Executing a child rapist

jayem · Apr 15, 2008

A timely news story relevant to all the recent death penalty threads. SCOTUS will hear a case tomorrow on whether capital punishment for a crime other than murder is constitutional. In this case, a Louisiana man was sentenced to death for raping his 8 year old stepdaughter. She had extensive internal injuries requiring surgery, but survived. Louisiana is one of a few states that provide for the death penalty for raping, but not killing a child. Such crimes are savage atrocities, no doubt, but does the 8th Amendment allow capital punishment for crimes of heinous cruelty and brutality short of murder? That's what the Court will decide. What do death pnealty supporters here think?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/15/rape.execution/index.html

MoonlessNight · Apr 15, 2008

I think that the death penalty only makes sense as a final means of protection for the community, not as some sort of tit-for-tat retribution. So in that case rape insofar as it is not murder would not be exempt.

Of course we have the system in place to protect society from both murderers and rapists without killing them...

FaithLikeARock · Apr 15, 2008

Why? I see no point in the death penalty except in situations like the above poster mentioned. It's an act of vengeance and nothing more.

Merlin · Apr 15, 2008

I don't think the 8th amendment applies.

parsa · Apr 15, 2008

Who defines what's cruel and unusual punishment?

StarCannon · Apr 15, 2008

...
raping an eight year old stepdaughter???
...

I would recommend castration.

Darkhorse · Apr 15, 2008

FaithLikeARock said:
Why? I see no point in the death penalty except in situations like the above poster mentioned. It's an act of vengeance and nothing more.

Vengeance? Sounds more like getting rid of the trash to me...

Vene · Apr 15, 2008

At the least I'm against the death penalty because it's not a cost effective solution.

A study in Kansas indicated that a capital trial costs $116,700 more than an ordinary murder trial.

In Texas, a death penalty case costs taxpayers an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 years

In Florida, each execution is costing the state $3.2 million.

In financially strapped California, one report estimated that the state could save $90 million each year by abolishing capital punishment.

The New York Department of Correctional Services estimated that implementing the death penalty would cost the state about $118 million annually.

Link

jayem · Apr 15, 2008

parsa said:
Who defines what's cruel and unusual punishment?

The courts. And ultimately, the Supreme Court.

jayem · Apr 15, 2008

StarCannon said:
I would recommend castration.

What can happen to child molesters in prison may be worse.

Washington · Apr 15, 2008

Vene said:
At the least I'm against the death penalty because it's not a cost effective solution.
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I agree. I have nothing against execution if

1. There is a way to be 99% certain they have the right person.

2. It is carried out within a year.

3. It is done painlessly.

NavyGuy7 · Apr 15, 2008

parsa said:
Who defines what's cruel and unusual punishment?

Didn't you hear? It's the left side these days... and the ACLU, which is also left.

NavyGuy7 · Apr 16, 2008

jayem said:
What can happen to child molesters in prison may be worse.

So keep them alive. Got it.
Yes, I've heard from my dad that most inmates view child molesters as, well, the lowest sort of criminal on the prison food chain. There are child molesters who get killed in prison for the fact that they are "child molesters". They see them as freaks, I guess. In any case, they are not looked highly upon. Even a serial killer is better, so long as he isn't a child molester too.

By the way, my dad is a prison guard, and has been for most of my life. Maybe 10-12 years or so.

Steezie · Apr 16, 2008

I say we tell the guy to make peace with whatever god he has, open wide, and prepare to have his teeth blown through the back of his neck.

Ending someone's life is bad, but they go through (usually) a small amount of pain and fear before passing beyond where they can be harmed anymore. Rape is something that can mentally torture someone for weeks, months, even years later and can make a person suicidal and cause a laundry list of mental and emotional problems that inject fear and terror into a person's life for a long time afterwards.

For that, I dont see why someone doesnt deserve death.

angelpie545 · Apr 16, 2008

Washington said:
I agree. I have nothing against execution if

1. There is a way to be 99% certain they have the right person.

2. It is carried out within a year.

3. It is done painlessly.

I agree-but only for the crime of murder. At this point, I cannot agree that any crime other than murder should be punishable by death. As for the guy who was convicted of raping his stepdaughter, there is not question in my mind that he should spend the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole.

lawtonfogle · Apr 16, 2008

Steezie said:
I say we tell the guy to make peace with whatever god he has, open wide, and prepare to have his teeth blown through the back of his neck.

Ending someone's life is bad, but they go through (usually) a small amount of pain and fear before passing beyond where they can be harmed anymore.

And you know how?

Merlin · Apr 16, 2008

parsa said:
Who defines what's cruel and unusual punishment?

interpretation of the law is usually left to the court system.

trunks2k · Apr 16, 2008

While I'm against the death penalty in general (save for a few very rare cases), I'm particularly against it in the case because:

a. it gives the raper more incentive to kill his/her victim.

b. makes it less likely that a victim will report the crime. Since molestation is usually done by somebody close to the victim, I'd think a victim would be less willing to report the crime if that person was to face the death penalty. These victims already have a hard enough time coming forward as is, they don't need an additional issue to make them second guess their decision.

cantata · Apr 16, 2008

I think it is better to forgive than to kill.

ShieldOFaith · Apr 16, 2008

jayem said:
A timely news story relevant to all the recent death penalty threads. SCOTUS will hear a case tomorrow on whether capital punishment for a crime other than murder is constitutional. In this case, a Louisiana man was sentenced to death for raping his 8 year old stepdaughter. She had extensive internal injuries requiring surgery, but survived. Louisiana is one of a few states that provide for the death penalty for raping, but not killing a child. Such crimes are savage atrocities, no doubt, but does the 8th Amendment allow capital punishment for crimes of heinous cruelty and brutality short of murder? That's what the Court will decide. What do death pnealty supporters here think?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/15/rape.execution/index.html

HANG HIM BY THE NECK UNTIL DEAD!

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Executing a child rapist

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