another state to allow death penalty for child molesters

candidlynuts

Oklahoma Gov. Approves Death Penalty for Repeat Child Molesters

Friday , June 09, 2006

Under the measure signed by Gov. Brad Henry, anyone convicted twice for rape, sodomy or lewd molestation involving children under 14 can face the death penalty.

South Carolina's governor signed a similar law on Thursday allowing the death penalty for offenders convicted twice of raping children younger than 11. Louisiana, Florida and Montana also have laws allowing the death penalty for certain sex crimes.

Defense attorneys and death penalty experts said the laws defy recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have scaled back the death penalty's application.

Barbara Bergman, president of the Washington-based National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said Supreme Court decisions have made it clear that the death penalty is reserved for someone who has taken another life.

"I'm not saying that raping a child is not a horrible crime, but no one has died," said Bergman, who was part of the defense team that avoided the death penalty for Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols following his 2004 conviction on 161 murder counts.

David Brook, a law professor at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., said the measure might actually put a child rape victim's life at risk.

"The last message you want to give an offender who has the life of a child in his hands is you might as well kill the child because he's already got the death penalty," said Brook, who runs the Virginia Capital Case Clearing House, which assists lawyers in death penalty cases. "This is a very stupid message."

No one convicted of a sex offense has been executed since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment 30 years ago, though one inmate is on death row in Louisiana following his 2003 conviction for raping an 8-year-old girl.

South Carolina's new law is named for 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, a Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and suffocated last year by a registered sex offender.

"Jessie's Law is about sending a very clear message that there are some lines you do not cross, and that if those lines are crossed the penalties will be severe," said South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. __________________

sixsixsixtynine

Oklahoma Mathematics:

Wrong + Wrong = Right!

Big Tex

If a pedophile were sentenced to life without parole the first time, there'd be no need for an exection on the second offense. Even better, the second child would not have to endure the horror of rape.

candidlynuts

good point tex!

Broken Hearted

You have to remember that not all charged with this is actually guilty of the offense. I now personally know 4 people who have been charged with rape, and such because they were with someone that was under 16 and they were over 18. They were all consenual sex and some was not even the actual act but just fondling. They are all now registered Sexual Offenders and their faces and information is posted every where. One of the cases the guy met the girl at a bar, they started dating, and well when he went to break it off and she was pissed so she turned him inf tha is when he ound out she was 15 . Or you have 15 year olds dating older guys and the parents find out or suspect and then they turn a person in just because they don't like the guy their daughter chose to go out with. I understand that there are probably many more cases out there that are the opposite, and the older guys are seducing the younger girls, however there are many teens today that know exactly what they are doing male or female.

By the way I don't agree with the Florida Laws, what happens too much in Government, is they don't do what they should to begin with so then they go to over kill and lump everybody in the same boat. SO wrong. Theres should be different degrees, and each one should be evaluated the reason behind the charges. Someone Who Preys ( searches out )young Children and forces themself on a person or those that search for child porn Is way more dangerous and a mence to our society than someone who is just out dating, and things get hot and heavy. Sure they should be using their heads, but Some just don't and end up paying for a mistake for the rest of their life along with their family and friends.

Just my 2 cents.

sass_my_frass

My intial reaction was 'great, kill the animals', but there are too many shades of grey - eg, the above.

It might even send the problem further underground; people will think in terms of 'if I turn him in, he might be executed.'

silentWatcher

If a pedophile were sentenced to life without parole the first time, there'd be no need for an exection on the second offense. Even better, the second child would not have to endure the horror of rape.

--------------------

and it's actually cheaper too. death penalty cases cost ~$3-4 million (after appeals). That is the cost of approximately 150 years of incarceration.

plus, prison isn't exactly fun for child molesters either.

-silent

mkr32208

This is a scary area anymore! I actually half way picked up a girl in a bar a few years back she was hot she was being served alcohol this was no 'minor' looking chick... We went out once or twice never did anything really crazy... Found out later she was 16! Her friend that was WITH HER IN THE BAR GETTING DRUNK was 14! These two had fake id's and everything I'm good with ages but there's no way ANYONE would have said these girls were under 18 (the age they claimed) if I had messed with them (thank god for small favors) I could have been tossed in jail for YEARS and been an 'offender' for life!

The age of consent laws in this country are based on a flawed premise of victorian morals a 16 year old today is NOT the same as a 16 year old in 1945! Only this country has this backassward view of sex!

Now if you get it on with a 10 year old I personally vote for the ol' chemical castration! Not much danger of repeat offender then!

mkr32208

South Carolina's new law is named for 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, a Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and suffocated last year by a registered sex offender.

Ummm this tool shouldn't be on death row for child abuse he should be on death row for MURDER!

Broken Hearted

Mkr32208

My point exactly about things. Not every convicted child molester is a real child molester. Our teen girls and boys today are not at all like the girls back in the 40's they look older, they are wiser on the sex issues and they try to use it. However, the girls in the 40's were marrying men in their mid 20's to early 30's at ages of 14 and 15. It is almost like society has pushed for teens to grow up sooner, and yet at the same time try to keep them children longer. Not sure If that will make sense to everyone.

Don't get me wrong there are many people out there that are in their teens that are be forcibly raped by fathers, step fathers, mothers, step-mothers, brothers, sisters etc... and even strangers. anything of this nature that is not welcomed or consensual is out of the question for anyone.

My thoughts on this and hope i don't offend anyone with this thought, but it seems to be a modern day lynching of sorts. Back in the slavery days, you were accused and hung just by the color of your skin for just about anything. Today if a person under 18 is involved with a older person, 9 times out of 10 the older person is going to be charged with child molsetation. Just look at the watchdog sexual offender sight, those dots are everywhere and more and more being added daily.

Okay will get off my soap box, but i can't express enough we can't believe everything we read as truth. We should however be causious and do some research on our own before we sit in judgement and actually it is not our place to judge but God's. Its our place to be wise, and informed for the protection of our children.

In love Tina

another state to allow death penalty for child molesters

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