Child Rapists Spared Death Penalty
To me, there’s nothing more despicable than violence against a child. People that sexually violate a child are the worst scum of the Earth. In fact, I’ve often thought that the death penalty should be applied in these cases. Child Rapists (as well as molesters who were entrusted with a child’s care) should just be put down in my opinion. End of story. Unfortunately it looks like the Supreme Court disagrees with me (by a 5-4 margin.)
From the majority decision:
Based both on consensus and our own independent judgment, our holding is that a death sentence for one who raped but did not kill a child, and who did not intend to assist another in killing the child, is unconstitutional under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
I don’t like the decision at all, but it looks likes its based on constitutionality. [sigh] My only hope is that these bastards repeatedly get some karmic payback in prison, if you know what I mean.
June 25, 2008 @ 2:12 pm
That usually happens in some form or another, so don’t waste good karma worryin’ about it…
June 25, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
This is why it matters at the end of the day who is elected president.
No matter how much Obama may suggest that he disagrees with this decision, you know that Obama’s Supreme Court justices would be more like Stevens, Souter, Breyer, and Ginsburg (and maybe Kennedy), the majority in this decision. You know that no justice under Obama, and just about every justice under McCain, would be more like the dissenters, Roberts, Alito, Scalia and Thomas.
June 26, 2008 @ 9:36 am
I’ll have to live with it then I guess, because despite my very conservative leaning stance on the Death Penalty, I’m very liberal overall.
I shudder to think what would happen with a couple of Supreme Court appointments by McCain.
Things like a woman’s right to choose and separation of church and state are very important to me, and those things will definitely be better protected under Obama.
If a couple pedophile rapists have to spend the rest of their lives in prison instead of getting whacked immediately I guess I’ll have to live with that.
-Grey
June 26, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Agreed this is the most disgusting type of scum on Earth. They deserve the highest punishment. I’ve switched my mind on the death penalty. Between my faith and my feeling death is too good for them, I rather they rot in jail. What gets me angry is when they get released and your told it’s ok if they move into your neighborhood.
June 26, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
I’ve no idea how a McCain justice would effect separation of church and state. Not a big issue in the scheme of things as far as I can tell.
Roe vs. Wade would probably get overturned, but just because was a bad ruling more than anything (basically the SC inventing the right to privacy). But all overturning it does is have the issue revert back to the laws in each state.
As far as today’s ruling, the DC gun ban being overturned 5-4, an Obama court rules 9-0 the other way, based on his being a director of a foundation that gave heavily to anti-handgun groups.
July 4, 2008 @ 7:47 am
While we no longer have the death penalty over here in the UK (whether it should be brought back for some crimes is a matter of debate) I do agree that this has got o be one of the worst crimes. However if the death penalty did apply I’d be worried that in the warped minds of these people (that would probably continue to commit the crime) they would possibly be more likely to kill a child after commmiting the attrocity as the punishment is no greater? I’m no a parent but if I was I’d rather have my child back and help them through it than for them to be taken from me for ever. Just my thoughts guys.
July 9, 2008 @ 9:40 am
@3 – “Things like a woman’s right to choose and separation of church and state are very important to me, and those things will definitely be better protected under Obama.”
Maybe not. Here’s a quote from Bob Herbert, a NY Times columnist:
“So there he was in Zanesville, Ohio, pandering to evangelicals by promising not just to maintain the Bush program of investing taxpayer dollars in religious-based initiatives, but to expand it. Separation of church and state? Forget about it.”
{ Link }