SCOTUS: Can't execute child rapists

By DEBORAH HASTINGS
AP National Writer

The efforts of nearly a dozen states to execute child rapists were derailed Wednesday by a Supreme Court decision that incensed supporters of such punishment. At least one state said it wasn't ready to give up.
"I think the people of Oklahoma have spoken loudly that this is one of the most heinous of crimes. We will certainly look at what options we have," said Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, a strong proponent of his state's 2006 law subjecting those who sexually abuse children to the death penalty.
Five states have laws that explicitly permit such executions. At issue before the high court was a Louisiana case involving Patrick Kennedy, sentenced to die for raping his 8-year-old stepdaughter in her bed in 1998, an assault so severe she required surgery.
In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled the death penalty a disproportionate punishment for raping children under the age of 12, despite the horrendous nature of such acts.
Justices made a similar ruling in 1977, when they said the death penalty was unconstitutional punishment for a Georgia man convicted of raping a teenager who was an adult under the law.
Louisiana's law, passed in 1995, is the broadest in the country. It also makes first-time offenders eligible for the death penalty, unlike Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Montana — which required at least one previous conviction for child rape. Following Wednesday's ruling, all become unconstitutional.
Nationwide, only two men have been sentenced to death for sexually abusing children — both in Louisiana. The second case involves a man convicted of repeatedly raping a 5-year-old girl.
Several states, including Missouri, Alabama and Colorado had been considering similar laws. Supporters there were incensed by Wednesday's ruling.
"Anybody in the country who cares about children should be outraged that we have a Supreme Court that would issue a decision like this," said Alabama Attorney General Troy King, who represented one of nine states that filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Louisiana in the Kennedy case on the grounds that child rape represented "manifest evil."
Justices are "creating a situation where the country is a less safe place to grow up," King said.

 

I don't think pedophiles would be deterred by the death penalty...

 

Old_Tony will be here soon saying that this proves liberals love child rapists.

 

My fear is that it would start with one state executing some sadist who rapes five-year-olds...and it would end with some state executing an 19-year-old for having sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend.

I wish I could say that wouldn't happen, but this is America...

 

C'mon. I don't see that ever happening -- unless it's maybe a black guy and white girl.

 

Here's a candidate ...

Life for R.I. child-killer's 'unforgivable' crime
By ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press Writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) _ A man who admitted raping and strangling an 8-year-old neighbor was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after he called his actions "despicable and unforgivable."

Joshua Davis, of Woonsocket, was given the maximum sentence for the abduction and death of Savannah Smith on May 7, 2006.

Davis said drugs and alcohol had ruined his life and told the girl's family that he could not imagine the heartache he had caused them.

Davis pleaded guilty in April to first-degree murder and other crimes, admitting he abducted Smith from a park near her home in Woonsocket and drove her south to a wooded section of Cranston, where he raped, strangled and beat her.

Smith's mother, Lisa Smith, called Davis "the lowest piece of scum that this earth has."

"I want him to die in prison," she added. "I'll never get my baby back."

 

Starman has no idea why he just burned an American flag.

 

I'd have no problem with sentencing anyone who maliciously rapes another to death or life in prison without parol; not consensual, illegal sex between different ages, per state laws.

 

Funny how when liberals want to rant and rave about conservatives, they like to bring up the fact that various policies "hurt children." Welfare, education, etc. But I guess when a pervert rapes a child, they care more about the pervert.

 

Seven of the nine justices were appointed by Republican presidents.

 

I think they maybe worse off remaining inside.

There is some semblance of honor among prisoners. It won't be an easy life sentence by any means.