Florida passes bill allowing death penalty for child sexual abusers

On Tuesday, April 18, 2023, the Florida Senate passed a bill that would make Sexual Battery a capital offense, for people over the age of 18, who sexually assault children under age 12, sending the issue to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign the bill into law.

The Bill requires that if the defendant has been found guilty of a previous sexual battery crime, or any other capital felony, they are eligible for the death penalty to be considered by the jury. So, I guess a person who is on trial for sexually assaulting more than one victim could be eligible for the death penalty, if at least one case is tried separately.

I've seen a lot of on-line hysteria, claiming that this bill will target trans people and their allies. But, I've read of no evidence of that in the bill. If any group of people should be concerned, it's the clergy and church leaders, in my opinion.

The Bill also changes the number of jurors from 12 to 8 to impose the death penalty and gives the judge discretion to overrule the jury if they decide impose the death penalty.

Under the bill, defendants could receive death sentences based on the recommendations of at least eight of 12 jurors. Judges would have the discretion to impose the death penalty or sentence defendants to life in prison. If fewer than eight jurors recommend death, defendants would receive life sentences.

www.orlandosentinel.com...

As it stands, the bill is patently unconstitutional. In 2008, the US Supreme Court ruled, in Kennedy v. Louisiana, that the Eighth Amendment's Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause prohibits imposing the death penalty for a crime where the victim did not die.

Florida lawmakers seems confident that this US Supreme Court will uphold the bill. Personally, I don't think the Catholic majority currently sitting on court, as conservative as they are, will overrule Kennedy v. Louisiana.

“We have a completely different (U.S.) Supreme Court makeup,” Martin told senators. “We have a completely different Florida Supreme Court makeup than when Kennedy v. Louisiana was issued. I know everybody in this room hopes that nobody is put to death for this crime. Because if someone is put to death for this crime, it means that a poor innocent child was raped.”

Also, it's slippery slope. There are so many heinous crimes that trigger people to want to kill the perpetrators, like home invasion that target, terrorize and brutally assault the elderly. Why not the death penalty for those kinds of criminals too?

Personally, I also find it offensive that the rapist of a 11-year-old girl's rapist could be executed, but the 11-year-old girl, in some states, could be forced to carry and give birth to her rapist's spawn, should SCOTUS uphold this bill.

What do you think, ATS?

Disclaimer: This isn't the Mud Pit, so let's try to keep it civil...

a reply to: Sookiechacha

'Allows' hell - it should be mandatory.

certain crimes deserve the death penalty and for me , this would be one of them. I see no rehabilitation for an adult that abuses a child in such a manner.

Whatever the adults background is irrelevant (church/trans/hetro) fastrack them to hell

a reply to: Sookiechacha

i defintetly agree with this bill, and I don't agree that a child who was raped should be forced to keep the baby. That's just plain SICK! I can't imagine the anti-abortion laws would force a child rape victim to keep the baby, but I could be wrong. i have not read much about this so most likely I sound clueless.

Anyone who harms a child deserves to burn in hell

a reply to: Sookiechacha

Coming from a resident of Florida I approve it especially for repeat offender's I just wish they would do it by Wood chipper feet first.

Until there is REAL consequences for those who choose to violate a child's innocence, the predators will prey.
This is a good first step.
I agree about a raped girl/woman being made to carry the spawn of evil to term. There needs to be agreement in how a situation such a that is dealt with in a common sense manner.
I don't have the answers. I just believe evil in any form should not be tolerated whatsoever. Evil is evil.

This law is a start! Criminals have been favored far too long, and as far as raping a child not being murder I vehemently disagree. That little kid has been robbed of the rest of their childhood and sentenced to a mental health battle that is often never overcome.
Snuffing out their childhood is about a close to murder as you can get without killing them.

The abortion issue is a totally different issue and should be dealt with separately. JMO

I hope many other states follow Florida's lead!

a reply to: Sookiechacha

Wow - bold, and not before time! Kudos Florida, I like you more & more each day.

I would actually say it's perhaps the only thing that would ever cause such a serious sexual offender to change their ways & try not to offend?

a reply to: Sookiechacha


OK, OK, OK....

Let's compromise and just make it "Physical" castration, hell we can even use one of the "gender clinics" to cut them off. Death penalty takes too long. Do this ASAP when there is zero doubt of innocence.

Castration! That is a good start.

Save the death penalty for a repeat as it takes far to long to off them. Castration can be done right after sentencing, within a day or two. That should be the bill, not to exceed 7 days after sentencing for example.

Castration.....


Wait, Why would the transgender community and their allies be worried?

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Sookiechacha


OK, OK, OK....

Let's compromise and just make it "Physical" castration, hell we can even use one of the "gender clinics" to cut them off. Death penalty takes too long. Do this ASAP when there is zero doubt of innocence.

Save the death penalty for a repeat.

Why? So they can become beautiful brave heroes?

originally posted by: Sookiechacha
I've seen a lot of on-line hysteria, claiming that this bill will target trans people and their allies. But, I've read of no evidence of that in the bill.

Their allies include pedophiles that identify as the much less threatening "MAP".

The evidence in the bill is that it targets offending pedophiles, which these clown activists claim targets trans people and their allies. You saw no evidence because you refuse to read what they said in full context.

I know the left is all against the 2+2=4 thing, but if you can't do the math here there's not much anybody can do to help you. The activists that seem to dictate leftist politics are telling you in as plain a words as they ever will.

Do you think they're just going to come out and say it targets trans people and their allies because they've allowed the propagandist media and bludgeon of government to turn LGBT into the same kind of safe space for pedophiles as churches?

originally posted by: GoShredAK

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Sookiechacha


OK, OK, OK....

Let's compromise and just make it "Physical" castration, hell we can even use one of the "gender clinics" to cut them off. Death penalty takes too long. Do this ASAP when there is zero doubt of innocence.

Save the death penalty for a repeat.

Why? So they can become beautiful brave heroes?

If Pedo rapes a baby.... castration within 7 days of sentencing (and jail of course!)

I find that acceptable and Just.

a reply to: Ksihkehe

You are correct.

Pedos hide where they have access to children. Historically, Schools, Church groups, scout leaders, daycares, etc.

With the Trans crazy, naturally a bunch of them are joining and hanging out in that community since they are also protected by claiming they are Trans.

Im against the death penalty anyway, but I suppose if you gotta have it, this ought to be one of the top reasons for killing people

dbl

trbl

qud

Qtpl

originally posted by: infolurker

originally posted by: GoShredAK

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Sookiechacha


OK, OK, OK....

Let's compromise and just make it "Physical" castration, hell we can even use one of the "gender clinics" to cut them off. Death penalty takes too long. Do this ASAP when there is zero doubt of innocence.

Save the death penalty for a repeat.

Why? So they can become beautiful brave heroes?

If Pedo rapes a baby.... castration within 7 days of sentencing (and jail of course!)

I find that acceptable and Just.

A bullet is cheaper.

Or a short rope.

originally posted by: infolurker

originally posted by: GoShredAK

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: Sookiechacha


OK, OK, OK....

Let's compromise and just make it "Physical" castration, hell we can even use one of the "gender clinics" to cut them off. Death penalty takes too long. Do this ASAP when there is zero doubt of innocence.

Save the death penalty for a repeat.

Why? So they can become beautiful brave heroes?

If Pedo rapes a baby.... castration within 7 days of sentencing (and jail of course!)

I find that acceptable and Just.

What if they win on appeal against conviction? Do they get them sewed back on?

Personally, based on what tends to happen to scum like that in our prisons over here, their prison experience would be close to Hellish.

Good.