Bucks had momentum. Their tempo and force had improved significantly, and Indiana couldn’t quite recapture their success from the first quarter.

With 4:09 to go in before halftime, Khris Middleton hit a three-point shot that cut the Milwaukee deficit to nine. They were finally playing like they did for much of Game 1, their only win in the series so far. With the score at 55-46, head coach Rick Carlisle took a timeout for the blue and gold.

The stoppage helped. Indiana closed the half with their starting five, and that group was able to slow the Bucks momentum. They didn’t expand the lead too much, but good play from Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, and Turner had the Pacers up 67-55 at halftime. Middleton had 19 points while Turner had 15.

To get the second half going, the Pacers starting five was scoring well. They ballooned their edge to 16 in the first few minutes and got the crowd back into the game. Pascal Siakam dropped in a pretty turnaround jumper over a smaller defender, which was significant due to the Bucks trying so hard to cut him off in this outing.

But Milwaukee answered with a quick run and cut the advantage to 11, which prompted a timeout from Carlisle. His team was still up double digits, but their grip on the game felt like it had been slipping away for almost 15 minutes of action. They needed to find some momentum or defensive consistency if they were going to maintain their lead.

Out of the stoppage, they quickly expanded their lead to 15 again, but Lillard answered with a three. That was the story of the game. The Pacers just couldn’t go on another run after their strong start, and they needed to find a rhythm on either end of the floor.

As the quarter progressed, the two teams traded punches. Indiana would get their advantage back to double digits, then the Bucks would make a push. That happened for several minutes, even as the two squads turned to their benches. It was a fascinating game flow.

The Bucks closed the quarter strong. A turnover by the Pacers in the final 20 seconds gave away possession, and Milwaukee used it to get a bucket from Middleton. He was up to a game-high 24 points at the time, and it was 90-83 in favor of the hosts after three quarters. But the visitors had all of the momentum. Indiana needed to recapture their early form.

To start the final quarter, the Bucks kept pushing, and they cut the lead to two with 10:19 to go in the game. Lillard hit a huge three to make the score 92-90. Indiana’s margin for error was gone. They had to play better down the stretch.

Not long after, Lillard hit another three to give Milwaukee their first lead of the game. His shot making had been impressive all series, and when he gets hot, he’s tough to contain. The Pacers were out of time to figure out a solution, though. They simply had to be better.

They were struggling to score, which was making it difficult to keep up. WIth 7:50 to go in the game, the Pacers had a total of 25 points in the second half of the game. Their offense had fallen apart as Milwaukee slowed the game down.

Indiana found a few points from SIakam on the next few possessions to regain the lead, but they couldn’t create any separation. The score was tied at 99 with just over five minutes to go after Lillard hit two free throws. The game was set up for an epic finish, but the Pacers needed to clean up their play.

Both squads went back to trading baskets for the next few trips down the floor, and the score was still tied when the clock read 4:08 to go. Bobby Portis and Turner each just knocked down outside shots for their teams to even the scoreboard at 104.

It continued to be a tie game for the next few minutes as both teams missed a few shots, and with 90 seconds remaining, it was a 106-106 game. The blue and gold had possession, and they had failed to take the lead a few times leading up to this moment. They needed a basket.

They got a point from Andrew Nembhard to regain the lead, and the blue and gold got a critical stop on the other end as Lillard missed a tough jumper. That gave the Pacers the ball with the lead and about 30 seconds remaining in the game.

Siakam came through with a clutch rebound, and he scored while being fouled. Indiana was ahead 109-106 with 19.8 to go and a free throw coming. There was a vital foul shot coming.

Siakam missed it, and then Middleton scored on the other end. It was 109-108 with 6.9 seconds to go as Nesmith went to the charity stripe with another chance to balloon Indiana’s lead.

He hit both, setting up a fun finish. Milwaukee had the ball down by three with mere seconds left in the action. And they found a way to score. Middleton hit a beautiful three to tie the game up with 1.4 seconds left.

SIakam turned for a three at the buzzer and missed it, which sent the game to overtime tied up at 111. The last five minutes of the game were terrific, and it set up five more. Middleton had 35 points after regulation while Turner had 27.

To get the extra period going, Middleton and Turner scored for their teams. Those two were awesome all night, so it was fitting that they started the overtime with points.

Indiana grabbed a ton of offensive rebounds on the same possession with about two minutes to go in overtime, but they missed five chances and didn’t capitalize. They were down two with 90 seconds to go after the poor possession. They needed a basket in the worst way.

The Pacers finally were able to hit a shot with just over one minute to go as Nembhard faded away from the elbow and dropped one in. It was a great shot, and the Pacers got a stop on the other end. They had another chance at the lead late.

This time, they took advantage. Nesmith hit a corner three with the shot clock expiring, and the Pacers were ahead 118-115 with 14.4 to go in overtime. Somehow, despite a poor OT frame, they had a chance to win late. But they needed a stop.

They didn’t get it. Middleton, once again, came up big with a three that tied the game at 118 with 6.7 seconds to go. He banked it in — it was an incredible shot.

Indiana had one more chance, and Haliburton saved the day.

That massive shot and free throw gave the Pacers a three-point lead with 1.6 seconds to go. They were once again a single stop away from victory, but Middleton had already ripped their hearts out twice.

This time, Middleton missed. The Pacers held on for a 121-118 win. It was an incredible extra period, and Indiana got it done to take a 2-1 series lead.

Turner finished with 29 points and nine rebounds. Haliurton had 18 points and 16 assists. They were both terrific in the win. Middletno had 42 points.

Game 4 is on Sunday in Indianapolis.

• Pascal Siakam entered the playoffs wanting to be the Indiana Pacers leader. He left Milwaukee on top of the league. CLICK HERE.
• ‘Embarrassing’: Indiana Pacers have dreadful opening to playoffs in Game 1 loss to Milwaukee Bucks. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark meets Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, gets praise from Rick Carlisle. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers use dominant Pascal Siakam outing to win Game 2 over Milwaukee Bucks, even up the series at 1-1. CLICK HERE.
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