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April 4, 2006
South Carolina Gov supports death penalty for repeat child rape
As detailed in this AP story, South Carolina "Gov. Mark Sanford announced support Monday for a bill that would make some twice-convicted sex offenders eligible for the death penalty." Here are some more details:
The bill, which still must pass the South Carolina House, would make capital punishment an option for offenders convicted twice of sexually assaulting children under 11. Such crimes "can destroy for a long time, and maybe forever, that young person's ability to function, that young person's trust in older people, trust in others," Sanford said....
Sen. Jake Knotts, R-West Columbia, the sponsor of the Sex Offender Accountability and Protection of Minors Act, said he didn't include the death penalty provision when originally drafting the bill because he was told it was unconstitutional. Now, he says, South Carolina should take advantage of an opportunity to set precedent. "South Carolina shouldn't have to wait on another state to come up and say whether you can do it or not," Knotts said. "We've got a chance to do it, we need to do it."
Recent related posts:
- South Carolina bill proposes death for repeat child molesters
- Is capital punishment for repeat child molesters constitutional?
April 4, 2006 at 08:19 AM | Permalink
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Comments
So South Carolina wants to give rapists an incentive to kill their victims, eh? That's real smart. What'll they invent for the person who both rapes and kills then? The double-death penalty, I suppose.
Someone ought to point out to the grandstanding legislators that their idea will do more harm than good. Unless their view is that someone who's been raped might as well be dead.
Posted by: David in NY | Apr 5, 2006 10:59:07 AM
Iam a mother of two who works full time. I was molested as a young child over a period of years. Until any of you have been raped or molested how can you dare say a child molester or repeat offender shouldn't be sentenced to death. Im not saying that its better off to be killed than to live life being molested, because I don't. The after effects that being molested or raped puts on any victim rather it be a child or an adult is so mentally draining and causes more harm to the affected than being sentenced to death could hurt a repeat offender.
Let me ask you this what is the molester or rapist getting out of what he has done? SATISFACTION!!! What is that poor child or adult being molested or raped getting out of it? Nothing but a life filled with hate, distrust, mental instability, low selfesteam, depression, things that could last a life time. The offender is getting off way to easy if you ask me. People say its unconstitutional to give a repeat offender the death penalty well I think its unconstitutional for someone to molest or rape another human being.. Anyone commiting such a crime should be put to death. If you can put people to death for killing other people why not put someone to death for making another persons life a living hell?
Posted by: Amy In Oklahoma | Apr 7, 2006 8:05:15 PM
My father and brother raped and beat me until I was 12 years old.Then I was pregnant by my brother and daddy went to prison so as punishment for breaking up the happy,hapy family my mother made me keep the baby from rape. My brother got to go to the crazy house so he wasn't beat everyday and told what a whore he was .My mother gets on a cracy spell and goes to our small town church to tell everyone how evil I was and then sent me to 8th grade where even the teachers made my life a living hell. What do you think should have been done! Do I still suffer? I still wke up to afaid to cry because someone might hear me Some days a sound a smell takes me back,or reading this I have no faith
Posted by: laurel Wright | Jun 29, 2006 5:54:34 PM
I spent time in College studying the human mind and how it works. People need to truly understand that raping an adult or Child is very terrifying to the victim.
There was a time i honestly didn`t believe in the Death Penalty but i can say that today.
The attacker didn`t just rape that victim they stole away that persons basic "Individual Human Rights".
There is the Man made law and the Natural law, in a situation where a persons rights are terribly violated then the attacker should lose his or her rights. I do not feel sorry for Pedophiles because they do not feel sorry in anyway for their victims. These children have a right to their lives and happiness. I am so sorry to have read of your case Amy because it left me all twisted inside.
This is not a consolation but holding your head high and trying to live after this torment makes you a brave soul. You did nothing wrong. Your mother should have done her duty. She is a woman and it is so disheartening to know people like her exist.
It is time people rally together and get the laws to work in our favor. The constitution is there to protect our lives, in a Situation where these beast find loop holes in it to protect their existence then its time to close those holes.
Thank you.
Posted by: Maria | Aug 4, 2006 12:33:00 AM
I am 17 yrs. old, a college student in Texas. My father sexually abused me for a long period of time. In efforts to keep my sanity and my brothers' safety i left my home just after my 16th birthday. I turned to CPS for help and justice. I was homeless and feeling pretty guilty (I felt like I was responsible for causing my family to split),then I found out I was pregnant. There was no other possible biological father other than my father. I spoke out about my home life in May of 2005.In January of 2006, my father was sentenced to 16 years in prison. I delivered a beautiful, healthy baby boy in February of 2006. I placed him for adoption and now he has a wonderful family. I feel as though justice was served. Because this man was my father I have a natural tendency to love him. But i still have days where his scent floats in the air and i brake down and forget how to function. At those times i feel as though he is near & memories sworm my mind.I just want to curl up and hide. As a healing young woman, who has forgiven my father, if he was sentenced to the death penalty i would feel like justice was FULLY served!I would gladly join a group to support this bill for the death penalty.
Posted by: Valerie | Nov 30, 2006 8:50:49 PM
This new legislation you all speak of is an insult to your intelligence. Legislautures do not promulgate law simply to remedy citizens' grievances. Interest groups and corporations all bank on newly ratified legislation to sustain themselves and their cause. I do sympathize with victims of sexual abuse everyhwere. Look at empirical evidence and compare it to the newly proposed legislation. the age limit is 11 years of age, few rapes victims are under the age of 16. give me a break, you people have no idea what you are even talking about.
Posted by: Johnny | Feb 6, 2007 7:22:33 PM
I would like to comment on Valerie's comment. I am a teacher, and I would like to say that YOU don't know what you are talking about if you think that "few rape victims are under the age of 16." You are simply misinformed and apparently don't care to find out the truth.
Posted by: C | Aug 22, 2007 12:24:58 PM
I just found out my 10 year daughter was molested by my boyfriend of 7 years. This happened over a few recent months. It has really affected both of us dramatically. We are having a hard time trusting anyone (including family since they seem more worried about my ex than my daughter who is the victim), and paranoid is an understatement. He is now in a mental hospital and will go directly to jail once released. But it is not enough, he will eventally serve his time and be released from prison. Although this is his first offense, and I am a christian, he deserves a lot more than a few years of free meals and free housing. He is sick, like so many I am finding out about, and deserves nothing more than the burning hot blazes of hell. I believe anyone who can think this way will never get better or change their way of thinking, and the first offense should be last with the death penalty!
Posted by: Kim Creswell | Feb 11, 2008 9:25:44 AM
