CHARLESTON, S.C. - Jackie Olsen said she became convinced South Carolina needed a stronger stalking law after her sister was killed by a man so obsessed with her that he was arrested wearing some of her clothes.

The bill would beef up victim rights and require psychological exams before stalking suspects can be released on bail. It is named "Mary Lynn's law" after Mary Lynn Witherspoon, a Charleston woman strangled in her home in November 2003 by a man who had been sent to jail five months earlier for breaking in her laundry room.

Edmonds Tennent Brown IV pleaded guilty to murder and is serving a life sentence.

"Her life was lost so unnecessarily," she said. "What this has done to our family, you cannot imagine. This has left a hole in our souls that cannot be repaired."

Police and other agencies agree changes need to be made in the state's stalking law, but disagree if this bill, currently in the House Judicary Committee, is the right fix.

The state Department of Mental Health can't meet the proposal's call for psychiatric evaluations to be completed within 10 days of a person's arrest on stalking or harassment charges, said Mark Binkley, the agency's general counsel.

One recommendation that makes sense requiring that judges be provided with copies of incident reports and criminal records of stalking suspects before they determine whether bail should be set, said Jeff Moore, executive director of the South Carolina Sheriff's Association.

He blames human error. Brown was let out of jail but required to get outpatient treatment for his bipolar disorder. An automated system tried to call Witherspoon to tell her about Brown's release, but couldn't reach her by phone, authorities said.

"The system we have is a pretty darn good system," Moore said. "But I don't how you legislate out human error."

Brown met Witherspoon through his father, who once dated the popular French teacher from Charlestowne Academy. That relationship ended several years earlier, but Brown's fascination with Witherspoon continued to grow.

While in jail for breaking into Witherspoon's house, Brown made a list that included getting a stun gun to use on Witherspoon and included a note that said "take care of MLW" and put her "on ice."

Within days of getting out of jail, Brown forced his way into Witherspoon's home and killed her. He then spent time rummaging through her house, even pausing to cook himself an egg breakfast, Charleston Detective Sgt. Barry Goldstein said.

Brown also had his driver's license changed to show Witherspoon's address as his home. He was arrested the morning after he killed her in front of her home, wearing her jeans and underwear and carrying her keys, authorities said.

Goldstein is convinced Brown thought he could assume Witherspoon's persona, a belief her sister shares.

"He just wanted to be her, and he had to get rid of her to become her," Olsen said.