Posted on 03/08/2006 10:00:18 AM PST by Osage Orange
Tougher penalties are sought in sex cases
By John Greiner
The Oklahoman
Repeat child molesters could face the death penalty, life without parole or life in prison, under legislation approved Tuesday by the state Senate Judiciary Committee.
"These are individuals who've proven they can't be rehabilitated," said state Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant. "I believe child sex abuse to be the ultimate crime."
Gumm, after being questioned by state Sen. Bernest Cain, said he didn't know if the U.S. Supreme Court would approve a death penalty for a repeat child molester.
Cain, D-Oklahoma City, offered an amendment to eliminate the death penalty from the proposal and retain the sentences of life without parole and life in prison.
The amendment failed.
"Those who repeatedly prey on our children in this unspeakable manner should face the most severe penalties allowed under our justice system," Gumm told the committee.
His bill would apply to a person convicted of a second offense of sexual child abuse. State law defines that as rape, incest and lewd or indecent acts or proposals made to a child.
The measure, Senate Bill 1747, now goes to the full Senate.
NOTE...this bill passed the Oklahoma State Senate.
"This is a redneck re-election bill." -State Sen. Bernest Cain, D-Oklahoma City, about the bill that would make repeat sex offenders eligible for the death penalty.
"If voting for this bill means you're a redneck, then I'm a redneck because I thik it is a good bill." - State Sen. John Nichols, R-Norman
While I am ALL for the painful vivisection of repeat child molesters, I would want to make sure that 1) the charges were not trumped up by vindictive ex-spouses (many are) and that 2) execution would only be for actual sexual abuse of pre-teen children. A 21 year old with a couple of 15 year old girlfriends should not be executed or some freak who propositions some small children, but never actually does anything should not be executed.
Is there a teacher/police exemption?
The Louisiana law (which can be used for first offenses if the vicitm is young enough) has never been ruled unconstitutional.
Its not up to the Supreme Court to decide... Execution is neither cruel nor unusual punishment, and it is LONG past due that it was on the table for these sorts of folks... though that won't stop the radical activists from trying to get the USSC to overstep its bounds yet again.
Pretty much agree with you...........
You forgot clergy....
Hey! Wait a minute! Isn't the "National" enabling of the queers in all things, aimed at makeing the chillins fair targets for these pigs? YES!!!!!
Yep. Redneck re-election bill. Typical stupid stuff. I bet if I looked, Oklahoma has a kiddie death penalty law on the books where it is ok to execute 14 year olds.
parsy, who can't stand politicians.
Basically typical of 3/4's of the Demosocialistmarxistlefty's in the U.S. Congress...
It looks like US Supreme Court banned juvenile executions last year, so that's one good thing. Still, I think a number of states permit young teenangers to be tried as adults. I'll look that up, too.
One of the things that scares me about tough molester laws is the chance for mistakes. I know a person who was found to be a molester even though he passed a lie detector test. His guilt was based on seven year old testimony from a 12 year old who even in court said he never touched her. Now the judge is trying to make him confess and make the mother say that she believes the kid. What a mess.
parsy, who likes good sound legal principles, not hysteria.
Of course there needs to be guidelines.....
Of course many people..myself included, understand that there are cases like you've mentioned.
We might disagree on young teenagers being tried as adults. I've absolutely no problem with that being done in many cases. Although if you mean < 16 yrs. of age...then I'd probably agree with you most of the time.
FWIW
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