Post by ceewalker on Jun 19, 2006 11:15:44 GMT -5
Oklahoma Allow Death Penalty for Repeat Molesters
Oklahoma became the fifth state to allow the death penalty for anyone convicted twice for rape, sodomy or molestation of a child under 14, joining South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida and Montana in a crackdown on repeat sexual offenders.
Gov. Brad Henry signed the new law Friday a day after South Carolina adopted a similar law allowing the death penalty for anyone convicted twice of raping children younger than 11.
South Carolina's new law is named for nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford, a Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and buried alive 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.
The South Carolina law provides that offenders convicted of first-degree sexual conduct be monitored by electronic devices, and all sex offenders will have to register twice as often compared to the former law.
The law also provides a minimum 25-year sentence for first offenders convicted of raping a child under age 11.
The new law also will make it easier for prosecutors to get convictions, because he allows for out-of-court statements by victims, taped when the victim reports the crime, to be used as evidence at trial even if the victim decides later not to testify.
Not everyone agreed with the passing of the new death penalty provisions.
"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," David Brook, who runs the Virginia Capital Case Clearing House, told CBS News. "This is a very stupid message."
Oklahoma became the fifth state to allow the death penalty for anyone convicted twice for rape, sodomy or molestation of a child under 14, joining South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida and Montana in a crackdown on repeat sexual offenders.
Gov. Brad Henry signed the new law Friday a day after South Carolina adopted a similar law allowing the death penalty for anyone convicted twice of raping children younger than 11.
South Carolina's new law is named for nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford, a Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and buried alive 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.
The South Carolina law provides that offenders convicted of first-degree sexual conduct be monitored by electronic devices, and all sex offenders will have to register twice as often compared to the former law.
The law also provides a minimum 25-year sentence for first offenders convicted of raping a child under age 11.
The new law also will make it easier for prosecutors to get convictions, because he allows for out-of-court statements by victims, taped when the victim reports the crime, to be used as evidence at trial even if the victim decides later not to testify.
Not everyone agreed with the passing of the new death penalty provisions.
"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," David Brook, who runs the Virginia Capital Case Clearing House, told CBS News. "This is a very stupid message."