US supreme court rules against death penalty in child rape cases

[Gingersnap]

US supreme court rules against death penalty in child rape cases

Daniel Nasaw in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday
June 25, 2008

The US supreme court today struck down a Louisiana law permitting the state to execute people convicted of raping children.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court said the law allowing capital punishment in cases of child rape violates the US constitution's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

"The death penalty is not a proportional punishment for the rape of a child," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the court. His four liberal colleagues joined him, while the four more conservative justices dissented.

Guardian

[Odysseus]

US supreme court rules against death penalty in child rape cases
Daniel Nasaw in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday
June 25, 2008
The US supreme court today struck down a Louisiana law permitting the state to execute people convicted of raping children.
In a 5-4 decision, the high court said the law allowing capital punishment in cases of child rape violates the US constitution's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
"The death penalty is not a proportional punishment for the rape of a child," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the court. His four liberal colleagues joined him, while the four more conservative justices dissented.
Guardian

Apparently, the crime can be cruel and unusual, but the punishment must be warm and fuzzy.

[linda22003]

It needn't be "warm and fuzzy" if it's not death. I agree with capital punishment, but it should be for a capital crime.

[CLibertarian]

US supreme court rules against death penalty in child rape cases

Daniel Nasaw in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday
June 25, 2008

The US supreme court today struck down a Louisiana law permitting the state to execute people convicted of raping children.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court said the law allowing capital punishment in cases of child rape violates the US constitution's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

"The death penalty is not a proportional punishment for the rape of a child," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the court. His four liberal colleagues joined him, while the four more conservative justices dissented.

Guardian

Since such allegations aginst those accused of such horrible things seem to get thrown around all too easily these days, I have no problem with a reluctance to apply the DP in such cases. However, as with the normal application of the DP in murder cases, I have no problem with those that have truly been proven guilty, beyond any reasonable doubt, receive the DP. In many cases, raping a child kills a major part of them for the rest of their lives. Wrt to punishment of perpetrators, it should be elevated to that of murder.

This is also a good view at how Liberals view our children. They are only important to them when it's politically expedient to use them as their excuse for intervening into and destroying families. Gotta punish those horrible and evil parents--especially the ones that are Conservative Home Schoolers.

[noonwitch]

It needn't be "warm and fuzzy" if it's not death. I agree with capital punishment, but it should be for a capital crime.

There's not a whole lot of warm and fuzzy in store for child rapists in prison. A whole lot of "eye for an eye" kind of justice waiting, though.

[linda22003]

This is also a good view at how Liberals view our children. They are only important to them when it's politically expedient to use them as their excuse for intervening into and destroying families. Gotta punish those horrible and evil parents--especially the ones that are Conservative Home Schoolers.

Well, that was a neck-snapping segue from the topic at hand.

[CLibertarian]

There's not a whole lot of warm and fuzzy in store for child rapists in prison. A whole lot of "eye for an eye" kind of justice waiting, though.

Therefore, the DP would actually save them from cruel and unusal punishment.

[CLibertarian]

Well, that was a neck-snapping segue from the topic at hand.

I take it that you disagree?

[Phillygirl]

I haven't read the decision, but my gut says I agree with it. Damn. I really hate agreeing with Kennedy.

[CLibertarian]

I haven't read the decision, but my gut says I agree with it. Damn. I really hate agreeing with Kennedy.

As Noonwitch pointed out, they will get it either way. I say this even though I ultimately disagree with the ruling based upon what I previously stated.