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In Alabama, the Kennedy case did not end talk of the death penalty for child rape

By Douglas A. Berman

Apparently, it takes a while for a SCOTUS decision about constitutional limits on the death penalty to make its way down to Alabama.  That conclusion is the only way I can fully make sense of this local Alabama story, headlined "Capital Punishment for Certain Pedophiles?".  Here are excerpts from the piece: Pedophiles who rape young children could face the death penalty in Alabama?if one state lawmaker gets his way.  State Representative Steve Hurst of Munford in Talladega County is proposing a new law that would allow a judge to use capital punishment if someone older than 21 is convicted of raping a child 6 years old or younger. The death penalty is a punishment that ? so far ? has been reserved only for murderers. Should child molesters now be included? With the growing number of child sex predators, Hurst says capital punishment is an appropriate sentence for adult rapists older than 21 who violate children 6 years old or younger...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on February 16, 2009 (boomark / email).