The Denver Post carries an AP report, "Lawmakers reject death penalty for child sex abusers." The bill had not been expected to pass, as noted in this post from April 3.
Colorado lawmakers have rejected a bill that would have allowed the execution of people who sexually assault children younger than age 13.
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 6-4 today against the Senate Bill 195, which would have cost about $616,000 next year for trials, appeals, public defenders and prison costs.
Democratic Sen. Moe Keller of Wheat Ridge says social workers are worried that family members who rape children could intimidate their victims by saying the abuser would be killed if the victim tells.
Earlier coverage of the Colorado legislation is here. This Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Kennedy v. Louisiana, which raises the constitutionality of the death penalty for the non-homicidal rape of a child. Earlier coverage of the case is here. The Louisiana law pre-dates Jessica's Law death penalty provisions, sparked by the death and murder of a child in Florida. The JML Foundation says that 33
states have passed some form of Jessica's Law. Only those in Florida,
Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas contain a possible death penalty
for non-homicidal child rape. In addition to Louisiana, Montana also has a similar
provisions that pre-date the Jessica's Law proposals. Only two men in America are have been sentenced to death for non-homicidal rape of a child; both in Louisiana. The Jessica's Law index is here. More on Coker v. Georgia,
the 1977 U.S. Supreme Court that ruled the death penalty an
unconstitutional punishment for non-homicidal rape of an adult, is here.
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