Florida’s Ron DeSantis signs bill allowing death penalty for child rapists

[mystery-ak]

Florida’s Ron DeSantis signs bill allowing death penalty for child rapists
By Victor Nava   
May 2, 2023 9:20pm

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday that authorizes the use of the death penalty on convicted sex abusers of children.

The new law, which goes into effect Oct. 1, allows the Sunshine State to seek capital punishment when an adult is convicted of sexual battery of a child under 12.

While Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers of the Florida Legislature, the measure was co-sponsored by a Democrat and passed with bipartisan support.

DeSantis signed the bill despite a 2008 US Supreme Court ruling that found it unconstitutional for states to use capital punishment for crimes other than murder, setting the stage for a possible showdown at the high court. 

“We’re really delivering a big agenda,” DeSantis said during the bill signing ceremony. “So this is one important — but admittedly very small part — of an overall large agenda and very bold agenda that’s really setting the terms of the debate for the country, quite frankly.”

Last month, DeSantis declared that capital punishment is the “only appropriate” sentence for child rapists.

“My view is, you have some of these people that will be serial rapists of six, seven-year-old kids,” DeSantis told “Good Morning Orlando”. “I think the death penalty is the only appropriate punishment when you have situations like that.”

more
https://nypost.com/2023/05/02/floridas-ron-desantis-signs-bill-allowing-death-penalty-for-child-rapists/

[libertybele]

Good!   

[Fishrrman]

This will go to the Supreme Court, which some years back issued a ruling that could be interpreted to be in conflict with the new Florida law.

Although the philosophical "tilt" of The Court today is much further conservative than it was earlier...

[sneakypete]

Works for me as long as they are genuine child rapists,and not 16 year old boys having consensual sex with their 15  year old girlfriends.

[roamer_1]

ALLOWED? It should be insisted upon.

[libertybele]

It'll be another showdown. I foresee this going before SCOTUS.

[corbe]

   Waiting on the Trumpers to say Trump pushed for this bill in 2017 and DeSantis cut off all debate and essentially killed it, due to his 'misguided' Father.

[sneakypete]

   Waiting on the Trumpers to say Trump pushed for this bill in 2017 and DeSantis cut off all debate and essentially killed it, due to his 'misguided' Father.

@corbe

We don't need to because you just said it for us.

Thanks!

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Not sure this will survive Constitutionality test. I have no problem with the concept in principle.

[Fishrrman]

Weird wrote:
"Not sure this will survive Constitutionality test. I have no problem with the concept in principle"

There was never a problem of "Constitutionality" with this... UNTIL a recent Supreme Court decision within the last 15 years or so (sorry, don't remember the specific case).

So... for 200 years, a death penalty for certain crimes that didn't involve "the death" of the victim were assumed to be sanctioned by the Constitution.

Consider "treason" -- this is a crime that doesn't involve a specific "victim", nor that victim's death.

Again, I sense that the current crop of Justices may decide to "restore the balance" to where it was before...