Oklahoma Gov approves executing child molesters

[ITPjohn]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060609...UDaccpvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

Oklahoma governor approves executing molesters
By TIM TALLEY, Associated Press Writer

Oklahoma on Friday became the fifth state to allow the death penalty for certain sex crimes, although legal scholars questioned the constitutionality of the new state law.

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.

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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[Oceanbreeze]

The only thing I see wrong about this is why must an offender be convicted of child rape twice before they are eligible for the death penalty? I think if an offender rapes a 2 yr old his first time out, he should be eligible for the death penalty!

(and yes, there are cases in which babies have been raped. As sick as it sounds, it happens)

 

[Heath]

Yes Oceanbreeze ! There was a case awhile back and it was in the N.Y. Post newspapers.

Some guy had " touched " a 18 months old baby !!!!

If you " touch " a child no matter how old the child may be ..... You Die Period. Pure and Simple.

I am glad to see commonsense laws are making a good comeback.

I went huh? when the news article said if convicted twice ..... No, it should be convicted once with very good proof.

I think it has to do with the current politically correct climate here in this country but this is a real good start.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Yes Oceanbreeze ! There was a case awhile back and it was in the N.Y. Post newspapers.

Some guy had " touched " a 18 months old baby !!!!

If you " touch " a child no matter how old the child may be ..... You Die Period. Pure and Simple.

I am glad to see commonsense laws are making a good comeback.

I went huh? when the news article said if convicted twice ..... No, it should be convicted once with very good proof.

I think it has to do with the current politically correct climate here in this country but this is a real good start.

Well, no. I don't think if a guy *molests* a child, he should get death. In that case, he should face life imprisonment without parole. While both are heinous crimes, I do think there's a line that can be drawn.

Raping a very young child should be a "death eligible" crime because, the act exposes the child to serious injuries, and in some cases, even death to the child. IN THAT CASE, the perp should die. But, just "touching" a child by itself shouldn't make an offender death eligible.

 

[lexismom64]

i think that it should not be a death eligible crime unless he kills child i think they should castrate him take all his sexual urges away ....so it dosent happen again i think if they do give them death for this alot of innocent childeren are going to be killed so they dont get caught.....

 

[Oceanbreeze]

i think that it should not be a death eligible crime unless he kills child i think they should castrate him take all his sexual urges away ....so it dosent happen again i think if they do give them death for this alot of innocent childeren are going to be killed so they dont get caught.....

Merely castrating someone doesn't eliminate the crime or the threat. The intent to harm a child starts in the mind; not the private parts. The private parts are just the weapon in which the perpetrator uses to do the crime.

 

[Heath]

Hi Oceanbreeze, When I say " touch " what I mean by that is sexual abuse did happen.

Rape, molestation, sexual intercourse, sodomization, oral sex, Need I go on any further .... I don't want to have to go into detail which is too digusting so I simply say he " touched " her then you would know what I meant by that.

Even if he did nothing but feel her up in a very wrong and sick way that still is sexual abuse because that child already got shocked and at no time should a child be shocked or feel un-safe.

The only people that should be touching a child in the appropriate and a very safe way are their parents, or grandparents who are teaching the kids how to pee and wipe their butt then the kids become more independent in the bathroom then the parent / grandparent's job has been done and the kids can go to the bathroom all on their own.

A stranger's hand has absoutely no business feeling the private area of a child peroid. The angry father can kill him or police guards can kill him. Simple as that.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Hi Oceanbreeze, When I say " touch " what I mean by that is sexual abuse did happen.

Rape, molestation, sexual intercourse, sodomization, oral sex, Need I go on any further .... I don't want to have to go into detail which is too digusting so I simply say he " touched " her then you would know what I meant by that.

Even if he did nothing but feel her up in a very wrong and sick way that still is sexual abuse because that child already got shocked and at no time should a child be shocked or feel un-safe.

The only people that should be touching a child in the appropriate and a very safe way are their parents, or grandparents who are teaching the kids how to pee and wipe their butt then the kids become more independent in the bathroom then the parent / grandparent's job has been done and the kids can go to the bathroom all on their own.

A stranger's hand has absoutely no business feeling the private area of a child peroid. The angry father can kill him or police guards can kill him. Simple as that.

I agree with you. I just don't think that is a death eligible offense. That's where you and I slightly disagree. No matter. I think you and I both feel pretty much the same way. A creep is a creep is a creep, and they should be dealt with harshly, whether we're talking life imprison w/o parole or the death penalty.

 

[lexismom64]

but if they do not have the use of the private parts how will the suceed with the crime? alot of sexual assaults are because people want instant gratification and they do not want to get caught ...thats why they target children with adults its a control issue and taking that away wont help but with children being their targets i think it would

 

[Oceanbreeze]

but if they do not have the use of the private parts how will the suceed with the crime? alot of sexual assaults are because people want instant gratification and they do not want to get caught ...thats why they target children with adults its a control issue and taking that away wont help but with children being their targets i think it would

I don't want to get graphic here, but sexual assault doesn't require the use of a body part to do harm. Like I said, it starts with intent. If someone has the intent to do harm, they will. It doesn't matter if they are castrated or not.

 

[Cousin Vinny]

I disagree with the law. Yes, child molestation is a horrible crime, no matter how people might try to spruce it up for the public to digest. But, it does not warrant the death penalty. Rather, I'm for increasingly tough penalties for 2nd offenses and beyond.

 

[hootster]

I think that they should just put them in prison for life.

In my opinion, being in prision for life is worse than the death penalty.

Also, it is cheaper in the long run.

 

[Kalista]

What about the priest ?? They did to many children in the past.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

What about the priest ?? They did to many children in the past.

Sex offenders can be anyone. Doesn't matter who it is. The penalties for such crimes need to be harsh.

 

[ideafspy]

true crime or false crime

I am just conernce is the false crime --

hopefully the system will improve avoid the error system that cause your or my life a price that one of us do nothing but we got the price. The main thing if you got divorce and they want the kids but the court grant you to do and then happen you got crime which you didn't but else whoever.

For example;

I read the news and know one senator do that and they dismiss him and still running for this country. What a joke is that and
whoever create that law are more weakness but if they know the truth. If you got the crime but you didn't and you are into death row. Is that your priase of life?

Right now -- I hope the people whoever decie that law as same in old bible that talking about throw the rock to person. Since we are in new life and new bible.. do the people follow that true. I am not here to debat about bible cuz its seem made this country weakness even government or president did the crime and they dismissed them. It made us look weak too...

 

[FreedummyRing]

I think death penalty for child molesters would help children live in safe environment, child molesters will not want to mess with kids if USA allow death penalty on child molesters.

 

[Castleman]

I think that they should just put them in prison for life.

In my opinion, being in prision for life is worse than the death penalty.

Also, it is cheaper in the long run.

you got it wrong


it is cheaper just to put to death, but less suffering
it is more expensive to serve a life sentence, but more suffering

 

[jazzy]

What about child porn on the net? Shall they get death penalty for taking pix of nude little kids? What about those sicko looked at their pix thru net without touch them?

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

What about child porn on the net? Shall they get death penalty for taking pix of nude little kids? What about those sicko looked at their pix thru net without touch them?

Looking at a pic of a naked kid is WRONG. CHILD PORN IS WRONG.

If you like looking at a pic of a naked kid, then you could end up wanting to touch a kid, and then eventually you end up molesting a kid. It's that simple.

 

[SB_GB_4ever]

i think that it should not be a death eligible crime unless he kills child i think they should castrate him take all his sexual urges away ....so it dosent happen again i think if they do give them death for this alot of innocent childeren are going to be killed so they dont get caught.....

I agree there has to be an oppisite to viagra that makes you not want sex. There penis should be cut off and there want for sex should be takebn away.